Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]

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The horror genre draws out an intense fear from all viewers, leaving us trembling with an overwhelming sense of uneasiness. For every viewing experience, there are many elements that can contribute to the horror genre; including death, the paranormal, torture, gore, and so much more. As we approach the scariest holiday of the year, we are increasingly drawn to watch the most frightening anime, testing our courage to see how spooked we can get. For this occasion, we’ve rounded up the top 10 horror characters in anime, hoping to give you nightmares for weeks on end. We hope you’re up for the challenge! Let’s go!


10. “Bellflower Monster” from Ao Oni: The Animation (Movie)

  • Episodes:
  • Aired: February 11, 2017

Ao Oni: The Animation (Movie) is based on the Ao Oni game featuring a new story. The story centers on Hiroshi and his friends; Mika, Takeshi, and Takurou, as they explore an abandoned mansion outside of town. Rumored to house monsters and other unearthly beings, the friends decide to sort fiction from facts, finally laying rumors to rest. Braving dangers and putting their courage to the test, the four enter the mansion to come upon a blue monster that attacks them. As they face Ao Oni and unlock the riddles within, Hiroshi, Mika, Takeshi, and Takurou find themselves encountering a number of horrible circumstances.

The “Bellflower Monster” or the “Blue Demon” is an odd-looking blue creature with an abnormally large head, featureless body, and it somewhat resembles a human. Its distinct large, oddly-shaped eyes, and ability to open its mouth unusually wide make its appearance terrifying. What is even more frightening about Ao Oni is that not much is known about it, other than the fact that it feeds on people. Hiroshi and his friends are incredibly brave to take on such a mysterious foe, trying to outrun it as it chases them about the mansion.


9. Red Person from Karadasagashi

  • Episodes: 10
  • Aired: July 2017 – August 2017

From the instant Asuka Morisaki set her sights on the ghost of dead student Haruka Mikami, her life has changed for the worse! With help from her friends, Asuka discovers that the mysterious Red Person hunts her trail. This Red Person is recognized as a hunter who takes down lone students wandering the campus, stopping at nothing to kill its victim and separating his or her remains. Karadasagashi follows Asuka’s quest, as she finds the eight pieces of deceased Haruka before she endures the same horrific fate.

Red Person demonstrates the scariest game of hide and seek combined with Groundhog Day to date, chopping his victim’s body in eight different pieces and scattering them about the school grounds, making sure the task is complete before the next day commences. This game and cycle appear endless, as students are swept into participating. Moreover, no form of escape appears in plain sight, undeniably a nightmare for all that never goes away.


8. Shiro from Deadman Wonderland

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: April 2011 – July 2011

Deadman Wonderland captures life in Japan after a natural disaster that destroyed a huge percentage of Tokyo. In order to rebuild what was lost, the state raises funds by sending convicts from around the globe to work at Japan’s first privatized prison, Deadman Wonderland. In this prison amusement park, onlookers watch convicted prisoners perform dangerous acts. As protagonist Ganta Igarashi is accused of a very serious crime, we observe whether he is able to survive this ruthless and sadistic environment with prisoners threatening each other’s lives endlessly.

Shiro’s appearance is ghastly, as she has snow-white hair, pale skin, and deep red eyes. For the most part, she acts a bit daft, but when it comes to Ganta’s well being, Shiro always shows an intense care and concern for him, protecting him at all costs. A fascinating feature about her character is her regeneration ability, which makes her immune to most harm inflicted by other inmates. Furthermore, her second personality, the Wretched Egg, is a force to be reckoned with, taking a form opposite of Shiro’s; she becomes sadistic, merciless, vicious and malevolent. Definitely a gal to avoid in the yard at all costs.


7. Ai Enma from Jigoku Shoujo (Hell Girl)

  • Episodes: 26
  • Aired: October 2005 – April 2006

Hell Girl surrounds the concept of revenge, watching people reap what they sow and essentially getting their “just deserts.” Imagine if inflicting this punishment was possible by simply accessing a website to send your intended victim straight to hell. The “Hell Correspondence” will call up Enma Ai, whose sole task is to ferry the chosen target to hell. As this is only the half of it, the remainder of this contract must be completed when the requesting person submits payment of himself or herself into hell as well. Scary!

Enma Ai is a horror character that makes the list because of the swift and unforgiving nature of her job. The fear of death and damnation is something one does not look forward to when their time is up. The circumstance is heightened when someone as sinister and creepy-looking as Ai is the one to bring you to your doom. Often seen with a floral kimono and piercing red eyes, she may appear harmless, but don’t be fooled, she is far from friendly.


6. Zanku from Akame ga Kill!

  • Episodes: 24
  • Aired: July 2014 – December 2014

Akame Ga Kill! documents the journey of Tatsumi, as he starts out a young boy seeking funds for his poor village, but comes to learn the true hardships of life. As Tatsumi slowly becomes an assassin for Night Raid, this once naïve boy develops into a knowledgeable young man. A covert section of the Revolutionary Army, Night Raid’s objective is to take down the corruption that exists in the Imperial Capital. Through Tatsumi’s experiences, we get to explore the events that take place while deposing corruption as he fights the enemy, learns new skills, and ultimately balances good and evil.

Zanku becomes Night Raid’s next target, as we are introduced to him in the fourth episode of the series. Also known as the Beheader, Zanku was a notorious serial killer, infamous for severing the heads of his victims. Once an executioner for the Imperial prison, his role took a toll on him, driving him mad. He’s evaded the police ever since he stole the Teigu, Spectator. The stolen Spectator is an interesting device because the headpiece allows the user to hear and predict the thoughts and moves of others. Paired and utilized by the wrong hands, Zanku’s power became even more disturbing, leaving his victims no route of escape.



5. Kaneyuki Miyama a.k.a. Urado from Ghost Hunt

  • Episodes: 25
  • Aired: October 2006 – March 2007

Ghost Hunt follows the story of Mai Taniyama, as she and her friends share an interest in ghost telling and the paranormal. One day, the girls discuss the legend of the abandoned building beside her school, conjuring tales of what could have resulted in the building’s closure. Then, a young man named Kazuya “Naru” Shibuya, the lead investigator at the Shibuya Psychic Research Center, interrupts the girls, as he was sent by the principal to investigate the building. After breaking some pricy equipment, Mai becomes employed by the Research Center, assisting Naru and the team. Becoming heavily involved in many cases, Mai gains further knowledge of various paranormal entities and practices that have existed and developed throughout our history.

Although there were many scary, unworldly faces in Ghost Hunt, the one we identified as extra eerie is Kaneyuki Miyama a.k.a. Urado from case file 7, The Bloodstained Labyrinth arc. Without giving too much away, Kaneyuki lived his life lavishly, obsessed with fighting mortality. Kaneyuki traveled to many parts of the world and studied all types of lore to prolong his life after he was diagnosed with an ailment since his childhood. Then, Kaneyuki learned of the story of Countess Elizabeth Báthory in the 16th century, whose motif was to bathe in the blood of her victims to retain her youth. Imitating her modus operandi, in life and death, Kaneyuki, who later proclaims himself, “Urado” , took the lives of the young for the purpose of youthfulness.


4. Shuu Tsukiyama from Tokyo Ghoul

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: July 2014 – September 2014

Tokyo Ghoul takes place in a time where humans and human-like beings called ghouls coexist. Even though they live among each other, humans fear becoming prey to the ghouls, and the ghouls face the challenge of attempting to blend in. With their supernatural abilities and an appetite for human flesh, the ghouls are mercilessly hunted down by a government agency called CCG. As they engage in the fight against instinct and issues as well as avoiding capture by the CCG, Ken Kaneki, being from both worlds, demonstrates the difficulties and advantages of each species.

Shuu Tsukiyama is first introduced to Ken in Anteiku and becomes absolutely obsessed with him. Everything about Ken, including his scent and exotic nature is rare and exclusive, something he truly covets because he’s never encountered anyone like him. Over time, Shuu’s obsession becomes overprotectiveness, devoting much of himself to Ken’s livelihood. With a koukaku kagune that doubles as a shield and blade, in addition to increased physical strength, Shuu is a fellow you do not want to see or hear utter the words, “bon appetit”.


3. Gluttony from Fullmetal Alchemist

  • Episodes: 51
  • Aired: October 2003 – October 2004

Fullmetal Alchemist follows two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric. The Elric brothers live in a world where alchemy exists. After their father abandoned them, Edward and Alphonse lived peacefully with their mother. Some years later, the boys tragically lose their mother. Having a talent for alchemy, the boys decide to bring their mother back. To explain the intricacies of alchemy, it utilizes the laws of equivalent exchange; something of equal value must be sacrificed in order to receive what is desired, and things cannot be produced out of nothing. However, human transmutation, what the boys attempted to perform to get their mother back, is strictly forbidden and unfortunately goes terribly wrong. As the series progresses, we discover what heart-wrenching lengths Edward and Alphonse must go to in order to regain the parts of them that were lost.

Gluttony is one of the Homunculi created, whose names and attributes are based on the seven deadly sins. Gluttony is easily swayed, for the most part, until he is overcome with the excessive emotion of greed and indulgence, craving human flesh and needing to devour everything in his path. When he reaches this point, and appears to do so often, it is difficult to reason with him, making Gluttony a horrific creature to encounter. 


2. Caster from Fate/Zero

  • Episodes: 13
  • Aired: October 2011 – December 2011

Fate/Zero captures the events that occurred ten years prior to the sequel Fate/Stay Night. Fate/Zero unveils the happenings that transpired during the fourth Holy Grail war. This competition entails a supernatural battle of servants and their masters, as they collaborate for the chance to win the Grail, with the prize of having a wish fulfilled. In this contest, the path to winning is paved with hardships, betrayal, distress and suffering and the competitors must face all these obstacles and more to reach victory.

Caster is the servant of Ryuunosuke Uryuu, a notorious serial killer who murdered his family and uses their blood as a core ingredient for the summoning ritual. With no magical background or interest in the Holy Grail War, Caster’s master was only involved because of their mutual sadistic interests. Caster’s sinister appearance on the outside reflects just as scary on the inside, as he displays the sick ways his mind functions. Holding no morals, Caster enjoys toying with his victims using a variety of horrific methods, essentially resulting in their deaths to relieve him of boredom. “Idle hands are the devil’s handiwork.”


1. Ryuk from Death Note

  • Episodes: 37
  • Aired: October 2006 – June 2007

This popular anime follows Light Yagami, a young high school student, who one day stumbles upon a Death Note, a notebook enhanced with magical, yet evil power. The notebook was dropped by a shinigami named Ryuk, a god of death from the nether realm who made his way into the world of the living. The power of the Death Note is invoked once an individual’s name is written down on a page, sentencing them to death. Furthermore, the Death Note can also entail specifics on time, date, and how the individual will meet their demise. As a uncomplacent teen, Light is also incredibly intelligent, using the Death Note as a means to condemn the “bad” to keep them from committing any more harm. As he channels this new ambition, Light discovers his sense of worth in this great, big universe.

Many have wondered if it is truly possible to eliminate all traces of evil from the world, and if so, what would our world be like? Although an insightful idea, Light fails to discern Ryuk’s overall intent, as an individual or because of his occupation, not analyzing if such a huge responsibility as eradicating evil comes with a high price tag . Being a grim-reaper, a god of death, Ryuk must ensures his survival and extends his life by the death of humans. As Light picks and chooses who “deserves” to die, Ryuk does not benefit from this arrangement, given that Light holds a lot of power in this operation. Later, we learn that the power of the Death Note corrupted its previous hosts, who may or may not have had other ideas for its usage as well. Overall, Ryuk ranks number one on the list for horror characters because he finds entertainment in this evil cycle of death, and the passage of ownership of the Death Note.


Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed our choices for top 10 horror characters in anime! If you haven’t already, make sure to check out all of these great titles! Additionally, take a look at the original article, notating several other horror characters that are just as spooky and hair-raising! As we refer the two articles, we almost forgot to mention the super creepy creatures from Terra Formars! Yikes!

As this article comes just in time for Hallows Eve, these choice characters are absolutely frightful, emanating horror at its finest! Moreover, as they star in your worst nightmares, these characters are some of many that will be difficult to shake off for several days! From this assessment, let us know if we’ve missed any other great horror characters by commenting below! See ya!

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]

Writer

Author: Eva B.

Hello! I’m Eva. I was born and raised in San Francisco, California. I’ve lived in Texas, Kentucky, and will soon be living in Japan! I’m a recent college grad with an MS in Justice Studies; a considerable feat in my life. When I’m taking a break from work/studies, I enjoy a variety of anime, passing a lot of time binging episodes alongside my husband. I also take pleasure in spending time with my two dogs and two cats, hiking, yoga, computer/video games, reading, and trying new cuisines. I’m pretty shy, so writing here has been a great outlet for me to come out of my box.

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Original Article Below

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]

It is that time of the year again. The days are growing shorter and the nights are growing longer, when a bump in the night might not be just a sound. The monsters are coming out to play, are you ready?

There is something about being scared that really brings out our hidden side, where we can either be a hero or a chicken. Today’s list will look at those anime characters who have installed a since of fear into our hearts, but remember, a true horror is something that seems innocent at first, but eventually will devour your soul.

10. Takeya Yuki - Gakkou Gurashi (School-Live!)

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: July 2015 – September 2015

For the first horrifying character on this list, I give you Yuki from School Live, one of the newest zombie anime airing in Japan. Now, Yuki isn’t what you would normally call dangerous. She cares about all of her friends, even those the others can’t see. For while this zombie apocalypse is happening, Yuki still thinks that she is a normal high school girl who lives at school.

Now, the thing that makes Takeya Yuki a real horrifying character is that she is innocent. Her ailment is the thing that really scares me about her. She could unknowingly open a door that lets the undead horde into the school. If that happens, her friends are as good as dead.

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]


9. Mad Pierrot – Cowboy Bebop

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 26
  • Aired: April 1998 – April 1999

Now we are on a little bit of a trip to an older anime and visit one of the best anime of all times, Cowboy Bebop. The Mad Pierrot is a name that most people won’t remember, but once you see him, you won’t forget how frightening this psychopath really is. Brainwashed in a governmental facility to kill, this assassin hunts out his targets with no hesitation or sympathy.

Mad Pierrot is the second villain that is able to seriously injure Spike, one of the main characters of Cowboy Bebop. Spike was only able to survive because he has the luck of a cat. Mad Pierrot is what happens when you put a little child into a man’s body. It is scary because that child hasn’t learned what is right and wrong yet and is not afraid to do anything.

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]


8. Shou Tucker – Hagane no Renkinjutsushi (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 64
  • Aired: April 2009 – July 2010

Shou Tucker was a renowned state alchemist and the first alchemist to make a chimera that could speak. That chimera only said one thing before it starved to death. We first meet Mr. Tucker when he allows the Elric brothers into his house while Ed takes the state alchemist test. Quickly Ed and Al make friends with Shoul’s daughter Nina and their dog. It’s not until Nina disappears that Shoul Tuckers true side comes out into the light.

Some of the true evil in this world comes from the pursuit of knowledge. Those who seek knowledge by any means necessary is when the true evils of humanity comes out.

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]


7. Kyubey – Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: January 2011 – April 2011

There is nothing to suspicious when a little creature comes up to you and says. “Do you want to be a magical girl? Tell me your hearts wish and I’ll make it come true. We need you to become a magical girl to fight against witches, so they won’t destroy the world.” But it is best to read the fine print before you sign a contract with this space kitty, for the bottom line might be something a little more than you are willing to pay.

Kyubey looks innocent and rightly so. He is only doing what is right for his people, even if that means pitting new magical girls up against witches who were once their friends.

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]


6. Lucy – Elfen Lied

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]

  • Episodes: 13
  • Aired: July 2004 – October 2004

Lucy is a special girl, in more ways than just her lost memory. Just before she lost her memory, Lucy ruthlessly tore through a governmental facility in Japan, ripping through anything that stood in her way, including a poor woman. With every bullet that her psychic powers blocked showed how ruthless this woman could be.

The terror that Lucy portrays is that those we once knew could turn out to be something far more frightening. Lucy was once an innocent girl, but her powers drew the attention of the government who took her and locked her up. They Performed experiments on her and change her from what she once was.

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]


5. Sonozaki Shion – Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (When they Cry)

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 26
  • Aired: April 2006 – September 2006

Being a twin is hard sometimes, especially when you are always confused for your sibling. It might just be bad enough to drive you to murder. Shion was originally born the elder child and was named Mion. As the events in When they Cry progress, Shion slowly slides into insanity and that’s when the true horror of who she is comes into play.

The thing that makes Shion scary is that her innocent exterior pulls you into a since of safety where nothing can go wrong. But, with the loss of Satoshi, a childhood crush, she slips more into the realm of insanity and is only pushed further when her younger sister demands that she performs a distinction of right and wrong ceremony to purge her of sin. She eventually develops a split personality that drives her to mass murder. If that is not scary, I don’t know what is.

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]


4. Gotou - Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu (Parasyte)

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 24
  • Aired: October 2014 – March 2015

When we think of the face of horror, we think of a hockey mask wearing, machete wielding killer from the lake. But when true horror pops up, we are unable to recognize it until it is too late and we're dead. It is able to hide within or society, blending in and becoming one of us before it strikes.

Gotou is like Mad Pierrot, a ruthless killing machine. However, unlike Mad Pierrot, Gotou is able to fit into society when he wants to, which lets his true nature hide until he is ready to strike. Far scarier than a madman, Gotou is made up of several alien parasites that have taken the form of a human office worker. When he discards his human appearance, he turns into an almost unstoppable monster killing machine.

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]


3. Johan Liebert – Monster

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
  • Episodes: 74
  • Aired: April 2004 – September 2005

Serial killers come in all forms. Those who hunt them must have some sort of empathic block to keep the serial killers madness from spreading to them. But when the serial killer can cause his hunter to kill himself, then the killer has taken the game to a new level. Johan is what you would think a typical serial killer should be, he is smart, he is well liked and he is deadly.

Sometimes a monster can be stopped before he becomes a monster. At that point, you don’t know about the horrors that he will create down the road, you only know him as a patient that needs to be saved.

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]


2. Yuno Gasai – Mirai Nikki (Future Diary)

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]

  • Episodes: 26
  • Aired: October 2011 – April 2013

It is a fine line between passion and rage, a line that is too easily crossed by some people. Yuno had always loved Yukiteru and when she was able to become the god of her world after killing him, she went insane and came to a new world to make him hers. But first, she has to make sure there is no Yuno over here to get in her way.

There is something about the stalker that truly horrifies people. Yuno is a classic stalker, but unlike normal stalkers, her phone always tells here where her prey would be located.

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]


1. Sachiko Shinozaki – Bougyakusareta Tamashii no Jukyou (Corpse Party: Tortured Souls)

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]
Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]

  • Episodes: 4
  • Aired: July 2013

Whenever a life is lost, those closest to the soul mourn that loss. But when it is the life of a child, that loss is felt much deeper and is with the community for much longer. It leaves a gap that can’t be filled. When it is a group, then the loss is indescribable. Sachiko is the sole survivor of a group of kidnapped children who were viciously murdered. But what is truly frightening is the murderer of those children was also the only one to survive, still innocent in the eyes of the community.

Sachiko is the sheep in wolves clothing. Something that no one could really see coming, because Sachiko was never there to begin with. She is a ghost from the past that has haunted this school, one that will continue to take her vengeance out on those who never knew her.

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]


Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]

Horrifying creatures come in all shapes and sizes. It doesn’t matter if they are male or female. They will be true to their nature and hunt, kill and devour what they seek. Horror doesn’t usually take on an exterior form. It is what is inside of the beast that is really frightening. Don’t forget to turn off the light tonight.

Fullmetal-Alchemist-Gluttony-capture-1 Top 10 Horror Characters in Anime [Updated]

Writer

Author: Zack Ringler

My name is Zack Ringler, just like it is written on all of my articles. I come from America, Indiana to be precise. I work for the Board of Education in Utsunomiya Japan. Heard of it? Didn’t think so. I am a teacher, writer and game designer with my first game “Moonshine Run” going on Kickstarter later this year. You can learn more about me on my facebook by looking up my name or just adding /zringler to the end of the facebook URL. Hope you like what you read, later.

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