Duration 21:33

Top 20 Scariest Anime of All Time

by WatchMojo.com

310 976 watched

9.3 K

Published 4 Jun 2023

Don't watch these with the lights off! Join Ashley as we look over the most frightening anime ever released, including the likes of "Made in Abyss", "Higurashi", "Serial Experiments Lain", and more! Which of these anime terrified you to your core? Let us know in the comments! Watch more great anime videos here: Top 10 Shockingly Violent Moments in Anime /watch/gjCR3V4VViHVR Top 20 Most Evil Anime Villains /watch/Icj3luQlFBgl3 Top 20 Anime Moments We Waited YEARS to See /watch/oZKlY0qRLPyRl Become a channel member to get access to special perks: /channel/UCaWd5_7JhbQBe4dknZhsHJg/join Challenge friends and family on our multiplayer Trivia! https://www.watchmojo.com/play/id/64214 Have your idea become a video! https://wmojo.com/suggest Subscribe for more great content! https://wmojo.com/watchmojo-subscribe Visit our shop for awesome merch! https://shop.watchmojo.com/ Your trusted authority for Top 10 lists, reviews, tips and tricks, biographies, origins, and entertainment news #Anime #Manga #MadeinAbyss #SerialExperimentsLain #Higurashi

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Comments - 650

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@WatchMojolast year Which of these anime terrified you to your core? Let us know in the comments!
For more Anime, click here!:
Don't forget to play our Live Trivia ( games at 3pm and 8pm EST for a chance to win cash! The faster you answer, the more points you get! .. ...Expand 71
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@ztmusic2789last year #20: the flowers of evil (2013)
#19: yamishibai: japanese ghost stories (2013-present)
#18: erased (2016)
#17: elfen lied (2004) #16: mononoke (2007)
#15: hellsing ultimate (2006-2012)
#14: corpse party: tortured souls (2013)
#13: school-live! 2015)
#12: devilman crybaby (2018)
#11: made in abyss (2017-2022)
#10: umineko: when they cry (2009)
#9: shiki (2010)
#8: angels egg (1985)
#7: the promised neverland (2019-2021)
#6: parasyte - the maxim -2014-2015)
#5: midori-ko (2010)
#4: another (2012)
#3: serial experiments lain (1998)
#2: higurashi: when they cry (2005-2021)
#1: perfect blue (1997). ...Expand 425
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@matthewharris517last year Lain really was ahead of it' s time
it almost perfectly predicted the technical future. 267
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@joshuamohlmanlast year Shiki is probably the scariest vampire anime ive ever watched. The way the vampires eyes shined in the darkness was terrifying to look at. 168
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@user-em6ie2be7xlast year The higarashi series - those different timelines with all those different brutal killings were terrifying. Especially rika using a knife on herself. 101
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@hzrinv9 months ago Higurashi was the only anime where i really felt terrified and paranoid that i couldnt sleep at night. I was a highschooler back then and of course the . ...Expand 37
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@koze2last year Serial experiments lain is one of the which was ahead of it' s time. It is underrated anime that everyone should watch and one more things let' s all love lain. 53
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@user-em6ie2be7xlast year I' m surprised hell girl isn' t on this list. Those stories explaining the dark side of humanity & the consequences of ones evil actions with a one-way trip to hell. 53
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@sayanbhadra2371last year Higurashi is still the best horror anime i' ve ever watched, and i don' t think any other anime will top it, if anything does, i' ll be surprised. 51
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@eerieeric834last year Paranoia agent should have been on this list. It is scary in all the right way. 247
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@Goldtiger142003last year " erased" had one hell of a twist with that car scene. It was so good.
got some crazy stuff. The major' s in english is one of the best examples of a dub though; i get chills listening to that charismatic bastard talk about war.
" made in abyss" is a masterpiece. The author is insane, the world he' s written is horrific, the setting keeps getting more horrifying, and it rides the morally grey line so very well.
was amazing. The anime made some awful choices (dubstep, character redesigns) but it did a damn good job adapting a magnificent story.
was more of a comedy with how people started getting offed near the end. You could add the benny hill theme and it' d fit.
" when they cry" is a wild ride. The original series is absolutely wild, and the second series is crazy fun. The spinoffs are equally enjoyable. Sotsu and gou however? Skip those, they were trash. ...Expand 40
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@6ftRoxannelast year The promised neverland is an amazing show. I hate that they rushed the second season. 33
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@otakubancho6655last year Elfenultimate, gantz, and ghost hunt scare the hell out of me, especially the chapters, the bloodstained labyrinth, i don' t want to die, gets me every time! 16
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@marymartin215411 months ago Two of my favorite horror anime are serial experiments lain and happy sugar life. That one is criminally underrated. 11
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@LoveHandle4890last year The scariest animes are the ones that arent too far off from reality. 54
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@Shebeast3last year So happy to see ghost hunt in this video. Great anime and that episode where she' s strapped to the table is brilliant. 8
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@Rain-jx1polast year Besides yamishibai, the first few episodes of another, the first season of higurashi and a few others, i don' t think there' s too many anime that . ...Expand 26
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@cameronjr8last year Top 20 saddest anime moments that will traumatize your life!
did you already did that or no? 8
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@Shebeast3last year Satoshi kon is an absolute genius. Perfect blue is a perfect mix ofillusions and fear. 12
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@reedspace8267last year Higurashi' s fingernail ripping seems tame compared totoenail rip inhouse fancy. 14
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@GeorgAnkarlast year As for umineko, it' s much better to read the visual novel or the manga, because the anime leaves too much to be desired (aside from the soundtrack, which is very good) 13
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@HailHydreigon9 months ago Mononokes animation style is gorgeous! I wanna watch erased. Eventually ill watch all of these. Paranoia could have been on this list, but glad to see corpse party on here. 7
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@BlenderStudylast year Thank you for the update, watchmojo. I' ve got to watch some of them on the list, as i have not heard of them until today. 9
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@xayahk2313last year The promised neverland teach us one thing. It has one of the most beautiful lullaby you can ever hear. Or so it seems at the start. It' s still beautiful in the end but when you hear it you know you are dead as heck. 7
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@SkinnyEMedia10 months ago Elfen lied certainly is one of the most disturbing and violent cartoons ever made. Case-in-point, episode 5. 11
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@ishidacoolp11 months ago I love umineko! I wish they would of came out with a second season to it. I like it better than higruashi since its faster pace and easier to get into . ...Expand 17
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@kazuyahirako484311 months ago What' s really scary about the yamashibai stories is how most ends abruptly. Leaving wondering if the mc of some of those stories lives or dies. Some . ...Expand 4
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@kcsupersonic1last year 2 glaring omissions that i feel compelled to mention are summertime rendering and shadows house.
summertime rendering is a series that knows how shadows house is the gothic horror successor to the promised neverland that people need after season 2. The main characters are all around the same age as those in tpn, and they are stuck in almost as horrible a situation. This series also deals with loss of agency and identity and has extremely cute and likable characters whom live in a world of constant danger and seemingly no outside help. ...Expand 10
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@characatoonist4730last year Yes. Yamishibai is so good! I feel like this series could use a bigger following. 5
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@mansfieldetienne4984last year Shout out start one of my favorite and most unsettling animes of all time higurashi when they cry that is in my all time, favorite horror, animes, and . ...Expand 5
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@ARTSONICFAN990last year
Good to see that Corpse Party's anime adaption is still remembered. Still hate Yuka's death though. 9
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@grayshigami6797last year Top 20 most unforgivable anime moments
ai is murdered (oshi no ko)
pitou kills kite (hunter x hunter)
kyubey deceives the girls reminding anya of her mother (spy x family)
kurumi ruins sawako' s life (kimi ni todoke). ...Expand 8
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@winters1mgsfanlast year That alien scene from lain scarred me as a kid watching this on anime unleashed on my little tv in my room after my parents had gone to sleep. 4
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@LadyYT100last year When i thought of watching this video, i didn' t think that yamishibai, would be in the top 20, but i am glad that it is, it is one of those horror . ...Expand 4
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@republicgalaxy43489 months ago Rip satoshi kon. I not a huge fan of horror but when a anime is done right perfect blue is up there for me! 2
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@JuanAcosta15Xlast year Im surprised nothing from junji ito made it to this list. Also, berserk couldve been here too just for the eclipse, and even more if we count the parts that havent been animated. 4
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@ijustloveerza1694last year Honestly higurashi series is just a master piece scary as shit tho, so i obviously didn' t finish. 7
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@chelseacanales8763last year Dude! I never again watched perfect blue! Its so good and scary and i was paranoid from the movie. 7
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@craftyzeus1029last year Also completely forgot about blue gender, i mean sure, some of the episodes later on dropped the horror and added action, but you got to admit that the first few episodes are scary. 5
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@boxeswithfoxeslast year I enjoyed watching devilman crybaby even though the ending is sad and i wish there was more to it. 7
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@grahamdamberger7130last year This would have been better as a halloween list. 6
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@EvErLoyaLEagLElast year - Hellsing Ultimate? I actually found it awesome (an hilarious) thanks to TEAMFOURSTAR 5
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@lesterlewis70189 months ago When they cry and made in the abyss to me are way more terrifying than perfect blue imo. It' s a much more complex story and animation which lends more to intrigue than fear even tho both are present. 1
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@BunBunBunnylover10 months ago I' m really glad yamishibai was on this list it' s a really good anime: d. 2
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@lokephoenix1039last year Perfect blue and higurashi taking the top 2. Expected nothing less. 3
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@hermeskino711last year If you are going to include hellsing, should' ve included blood c. The only gory anime that i' m too chicken to watch
would also include re might as well include aot. Could easily replace promised neverland or another with yelena' s face alone. ...Expand 3
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@user-em6ie2be7xlast year Elfen lied should at least be in the top 3. Just for the first 10 minutes alone. Decapitation, ripping out a man' s heart, amp; something so brutal they wouldn' t even show it on screen. 3
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@marcusaguilar874last year this is like Final Destination but more scarier and better. 6
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@ilikemornings1989 months ago Im surprised junji ito didnt make the list. 3
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@phantomrequimlast year Ah, yes. I remember the first time i watched elfen lied, it was recommended to me and i watched it with low expectations. Needless to say, the first episode . ...Expand 6
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@ryukomatoi592last year Proof that animes aren' t only for kids. 341
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@dreamguardian8320last year Should' ve added gyo and the island of giant insects to this list. 5
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@richi_rich_a4 months ago Mononoke is so underrated, but it' s my favourite one. I' m really excited for the movie that' s coming this summer. 1
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@TheCommenterDragonlast year No surprise that elfen lied is on this list, that anime is a horror and gore icon! I mean it sickens me as much as it does the next person but i' m . ...Expand 13
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@namegoeshere8458last year I dont think parasyte and erased should be on here. Neither were scary, both were sad. 10
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@gideontsagli3882last year Damn they did fapta dirty in the thumbnail anime: made in abyss it really good if you can stomach some of the heart breaking scenes
their aren' t a lot but when thy hit they hit really hard. 3
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@supermacratio434711 months ago It is so sad what everyone in made in abyss had suffered but i still want to know the end of their journey. 2
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@devingiles6597last year Hey, watchmojo. You should definitely do a list of the top 20 cutest girls in anime. I can give you guys some examples of these adorable cinnamon rolls examples:
anya forger (spy x family)
sumi sakurasawa
filo (the rising of the shield)
kanna kamui (missdragon maid)
chiyo mihama (azumanga daioh)
yoshino himekawa (date a live)
chibiusa (sailor moon series)
the platelets (cells at work!
carol olston (tomo-chan is a girl!
wendy marvell (fairy tail)
what do you think about these cute anime. ...Expand 1
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@timerdudestephens111 months ago It amazing how japanese anime creators create amazing scary stories in anime show. 2
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@brave_jedi9437last year I actually love made in abyss, despite all the sad and scary things the anime contains. Dont get me wrong, mittys death still hurts to this day. 58
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@danielferrieri7434last year Top ten joke anime characters that later became powerful. 5
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@devingiles6597last year Watchmojo, can you please do a list of the top 30 anime with the best girls?
examples:
tenchi muyo!
high school dxd
one pi bleach
yu-gi-oh! Series
the quintessential quintuplets
konosuba
ikki tousen series
school rumble
date a live
my hero academia
fairy tail
my first girlfriend is a gal
arifureta: from commonplace to world' s strongest
the seven deadly sins
highschool of the dead
infinite stratos
heaven' s lost property
rosario + vampire
goblin slayer
fate series (rin, saber and rider came to mind. ...Expand 1
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@musicaluprising9243 months ago Im very glad to see that perfect blue was included, it is fantastic.
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@daineko1154last year I' d like to throw xholic in to the mix. Sure, it' s tame compared to most on this list, but. You can' t deny that there are episodes and scenes which are just down right eerie. 1
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@johansnyder86611 months ago I watched erased the other day on netflix, it is a bit scary, main guy gets framed but has abilities to go back to the past to try and rewrite anything . ...Expand 2
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@10640404last year Id say that anime makes a lot things seem less scary because it gives you the impression that people can fight against powerful supernatural beings. 2
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@nightmare-nightmarenightma11479 months ago What about urotsukidoji or blood-c? Wicked city, demon city, devilman, devilman lady. Not sure if it' s considered horror but boogiepop phantom? The . ...Expand 1
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@sharebear421last year Ive never heard someone say the umineko anime was a respectable adaptation lol. 2
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@KimsLantern11 months ago Hellsing: ultimate instilled a genuine fear in me that i still have to this day. I can handle a lot of dark shit, but what happens in ultimate genuinely disturbed me deeply. 1
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@minoru83919 months ago The corpse party and umineko anime adaptations being on this list is criminal. 2
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@JurassicGodzillaFanlast year Love parasyte. Corpse party was brutal. Another, is anime' s final destination. 3
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@xxangelthebearxx9 months ago Serial experiments lain is one of my favorite animes, i' m glad you mentioned it.
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@KeilyShhh8 months ago I' m so glad perfect blue was given the credit it deserves! 1
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@pubgmobileuser166310 months ago I want to add more to this list. Demon Slayer Swordsmith Village Arc Episode 3. The time starting is to . Then move to episode 5 time at to . All this will be a complete intro how nightmarishly terrifying demons can be. Only people with imagination can understand. .. ...Expand 1
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@hmmm_m.last year Made in abyss is reallyof the best anime i have watched. 1
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@ghosthealthgames9 months ago Midori-ko was definitely not expected. Seems like nobody knows it exists. I really like it, though i dont think it is even slightly scary. Just weird. Cool watch though. Beautiful animation too. 1
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@hazard04last year Blood-c is cool im always looking at these lists to find something new to watch. 1
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@pesci200020109 months ago Parasyte was, is and will always be the best horror action anime you can find; nothing will ever top that level of quality. 2
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@ll-yg2dn11 months ago This list is up there with some the most unresearched lists on this channel. 2
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@Uluru9737last year But what nostalgia i still remember when i saw in 2017 and 2018 higurashi no naku koroni, corpse party, elfen lied and boku dake ga inai machi.
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@botman234langer6last year U know wats the scariest anime ever seeing miku chasing you down the hall. 4
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@_DarkFlameMaster_11 months ago Shiki & mononoke is so fu*nn underrated. 1
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@trixzter039 months ago Was really hoping kaidan restaurant is in the list. I know it was made for children, but it was scary and disturbing at the same time. A must watch if you ask me.
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@xoraxoranight2949last year Paprika 2006 is another scary anime film. Trippy. 2
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@LuciferMorningstar-zu1ud9 months ago Anime in general is such a hauntingly beautiful medium. Its no surprise that its not always for young audiences.
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@garfiery1676last year I just clicked because faputa was on the thumbnail. 3
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@amedeobazar94239 months ago Genocyber has scenes so horrific, like in the beginning of the second oav, that are grotesque to the max level.
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@chinnyrox2022last year Creepy animes for me: higurashi, hell girl, yami shibai, school days, shiki, flower of evil. The elfen lied intro song, too.
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@sprototleslast year Terra formars first season was scary as hell
mieruko chan is also really good. 1
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@JakeRBlaso-nh7oq11 months ago Oooh! Ghost hunt, one of my favorite horror anim!
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@sarahserenityqueen117last year Corpse party i prefer the game more because more people survived. 7
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@marquisburrelllast year Summer time rendering should' ve been here as #1. Danganronpa and monster too. 2
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@jamesmoss3424last year Blue gender is a good scarey anime series. 1
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@mojo3318last year I want to check out all of these anime on this list. I like scary stuff! I feel bad for the victims who got hurt! I have learned about some of the anime from other videos. 2
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@TheDeadDodolast year Ghost hunt is my favourite, and 07 ghost is a close second.
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@nightponyinrface6009last year I haven' t seen almost all of these anime, on this list.
think i might start with #1.

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Top 20 Scariest Anime of All Time

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