It’s never a bad time to binge anime, but with Halloween right around the corner, there is plenty of great spooky anime to watch to make sure that spooky season ends in a fun way.
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Here are eight picks for some great Halloween anime that is easily available on streaming services, although not all of it will leave you shaking in your boots.
Ghost Hunt – Funimation
One of the best supernatural horror series out there, Ghost Hunt follows high school girl Mai who gets pressed into indentured servitude for Kazuya Shibuya, paranormal detective. Along with a cast of ghostbusters of different religions and talents, they set out to free ordinary people from the horrific.
Not only are the characters in Ghost Hunt fun, but the mysteries themselves range from somewhat creepy to downright terrifying. The series does have its lighthearted moments as well, particularly with so many clashing personalities in the cast, but it’s on this list for some moments of sheer terror and excellent writing throughout.
School-Live! – Crunchyroll
As far as psychological horror goes, not much beats Norimitsu Kaihō’s School-Live! This anime follows a delusional high schooler named Yuki that is oblivious to the zombie outbreak that has taken over their city. A dark story that lasts 12 episodes, it’s well worth binging.
Blood-C – Hulu
Blood-C encapsulates the whiplash of the Halloween “Trick or Treat” spirit perfectly. What starts out as a slice of life show about a moderately clumsy girl turns into a gory monster-hunting action fest. While it is a divisive story, spinning off from the mega-popular Blood+ and Blood: The Last Vampire franchises, Blood-C is an interesting mystery that still has plenty of heart and horror.
At only 12 episodes long, it’s perfect for a daylong binge and the dub by Funimation also holds up fairly well. Be warned, it does take a few episodes to warm up and really get going, but it’s worth it.
Witch Hunter Robin – Funimation
Robin is a teenage witch hunter, recently moved to Japan to work for an organization that hunts and captures witches – anyone with telekinetic or ESP powers. Together with her team at STN-J, Robin dives into a dark world of magic, crafts, and murder.
With an enticing plot and a somber, mature tone, it’s easy to get drawn into the mystery surrounding the witches and STN-J. Robin is a sympathetic protagonist and it’s easy to see this strange new world through her eyes, while her colleagues and fellow witch hunters are a colorful bunch of misfits who somehow manage to keep their jobs. While there’s not a lot of outright horror to the title, it’s got that perfect dark and creepy vibe for Halloween.
Hellsing – Hulu/Funimation
While considered by some to be an anime classic, Hellsing is divisive. Are you looking for stylized and bold art? Vampires? Lots of blood and gore? You’ll probably love this. Following the exploits of Alucard and his new vampire servant Seras, they hunt down the evil vampires of the world, working for the titular Hellsing organization.
Gore and violence are in no short supply, and this series is not for the faint of heart. The bold colors create a stark and striking atmosphere and while the anime does deviate from the plotline of the manga, it’s still well worth watching. Think of it like slashers for anime, sit back and enjoy.
D. Gray-man – Hulu
D. Gray-man tells the story of Allen Walker, a member of the Black Order tasked with fighting Akuma and stopping the Millennium Earl from destroying the world. What starts off as a fairly by the books shounen anime gets very dark, very fast, as Allen’s world has no shortage of death and consequences. It’s a horror anime in both style and substance, as many of the moral dilemmas posed to the protagonists have downright damning effects.
With vibrant characters and a fascinating plot, the only downside of this show is that it ends too soon, as the manga is still continuing publication. Fortunately, there is a sequel in the form of D. Gray-man: Hallow, but here’s hoping for another one after the manga is done.
Nyanpire – The Vampire Cat – Crunchyroll
Nyanpire is short but sweet, telling the story of an abandoned cat who nearly dies on the streets, only to be saved by a vampire and given eternal life and turned into a vampire himself. Featuring characters including a fallen angel and a one-eyed samurai, Nyanpire is at no shortage for friends and adventures despite his tragic origin story.
Despite being a vampire, even a cat one, Nyanpire is absolutely hopeless and irresponsible, continually bringing most of his problems on himself. It’s okay though because they’re all solved in four short minutes! The series is also worth watching for the very peculiar live-action outro that seems to have had a great deal of thought put into it, despite lasting for about 60 seconds.
Zombie Loan – RetroCrush/Crunchyroll
Zombie Loan is a fresh twist on what sometimes feels like a genre that is dying, following Michiru Kita as she teams up with the two mysterious and cool boys at school who are actually zombie grim reapers after losing their own lives in a bus accident.
It has elements of the typical afterlife bureaucracy genre, but Michiru’s powers and the boys’ unusual zombie nature keep it interesting to watch. Admittedly, it’s not the most horrifying entry on this list, but it’s definitely a different kind of anime.
That’s it for our list of streaming recommendations, feel free to suggest other great Halloween anime in the comments like Paranoia Agent or School Days.
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