Japanese shows take storytelling to a whole new level, diving into deep and unsettling themes. These series will keep you hooked with their intense storylines, complex characters and thought-provoking themes. So, if you are ready for a ride of rollercoaster of emotions and mind blowing themes, then below are top 10 Japanese dark and twisted animated series.
1. Erased
The first season of the Japanese manga series Erased, written and illustrated by Kei Sanbe, consists of 12 episodes and tells the story of a 29-year-old manga artist who also works part-time as an Oasi Pizza delivery man. The plot twist is that the character has an amazing time-based ability called Revival that allows him to travel back in time to moments before a potentially fatal incident and prevent it from happening again.
2. Tokyo Ghoul
Sui Ishida is the author and illustrator of the Japanese dark fantasy manga series Tokyo Ghoul, which consists of 12 episodes and four seasons. The story revolves around a college student who is attacked by a ghoul—a creature that consumes human flesh—and later has that same ghoul transplant an organ into him, making him half-ghoul.
3. Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales Of The Macabre
Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales Of The Macabre is a horror anime series from Japan that debuted in 2023 and consists of 12 episodes. The show stars Kazuya Hikizuri, Kiko, Sayoko, and Chiemi. The story revolves around a selection of 20 macabre masterpieces that are filled with Ito's unique perspective and intriguing characters drawn in his breath-taking style.
4. Deadman Wonderland
Japanese creators Jinsei Kataoka and Kazuma Kondou are for the manga series Deadman Wonderland. It has one season. The year 2011 saw its release. This season features 13 episodes. A guy is falsely accused of murder and sentenced to death. When arrested, he is taken to Deadman Wonderland, where he runs across an old buddy from his youth, Shiro. In addition, he learns that he is a Deadman or a person with a Sinful Branch.
5. Corpse Party: Tortured Souls
A 2013 Japanese mystery series called Corpse Party: Tortured Souls, starring Satoshi Mochida, Naomi Nakashima, Ayumi Shinozaki, and Seiko Shinohara, is a follow-up to Corpse Party: Missing Footage OVA. It consists of one season and four episodes, telling the story of the students of Kirisagi Academy, who are taken to a cursed school after a class representative's charm goes awry, splitting up into small groups and having to battle both to survive and find each other.
6. Berserk
The 1989 release of the Japanese manga series Berserk, written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura, tells the tale of a lone warrior raised as a mercenary by his abusive adoptive father Gambino after the death of his adoptive mother. The series consists of one season and twenty-five episodes.
7. Higurashi When They Cry
Released in 2006, Higurashi When They Cry is a Japanese murder mystery manga series consisting of 26 episodes spread over three seasons, based on the visual novel series by Ryukishi07. It is a story following strange things happen during the annual Watanagashi Festival and some people believe it is the work of Lord Oyashiro's curse.
8. Highschool Of The Dead
Apocalyptic Academy: Highschool of the Dead written by Daisuke Sato and illustrated by Shji Sato, is a Japanese manga series. It was released in 2011 and has 12 episodes. It is set in present-day Japan. It follows a story about a world that is struck by a fatal pandemic that is turning humans into zombies. It shows the story of a student who with other classmates tries to live in this deadly pandemic.
9. Paranoia Agent
Paranoia Agent is a Japanese anime television series created by director Satoshi Kon and produced by Madhouse. It has one season. It was released in 2004. It has 13 episodes. It is a story about an elementary school kid. He has been going around attacking people with his bent, golden bat.
10. Corpse Princess
Yoshiichi Akahito created the Corpse Princess Manga series in Japan. It's a biannual event. It was released in 2008. This season features 13 episodes. This is a story about a zombie high school student. Finding the other 108 undead with the help of Buddhist monks who have undergone special training is her job if she is to get access to the doorway of the heavens.
