Disclaimer: This article contains content that may disturbing to some readers.
In recent years, anime has grown more and more popular. With shows like Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, and Jujutsu Kaisen, introducing more and more people to the medium, I decided to put together a list of anime for the Halloween season. In no particular order, shows that have demons, mysteries, murder, and spooky vibes will be included in this list. Hopefully, it’ll enhance the fall season for anyone interested in watching some anime.
- Soul Eater
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This is the first show I thought of while making the list. The first episode introduces a cat witch, whose magic revolves around pumpkins. It has all of Halloween’s hallmark characteristics. Death is a literal character, which really heightens the spooky aspect. There are curses and the plot will keep you on your toes, and there are also interesting art style and character designs! The laughing sun and moon in the show scream Halloween most of all. It transforms the setting into a character itself, really highlighting the show’s abnormalities.Â
The show is centered around a group of young teenagers. Some of these teenagers can transform into weapons, and their goal is to become Death’s personal weapon. To do that, they need to eat the souls of kishin, which are essentially demons, and witches. However, certain witches have world-ending plots that this young group must stop in time. You can watch this show on Crunchyroll, Disney Plus, and Hulu.
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica
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This show is an anime about magical girls. To many people, this could seem like an odd choice to be put on a list of shows with Halloween vibes. However, this is one of the most horrifying shows I have ever seen. It twists the magical-girl genre into something dark and unsettling. With a warped art style, Puella Magi Madoka Magica contrasts the light nature of magical girls. Some monsters almost look like paper mache in this two-dimensional world. Watching this show feels almost like an intense ride. I would recommend following the “three-episode rule,” that’s when things take a wild turn.
The show is centered around a group of young girls who get pulled into the world of magical duties after meeting a small creature named Kyubey. Kyubey offers them a tempting deal: if they agree to become magical girls, he’ll grant any wish they desire. However, a new girl at school seems intent on killing Kyubey, though her motives are unknown. This show can be streamed on Crunchyroll, Disney Plus, and Hulu.
- Welcome to Demon School! Iruma kun
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This show is much more lighthearted than the previous two. It doesn’t have spooky vibes necessarily, but it has numerous demons and monsters. If you want to sit down and relax with something fun while still keeping the Halloween theme, then this is the show for you.
It’s about a young boy, Iruma, who is sold to a devil by his parents. Luckily for him, this devil wants him as a grandson (could’ve been worse). Having no other options, Iruma goes along with it and is enrolled at a demon school. Unfortunately, most demons want to eat humans, so he must hide his true identity while he rises through the demon ranks. You can watch this show on Crunchyroll, Disney Plus, and Hulu.
- Link Click
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Technically, this isn’t an anime, it’s a Chinese animation, but the art style follows a typical anime style so I included it. This show is a horror mystery. We are introduced to a crime, involving a serial murderer, in the first episode, which remains on the backburner throughout the series. Each subsequent episode builds suspense for the outcome of the case. The tension culminates in the revelation that the murderer is the mastermind behind many events, creating a chilling sense of horror in the audience.
The show follows a pair of guys with the unique ability to send one of them back in time through photographs to gather information for current cases. The number one rule is they can’t change anything in the past. The first half of the season focuses on a variety of cases, but chaos commences when suddenly it’s revealed someone else possesses this power and is interfering with their work. This leads to an epic showdown well worth the watch. This show can be easily streamed on Crunchyroll.
- Death Note
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Death Note is an old classic. Being my first anime, I think about it fondly. It is a psychological horror show with mind games on top of mind games. The show uses color to intensify scenes, making it perfect for Halloween. We also can’t forget Misa, a goth queen in the show, who fits the Halloween vibe all on her own!
It’s about a boy who finds a peculiar notebook: if he writes the name of someone in this notebook while envisioning their face, they will die. With this newfound power, he decides to correct the injustices of the world through his own hands, killing off criminals he believes should have a worse punishment. However, a famous detective puts together a task force to find and stop him before his influence becomes too great. You can watch this show on Crunchyroll, Disney Plus, Hulu, Peacock, and Netflix.
- Perfect Blue
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I actually watched this a year ago, as it was the University of Central Florida’s Anime Club movie choice for their Halloween party. In contrast to the other shows on the list, Perfect Blue is a movie. With that being said, it’s perfect if you just want to sit down for a couple of hours, instead of committing to a whole season.
Perfect Blue is a murder mystery about uncovering the culprit in a string of murders. The main character thinks she will be next, but the movie uses the unreliable narrator to misdirect the audience. Who is the true culprit? You’ll have to watch it to see! You can find this on YouTube or Amazon Prime at a rental price.
- Wonder Egg Priority
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This psychological horror show is a lot like Madoka Magica, as it was used to flip the idea of magical girls. Though it uses bright colors and cute character designs, Wonder Egg Priority is centered around disturbing content, like suicide.
The show tracks a group of girls who all lost people important to them. In order to get them back, they go into the mindscapes of girls who have committed suicide and fight off dark influences. However, not everything is as it seems, and when something appears too good to be true, that’s usually because it is. You can watch this on Crunchyroll.
- Dorohedoro
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This show is absolutely bonkers in the best way. It is incredibly gruesome with action-packed fights and introduces an array of creative types of magic. Witches and magic are central to the plot and showcased through its gorgeous art style. If you want something both fun and intense, this is the show for you!
Dorohedoro focuses on a man who was transformed into a lizard humanoid by a witch. He tries to find this witch to turn him back, but, in doing so, gets roped into the schemes of other witches. This can be found on Netflix.
These are my top picks of animes to watch this spooky season. There are other shows I could have listed, so I’ll give some honorary mentions. If you want more shows with demons, watch Black Butler or Blue Exorcist. If you want more shows to match the Halloween season, watch Persona Five or Durarara. Of course, spooky shows aren’t limited to these, but I would recommend starting here before branching off to other shows.