With the fall season here and spooky vibes in the air, we willingly scare ourselves silly by watching horrifying movies and TV shows. With your plate filled with movies and shows like The Fall of the House of Usher, Carrie, Nightmare Before Christmas, Scream, Beetlejuice, and Hocus Pocus, why not expand your Halloween marathon with these anime shows that bring their unique touch of scare, fun, and contemplativeness?
Little Witch Academia
Sparkling witches might not be what you’re looking for when it comes to the typical scary Halloween witches, but what makes a witch is this show’s theme. Aspiring to become a witch like her idol, the amazing Shining Chariot, Atsuko “Akko” Kagari strives to do her best at the Luna Nova Magical Academy. The thing is, Akko doesn’t have any magical powers. She can’t do simple magic spells or fly on a broom. But it’s Akko’s can-do attitude and Shining Chariot’s wand that pushes her to become a splendid witch. The anime is much like My Hero Academia with the main character’s determination to prove to others they can achieve their dreams. If you want something darker involving witches, I also recommend Puella Magi Madoka Magica.
Undead Girl Murder Farce
For those who love a good mystery detective story, you’ll surely love the supernatural element Undead Girl Muder Farce brings to the show. When the ordinary police can’t solve a case, it’s up to Tsugaru Shinuchi, a half-demon, and immortal Aya Rindou, to step up and solve the crime. From vampires, werewolves, the Phantom of the Opera, and Sherlock Holmes, the pair travel all of Europe in search of Aya’s missing body. Head stuck in a bird cage, Aya only needs her brilliant mind and Tsugaru’s strength to dissect and fight the supernatural mysteries behind the one who took Aya’s body.
The Case Study of Vanitas
You should watch this anime just for the beautiful animation and aesthetic of 19th-century France. With the elaborate costumes and old Paris architecture, it’s what we imagine when we think of vampires; they fit right in. With dramatic cloaks waving in the wind, human Vanitas is the holder of the “Book of Vanitas” a special book belonging to a legendary vampire, Vanitas, born under the blue moon. Scorned by those born under the red moon, Vanitas’s book is said to be a dangerous vampire kind. As the next holder of the book, Vanitas takes his master’s name as a vampire doctor, curing those who suddenly lose their sanity to Charlatan’s Parade. In an odd case that takes a vampire’s true name, Vanitas holds the key to restoring their names.
The Vampire Dies in No Time
A comedy that makes fun of vampire lore, The Vampire Dies in No Time will have you laughing at the most bizarre scenarios vampire Draluc and vampire hunter Ronald face. With how weak Draluc is — a simple scare turns him to dust — he’s no help against the other eccentric vampires that roam Saitama Prefecture. He becomes roommates with the hunter after the vampire’s castle gets destroyed. Ronald is no better, scared of getting tortured by his menacing editor if he can’t make a deadline for his next book, panicking to get it done. The real star of the anime is John the Armadillo, Draluc’s familiar and a fan favorite. His cuteness is too much to bear and is a highlight when the focus is on him.
Toilet Bound Hanako-kun
There are seven mysteries or wonders that roam the halls in every school. If you’ve watched anime for a while, you know there’s always that one episode that tries to determine if the Japanese urban legends are real. The most famous one is Hanako-san, a ghost girl who resides in the girls’ restroom and can be summoned by knocking on her stall three times. Except in Toilet Bound Hanako-kun, Hanako-kun is really a he and doesn’t have the power to grant wishes as the myth suggests. Nene Yashiro is betting on Hanako-san to grant her wish of romance but instead gets herself caught up in the supernatural that almost kills her. Now working as Hanako’s assistant, she enters a new world within her school, learning who Hanako was before his death and his role as a handler of the seven mysteries.
Welcome to Demon School Iruma-kun!
Iruma is an unfortunate boy who has irresponsible parents. Being forced to work to be the breadwinner of the family, Iruma is unable to ever say no or oppose anyone, with his weakness being the word “please.” Working on a fishing ship, the boy’s suddenly tied up and taken to the netherworld by an old demon, who bought Iruma from his parents. You’d think being sold off to a demon was the worst of it. However, the old demon wants Iruma to be his grandson, as he doesn’t have a family of his own. Unwilling to disappoint the lonely old man, Iruma agrees and enrolls in demon school, hiding the fact he’s human or else he’ll be eaten by his classmates. The anime is funny with a resemblance to Monster High as Iruma navigates his new — and better — life pretending to be a demon.
Another
If you want to get a sudden phobia of using an umbrella or getting on an elevator, be my guest. The students of class 3-3 of Yomiyama North Junior High will certainly have a hard time getting through the school year with a rumored class curse. The curse causes the students of this class to die in gruesome ways, and the school and town are secretive as to why this is happening. Recent transfer student Kouichi Sakakibara is left in the dark, teaming up with Mei Misaki, a mysterious girl with an eye patch. The only clue they have to go on is the previous year’s students, who were the start of the unexpected deaths. The anime is bloody with creative deaths and a supernatural mystery that’ll make you sit through each death to solve the curse. It’s perfect for those who love the horror genre.
Moriarty the Patriot
Instead of following the heroic Sherlock Holmes and his impeccable genius at solving crimes, why not follow his ultimate foe and rival, William James Moriarty? In Moriarty the Patriot, before he becomes the ultimate Lord of Crime, he’s a noble wanting to overthrow the power of the aristocracy of 19th-century Britain. The unjust favor of economic power abuses those without anything. As a “crime consultant,” Moriarty commits unsolvable crimes to help the common folk, enabling them to act on their bloody revenge against the powerful. The murders are messy, the payback is just, and by the end, you’ll be rooting for the world Moriarty and his team want to create.
Mars Red
It’s 1920s Japan, and the city of Tokyo is terrorized by rampaging vampires. With people drinking artificial blood made by an illegal trade known as “Ascra,” it’s up to the Japanese government to contain the spread of vampire kind. Colonel Yoshinobu Maeda and his recruits of recently-turned vampires in the military fight back as a new secret unit called Code Zero. Each recruit struggles with their new undead lives, slowly accepting that they’re no longer humans.
As you prepare for this year’s Halloween marathon, add these anime to the list! Besides the beloved Halloween movie classics, adding more excitement to your viewing tradition is always a plus!
To truly dive deep into the horror genre, take a look at Chilling Sinister Spins of Beloved Characters You Need to See on Bookstr! You might add these to your Halloween marathon!
To hunt through more manga and graphic novels, check out our Illustrious Comics, Manga, and Graphic Novels on Bookshop.org!
