Orphans Emma, Norman, and Ray live happily with their “Mother” and several other children in Grace Field House. Every once in a while orphans get adopted and are sent away to live with their new families. However, the protagonists’ idyllic life is disrupted by a horrifying realization that turns their entire worldview upside down. Will they be able to escape a horrendous fate that awaits them and outwit their Mama?

The Promised Neverland shares a similar atmosphere to Shadows House, starting out by introducing us to the adorable main cast and slowly revealing that nothing is what it seems. The young protagonists, Emma and her friends in The Promised Neverland and Emilico and the other living dolls in Shadows House, are of similar age and they live in a vaguely continental setting. There are mystery and supernatural elements in both seinen series and a huge reveal in the midst of it all. You’ll have a blast following Emma’s adventures if you loved Shadows House! Not to forget that both anime are produced by CloverWorks.

Jun Sakurada is a young shut-in who is obsessed with ordering things online but always returns them on time before the trial period is over. One day, he orders a wind-up doll by mistake, however, something curious is going on with his new purchase… The doll can walk and talk like a normal girl and introduces herself as Shinku, one of the Rozen Maiden dolls, who have to compete to become human and reunite with their creator. What’s in store for Jun and Shinku?

Rozen Maiden introduces several doll characters, the Rozen Maidens, who must compete with each other if they ever want to become real humans. Shadows House features living dolls, who must serve the Shadows family, and compete during the debut to save their masters. Both anime series feature a young main cast, and the dolls are dressed in elaborate gothic lolita getups. Rozen Maiden is a bit more on the action side, however, both anime share mystery and supernatural elements. Check out Rozen Maiden if you need more anime with talking dolls in your life.

Kazuya Kujou studies at Saint Marguerite Academy but is treated badly by the rest of the students, who discriminate against him as a foreigner, and call him the “Black Reaper”, due to a local legend. One day at the library, Kazuya meets Victorique de Blois, a blonde gothic lolita, who is blessed with excellent foresight abilities. This is how Victorique knows that hers and Kujou’s fates are connected. Together they face several, smaller and seemingly unrelated, mysteries, all coming together towards a grand plot.

Here’s another anime with an unlikely pair bound by destiny, helping each other grow. Emilico and Kate Shadow need to get used to each other’s approach in life, similar to how Kazuya and Victorique help each other progress. Both anime are mystery-heavy, with some dramatic and comedic moments. Both anime have a continental look, and the fashion sense and character designs are similar. The supernatural is central to Gosick since much of the plot is driven by supernatural stories solved by Victorique, while the existence of the Shadows family is in itself straight out of a dark fairy tale.

Lord Huey inherits his grandfather’s manor as well as his secret library full of rare books, the Bibliotheca Mystica de Dantalian. Then, Huey meets with Dalian, the Black Biblioprincess, a gothic lolita who faithfully guards the library. Dalian joins Huey to recover and protect the collection of Phantom Books. Dalian is in fact the embodiment of the library and entrusts Huey with the key that seals the Phantom Books in her.

The Mystic Archives of Dantalian is another mystery supernatural anime that would keep any Shadows House fan entertained. Dalian looks a lot like Emilico and the other living dolls, although her attitude is definitely much more tsundere than Emilico, whose bubbly personality grants her the nickname “Sunshine” by the Shadows family elders. The supernatural connection between Dalian and the library is close to the bond between the Shadow masters and the faces, the living dolls. Another anime series visually inspired by European romantic and gothic aesthetics, The Mystic Archives of Dantalian is a strong recommendation for anyone missing Shadows House’s impeccable atmosphere.

Albert de Morcerf and his friend Franz d’Epinay attend the carnival on the Moon. There they meet the dashing Count of Monte Cristo, a man with a past full of secrets. The Count is set on revenge against the people who wronged him several years ago, but naive Albert does not understand his ulterior motives until it is too late. Albert and the Count share a fateful connection that can end in tragedy...

This retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo is a gem from the 2000s. Visually stunning, Gankutsuou was produced by studio Gonzo, and it easily surpasses many current anime series, full of stylish character designs and dazzling background art. With a dark mystery surrounding the Count, Gankutsuou gives off a similar vibe to Shadows House. There are supernatural powers at play, backing up the revenge plan, and a sense of impending doom. Gankutsuou is a must-watch for fans of Shadows House and supernatural seinen anime.

Ciel Phantomhive is a young aristocrat who is the Queen’s watchdog, responsible for detecting black market dealings that gravely affect the stability of society and economy in England. Sebastian Michaelis is Ciel’s faithful butler who takes care of any dirty business when his master is in danger. However, Sebastian is actually a demon who formed a contract with Ciel Phantomhive, for the young master to take revenge for the loss of his family.

Here we go, another dark contract that binds master and servant together. Who is in charge? This Faustian pact reminds us of the dark bond between Shadow master and living doll (no spoilers here, but keep your eyes peeled!). Both anime share a British-inspired setting and a Victorian aesthetic. Ciel is twelve years old at the beginning of the series, close to Emilico’s age. If you love mystery and supernatural anime, give Black Butler a shot!