As a child, you trust that your parents and the other adults in your life are looking out for your best interests. They all have the same goal of keeping you happy, healthy, and safe so that you can grow up to be a good person. But what if they’re just pretending to love you, taking advantage of your blind trust so they can use you for some horrific ulterior motive?

As Emma, Norman, and Ray find out in The Promised Neverland, their “mother” at the Grace Field House orphanage is actually raising them to be human meat for demons. The trio of kids formulates a plan to try to outwit the adults, but it won’t be easy to trick someone as experienced and calculating as Mom. Can they escape with all of their siblings in tow?

The Abyss is a cavernous hole of unknown depth, filled on every level with animals and natural hazards that would be deadly even to an experienced delver. When young students Riko and Reg set out on their journey to find Riko’s mother at the very bottom of the Abyss, they have no idea how much physical and mental suffering they’ll have to endure just to get there. A botched amputation to stop poison from spreading throughout Riko’s body is nowhere near the worst trial they’ll face.

Other humans are a threat, as well. The mysterious scientist Bondrewd conducts unethical experiments with orphan children, creating countless deformed monsters from his failed tests. One day, Riko and Reg will have to face off against him...

Attack on Titan initially sets itself up as a zombie apocalypse story, but with disturbing humanoid titans instead of boring old undead monsters. This is already a pretty dark premise, especially with the anime’s propensity to kill important characters at every opportunity, but it gets even darker after a couple of seasons.

Humanity is actually flourishing in the rest of the world, but the ones we know are trapped on an island and tormented by their fellow countrymen who have been transformed into mindless titans against their will. The political drama that unfolds after this pivotal event brings a whole new level of intensity to this series that most people who watched the first season couldn’t imagine it was even capable of.

Even though it’s marketed as a shoujo series with boys love elements, Banana Fish is about as far from sweet and saccharine as it gets. Ash Lynx is a teenage gang leader in New York City who has learned to be quick with his wits and his gun to escape from the clutches of both the mafia (who want to reclaim him as their sex slave) and underground government scientists (who killed his brother with an experimental drug). Japanese reporter Eiji Okumura falls into Ash’s life and brings him some semblance of happiness between the traumatizing events that seem to follow him everywhere. In this unforgiving world, you can only survive if you become that which you hate.

One fateful day, strange parasitic spores fell from the sky and began to take up residence within unsuspecting humans. They could be controlling your teacher, your neighbor, or even your own mother and you’d never know—that is until they unpeel their faces to reveal massive jaws and knives that eviscerate you in seconds.

A high school kid named Shinichi, along with a parasite named Migi who was only able to take possession of his right hand, struggle to survive in this world where anyone could be an enemy. Why did the parasites come to Earth in the first place? Are they truly evil, or just trying to propagate their own species? Can humans and parasites ever hope to co-exist, or will this nightmarish new normal never end?

“Death game” narratives have been around for decades, but Mirai Nikki is the series that put the edgy battle royale story on the map for anime fans. Twelve people are nominated to become the new god of the universe, but they must first kill every other candidate with the help of personal diaries that predict the future in various ways. Our unwitting protagonist Yukiteru teams up with a clingy girl named Yuno to survive the game, not knowing that the greatest threat to his life will come from Yuno herself.

Yuno is highly manipulative, using gaslighting tactics and veiled threats to drag Yukiteru away from his friends and family so he can better serve her needs. Had he never met her, Yuki might’ve died without becoming a monster instead of living as a puppet of the world’s most famous yandere.

Sometimes, our own minds scare us more than any monster ever could. Such is the case with Paranoia Agent, which follows a diverse ensemble cast as they confront their own personal fears and fantasies that drag them away from living fulfilling lives. A man who thinks he’s a vigilante hero for his family is really just a pervert who uses violence to solve his problems. An artist severely injures herself to avoid the pressure of creating a new character to rival her previous success. An old-fashioned cop lets criminals run rampant because he refuses to accept that someone would commit evil acts without a real reason. Whatever sleeps within the deepest crevices of the human mind is explored here, with the phantom killer Lil Slugger looming over it all.

War brings out the worst in people, and the Viking invasion of 11th century England is the perfect stage to show how badly war can warp an innocent person into a killer. Thorfinn is a young Dane who swears revenge on Askeladd, the man who murdered his father, and tags along with the Viking’s crew so he can defeat Askeladd in a duel one day. With every step Thorfinn takes toward becoming a powerful warrior, he forgets the peaceful values that his father tried to instill within him.

One of the most powerful moments in the anime comes when Thorfinn is nursed back to health by a kind English woman, but he’s forced to signal Askeladd’s crew to invade her village anyway. As her people are slaughtered, the woman looks into Thorfinn’s eyes and sees that he has resigned himself to the path of blood for the sake of revenge. But will it really be worth it in the end?

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni is widely regarded as one of the most graphically violent anime ever made, and it definitely lives up to that reputation. Fingernail pulling torture, domestic abuse, various methods of suicide... if the animation wasn’t so simplistic, vast swaths of the show would be near impossible to watch! But behind all of that shock value is a genuinely interesting story that focuses on how a lack of communication and trust can turn people against each other.

An elusive force called “Hinamizawa syndrome” has been plaguing a small town for decades—it causes hallucinations, twisted thoughts, and self-harm, but nobody knows what it truly is or why it happens. A tightly knit group of friends need to solve the mystery of Hinamizawa syndrome before its deadly effects overcome every single one of them!

So what could possibly beat Higurashi as the darkest anime out there? Devilman: Crybaby tops this list because it touches on many of the same themes, but presents them with more tact and modern cultural value. This reimagining of a classic manga from 1972 uses demonic possession to show how xenophobia can reduce humans to sadistic devils, especially with the anonymity and rapid spread of information that social media provides.

At the urging of his enigmatic friend Ryo, normal high school kid Akira goes to an underground party and gets possessed by a demon lord named Amon. With his pure human heart, he survives and becomes a “devilman” who can transform into a demon at will. Ryo uses this opportunity to sow seeds of fear within the population and turn them against each other, forcing Akira to use his newfound power to protect his friends and family from a society that’s quickly crumbling down around them. It’s sad, violent, and incredibly dark, but Devilman: Crybaby uses its darkness to prove a very important point about human nature.

Texhnolyze takes us into a dark and uncaring setting as we explore the underground city of Lux, and the three factions that are fighting for control over it. There’s the Salvation Union, which hopes to disrupt the current power that utilizes the black market. There’s the Racan, which is basically a disorganized group of individuals who use their power for personal gain. Then there’s Organo, which is essentially like the mafia, and it is the group we focus as two of the main characters work within it.

This dark anime spotlights how intimately humanity is tied to its cities and the advancement of technology, and the danger of such an attachment. Despite the fact that the city is in disrepair and tons of people live in poverty, people are unwilling to let it go. People cling to it and are willing to brutally fight for control of it, even as it continues to deteriorate. If this city is a representation of the world as a whole, then there really is no hope for a happy ending.

Another puts you into Class 3-3 of Yomiyama North, as Kouichi Sakakibara transfers into the class. Immediately, things seem off because not only is the class rather quiet and cold, but there’s also a student wearing an eye patch, Mei, that no one seems to notice but Kouichi. Realizing just how strange this classroom is, Kei and Mei try to figure out what is plaguing the students.

This dark anime is the anime equivalent of Final Destination, and as such features a massive list of ways to die. Umbrella points impaling bodies and heads cracking open on cement are just a couple of the ways that people die in this show. The best thing about Another is that knowing that people are going to die, does not really help you. In fact, it just keeps you on pins and needles as you wait for the hammer to drop. Oh, and it gets plus points for making many viewers basically afraid to leave their rooms.

Deadman Wonderland brings us to a city that has built an insane jail system that is known as Deadman’s Wonderland. In this complex, inmates are basically required to accumulate candy in order to survive and are also required to partake in deadly events in order to entertain the masses. Fun fact, the masses think the deaths are faked and that such events are simply publicity stunts. Oh, and that’s just the stuff that happens on the legal level. There’s an underground fighting system to this jail system and it’s in that setting that most of the series takes place.

The violence and amount of visually disturbing events is nonstop in this show. This tone is set from the very beginning when the main character’s classroom gets blown up and then he gets framed for the tragedy through a rather explicit fake video. However, this show pushes the boundary and can be considered one of the top ten dark anime, due to the mentalities of its characters. All of the characters exhibit an unstable mindset, with some simply having always been a little off, some being traumatized, and some delving into obsession with their passions. With each character, we explore new depravities and see just how rigged the system can be.

Death Parade is a dark anime that brings us to the afterlife as we enter Quindecim, where the host Decim decides the fate of the recently deceased through parlor games. Though it’s uncertain how Decim judges most of the competitions, one person shall be reincarnated while the other will enter into the void and no longer exist.

Death Parade is a unique anime that tests the psychology of its characters. Each episode brings in people who are presented with a cruel and unforgiving situation. It literally forces people to play a game for their lives against people they love or people who are complete strangers. Just imagine the emotional and mental state you would be in if you had to play a game of darts to decide if you or your spouse will be reincarnated. You really can’t win in such a situation and it is this type of situation that Death Parade constantly puts you in.

However, what allows this show to go above and beyond is how it plays with the viewers. Not only do we have to endure suspenseful episodes, but we have to question exactly how Decim is judging the characters and if he is a trustworthy character. The show puts this aspect under the spotlight towards the end.

Drifters brings us into a fantasy world full of elves, dwarves, humans, orcs, goblins, dragons, etc. Though there are two general forces at play (good vs. evil), the side for humanity has been dissected into factions over the years due to oppression and discrimination, while the monster forces have been uniting. Such circumstances, as well as what the future will be like, are because of the influence of historical figures that have been brought into the fray by overseer like characters. Those fighting for the good side are Drifters, while those fighting for the monsters are Enders.

If you like dark anime, then you need to check out Drifters. First off, the show is quite gory. Limbs being cut off are the lightest of brutalities in this show. However, where the show really thrives is showing just how dastardly any type of war campaign is, even when you are fighting the good fight. This is most poignantly shown with Nobunaga’s strategies that rely on crippling enemy food supply, inducing fear, and a bunch of other cruel methods.

Psycho-Pass takes us to a futuristic Japan that has been able to form a type of utopia through the creation of the Sibyl System. This system basically controls every aspect of society as it monitors the mental health of every single citizen as well as decides what route everyone in society should take. It's through the eyes of a single unit from the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Investigation Division that we explore the ins and outs of this supposed utopia.

Psycho-Pass is a dark anime for a couple reasons. The first is that the show doesn’t have any problem showing gore. In the very first episode a person gets blown up in graphic fashion. Such visuals are pretty consistent throughout both seasons and the movie. The second aspect is that we get to intimately explore an authoritarian world that ostracizes anyone with anxiety, depression, or any other mental illness. Having such a focus on mental states adds a lot of layers to the show, as it forces us to question if the means justify the ends and if it is the majority that should always take precedent in a society.

Have you been wronged? Would you sell your soul to get revenge on that person who has wronged you? If the answer is yes, then perhaps you should go to the Hell Correspondence webpage. If you type that person’s name into the webpage, then that person will be ferried to hell post haste. The catch is that when you die, you will also go to hell no matter what.

Hell Girl is a dark anime at every single turn that you take. We are consistently introduced to victims of some sort of abuse and the episodes actually delve quite deeply into the psychological, emotional, and physical pain that they have to endure. These moments are quite impactful and show just how far even the most minor of offenses can go. However, the show truly shows off its intensity when Ai and her team are ferrying these wrongdoers to hell. Such moments display some terrifying scenes and visuals as humans get toyed with in hellish mazes.

Shinsekai Yori is a dark anime that brings us into a world where supernatural powers have developed in a small percentage of the population. With such powers coming into existence, war ensues for years until those with supernatural powers created their own community. It is through the eyes of Saki Watanabe and her friends, after they awaken to their powers, that we navigate the supposed utopia that the supernatural beings have created.

Shinsekai Yori is an amazing dark anime that will constantly keep you on your feet. The initial rural environment and youthful age of the main cast are extremely deceptive. If you never heard anything about the show and happened upon it, then you probably got your mind blown when things started taking a turn for the worst. No one can be trusted and it is really difficult trying to figure out what will happen next. Oh, and the characters are constantly faced with not only physical danger but also potential mental trauma.

We got Nazi vampires invading Britain and Britain’s only hope of surviving depends on using the most monstrous of beings to decimate the threat. That being is the original vampire, Alucard, who is more than happy to flex his muscles in the face of the oncoming threat.

Nazi vampires. Does anything else need to be said to make it clear that this is one dark anime? It’s like the creator sat down and was just brainstorming how to make terrifying things even worse. The question is which came first: the Nazi or the vampire? What’s depressing is that these Nazi vampires are mainly fodder to the overwhelming strength and madness of Alucard, and that’s where the true terror of the show lies.

Obviously, there is a difference between the aggressor and the reactor, but the show does its best to blur the line between Alucard, really any of the good guys, and the enemies. Direct parallels are drawn between Alucard and the main antagonist, and that forces us to question what is good. The show’s direction suggests that when it comes to war, the answer is nothing is good. That’s dark, and the creators constantly drive that home by even showing the faults and hatred between the allied forces of the Hellsing Organization and the Vatican.

Berserk has been following the ghastly and horrid life of Guts for some time. The series in the 90s covered his time with the Band of the Hawk and how Griffith betrayed Guts and humanity overall. The more current season follows Guts, now bitter and with a new sword, as he chases down Griffith for revenge.

Is there any dark anime quite like Berserk? EVERYONE in the show is basically living in complete squalor. If they’re not, then they probably have some extreme personal issues, looking at you Farnese, or they’re demons who have control of a town. This show really doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to making you feel like there’s no hope in the world. Between the gore, betrayal, and always painful backstories; there is little light for the characters in Berserk, and this statement is the most true for its main character Guts. He basically has gone through hell and back and continues to struggle forward when most people would have happily accepted death.