Shiki
Alternative names: Corpse Demon
Other genres: Mystery, Vampire
Episodes: 22 (Completed)
Stream available on: Currently only available for purchase
Life in the small village of Sotoba is actually quite idyllic, if not slightly sleepy. Too sleepy for energetic Megumi Shimizu, who wishes for more modernity and city life.
When Megumi suddenly meets an unexpected death and other villagers are also struck by an unknown disease with anemia, doctor Toshio Ozaki sets out to investigate the incidents – and soon finds himself facing a rapidly expanding population of vampires and their servants.
What to expect from Shiki: Shiki begins as a creepy vampire story with some mysterious incidents and quickly develops into a larger conflict. As the power dynamics between humans and vampires fluctuate repeatedly, the perception of the series also changes. Because while at first the vampires are clearly “the bad ones,” the methods and reactions of the humans lead to a rethinking and raise the question: Who is actually the true monster in this story?
Mieruko-chan
Alternative names: /
Other genres: Comedy
Episodes: 12 (Loose End)
Stream available on: Crunchyroll
Miko has a problem. She has suddenly begun to see monsters, undead, and other dark creatures everywhere around her that remain hidden from the rest of the world. She hears their screams, sees them shuffling through the streets, and is terribly frightened. However, as long as Miko doesn’t show the beings that she can see them, she will be left alone – because only when their existence is acknowledged do the monsters attack.
Miko’s daily life now consists of constant fear and desperate attempts to never accidentally react to one of these beings, thus provoking it to attack – something that becomes increasingly difficult when the creatures push their spectral limbs through family and friends or suddenly burst out of her closet.
What to expect from Mieruko-chan: Mieruko-chan does the incredible and combines creepy horror with pleasant comedy. Hardly any other series manages to switch so quickly between the two extremes as Mieruko-chan. This is mainly due to the lovable characters, but also to the truly frightening monsters they encounter in everyday life.
Anyone who doesn’t want “real” horror and occasionally needs a bit of light relief will be happy with Mieruko-chan, as the tension will be relieved from time to time.
The Promised Neverland
Alternative names: Yakasoku no Neverland
Other genres: Fantasy, Mystery
Episodes: 12 (Loose End)
Stream available on: Prime Video, Netflix, Crunchyroll
In the idyllic orphanage “Grace Field”, the children grow up in harmony as part of a large family with the promise that they will be adopted upon reaching a certain age. When that joyful event is about to happen again for one of the children, two of the other children sneak after to catch a glimpse of the new family – only to uncover a cruel truth:
There is no new family for the children. The orphanage is a breeding ground for children whose brains serve as a delicacy for dark monsters. And so the clock begins to tick, for soon the next child will reach the appropriate age to end up as a meal on a plate…
What to expect from The Promised Neverland: The Promised Neverland plays more with horror on a psychological level. While the obvious threat is shown at the start of the series, it quickly recedes into the background as a consequence of “ultimate failure.” The focus of the plot is the children’s attempts to outsmart their “warden” and plan their escape – always hindered by the caregivers and even from within their own ranks.
However, we recommend leaving the anime after the first season and considering it as the conclusion of the series. The second season simply cannot convince in terms of content.
Do you have any more horror anime that you would urgently recommend?
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