Updated March 30, 2022 2.1k votes 708 voters 37.7k views
Are you a horror fan who's already seen all the older horror classics like Elfen Lied, Shiki, and Blood+? Are you a newer fan who's looking for something a little more modern to cut your teeth on? Wherever you fall on that spectrum, if you're looking for the best modern horror anime from 2016 onwards, there's plenty to choose from.
The most obvious choice is The Promised Neverland, an incredible series about a group of kids trying to avoid being turned into demon meat. But what if you've already seen that wildly popular anime, or you want to watch something that could never be considered appropriate for the shonen demographic? Then you might want to try Devilman Crybaby, a reboot of the Devilman franchise that will leave you absolutely stunned.
If you don't see shows like Berserk 2016 or Tokyo Ghoul:Re, it's not because we ignored them - it's because they assume that you've seen earlier seasons that came out before 2016. We did include a few sequels, but those are either episodic anime that don't require prior knowledge, or sequels that give you enough information that you don't need to go back and watch older works if you'd prefer not to.
Miko is just an average high school student...except for the fact that she can see terrifying ghosts. In order to prevent the spirits from realizing she can actually see them, and thus, haunting her even more, she pretends not to notice their existence. This proves to be a difficult task as she's absolutely scared out of her wits by the various ghosts she encounters. This is a fresh take on the genre as it manages to blend comedy and horror in an entertaining way.
Rachel Gardner has no idea who she is or what she's doing in the labyrithian building she's trapped in. All she knows is that she wishes she weren't alive anymore. Luckily for her, she meets Zack, who promises to end her life if she helps him escape. As the two of them search the building for clues about how to get out, they start meeting people Rachel recognizes - and the truth behind her connection with the building becomes increasingly clear.
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress could be loosely described as Attack on Titan with zombies. If that sounds good, here's the rest. In a world going through its industrial period, a virus breaks out that turns people into man-eating monsters called Kabane. Humanity barely manages to survive by walling themselves up behind massive fortressess. Ikoma, a young man who maintains the fortresses, may have created a weapon that can actually pierce the Kabane's hearts. He's not expecting to have to use it quite so soon.
Thanks to a rogue magic user, Caiman's once-human face has been transformed into that of a lizard. He's also immune to most magic, which is great for him since he's planning on crunching sorcerer heads between his teeth until he figures out who did this to him. It's not long before a powerful sorcerer named En notices what he's doing and starts sending his most powerful subordinates after him. In the midst of all this chaos, long-buried secrets about Caiman are uncovered.
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Yami Shibai - Japanese Ghost Stories Season 3 & Beyond
Photo: ILCA
Release Date: Season 3 - Winter 2016
Yami Shibai - Japanese Ghost Stories actually began in 2013, but because it's episodic, you can jump right in at Season 3 if you're looking for something that came out during the last five years. The series features a wide range of terrifying stories, dealing things like hospital rooms that hold eerie secrets and a person whose muscular arm can't be looked at without terrible consequences. If you want to get scared without having to follow a complex narrataive, check out this series.
If you're into super intense psychological horror, Happy Sugar Life may be for you. Satou Matsuzaka is a teenager who has never really loved anyone - that is, until she falls in love with a little girl named Shio Koube. She kidnaps Shio and brainwashes her into reciprocating her feelings, all while fighting off anyone who tries to intrude on her fantasy. As you can guess from the premise, this show deals with some heavy themes that most horror won't touch, so approach with an abundance of caution.
