1 Another
Another is an anime based upon the Novel and Manga of the same name by Yukito Ayatsuji. There also exists a live action movie based on the novel. Sad atmosphere, dead feelings & immense mid-scene horror images and cool sound FX... This is the darkest anime I've ever watched in my whole life and I can bet there isn't any more darker anime than this one.
Almost after every episode someone dies, in a dark way.
2 Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan, also known as Shingeki no Kyojin in Japanese, created by Hajime Isayama, is one of the most popular Japanese anime series to be released. It was first watched in Japan during 2013 and was dubbed in English to be watched in America in 2014. It is best known for its emotional moments, apocalyptic setting, and its dramatic story line, and action packed scenes. Not much to say about this one. Just... Watch it!
Not dark, more like emotional.
3 Ergo Proxy
Ergo Proxy is a science fiction suspense anime television series, produced by Manglobe, directed by Shukō Murase and written by Dai Satō.
4 Mirai Nikki
Future Diary is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Sakae Esuno. It depicts a battle royale in which each combatant has a diary with entries from the future. Ah... This pick is a perfect mixture of dark within action. It's a must-see. It defines two-sided personality of a girl & consists truly sad fates of the heroes.
I saw the first six episodes of this anime, and I gotta say. I never thought they would be able to make texts seem scaring.
Definitely one of the darkest shows out there.
Wow, This is the first anime I ever watched.
5 Berserk
Berserk, also known as Sword-Wind Chronicle Berserk, is a Japanese anime television series that aired from 1997 to 1998. An adaptation of the manga Berserk, it comprises 25 half-hour episodes produced by Oriental Light and Magic and first aired on Nippon TV. Why is this not higher, its very dark.
6 Death Note
Death Note is a Japanese television drama anime series based on the manga series of the same name by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.
The show is centered around Light Yagami - a promising highschooler and aspiring detective with a strong sense of "justice". One of the best Anime I've even seen (when watched in subbed...you lose so much of the raw emotion in their voices in dubbed, which steals a lot from the show). The emotions felt at the end, unlike anything else. Absolutely loved every second of this show
Yeah, death note fans, I know it deserves a higher place but this list is made for 'Dark' O.O anime. No doubt, this epic anime is dark but the formers are more. This is a must-see foo.
7 Elfen Lied
Elfen Lied is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Lynn Okamoto. It was originally serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump from June 2002 to August 2005, with the 107 chapters collected into twelve tankōbon volumes. Elfen lied was very dark but was very depressing at the end. If you like dark anime that are sad this one is probably the best one. The manga goes really far into the story and by far the manga's ending was more sad than anime.
"An amazing show, dark, gory and sad, this show doesn't leave out or hide from the dark"
8 Serial Experiments Lain
Serial Experiments Lain is an avant-garde anime series directed by Ryutaro Nakamura, with character design by Yoshitoshi ABe, screenplay written by Chiaki J. Konaka, and produced by Yasuyuki Ueda for Triangle Staff. It was broadcast on TV Tokyo from July to September 1998. The series is influenced by ...read more.
9 Midori: Shoujo Tsubaki
Midori (地下幻燈劇画 少女椿, Chika Gentō Gekiga: Shōjo Tsubaki, roughly "Underground Projected Dramatic Pictures: The Camellia Girl") is a 1992 Japanese independent semi-animated ero guro horror film by Hiroshi Harada, based on Suehiro Maruo's comic version of the kamishibai standard. The ...read more.
10 Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion, commonly referred to as Evangelion or Eva, is a Japanese animated television series produced by Gainax and Tatsunoko Production, and directed by Hideaki Anno. How is this not higher,? The unsurprising darkness of evangelion made me feel like I had to go to a psychiatrist after seeing its ending.
Chilling visuals demonstrate how a kid would fracture under immense responsibility
The Contenders
11 Texhnolyze
Portrays the innevitability of humans, and suggests that there's no way out for humans other than their demise
12 Corpse Party
! Even the name gives it away. This series is wonderfully dark and twisted. It deserves to be much higher on the list, in my opinion.
Why isn't this higher?!
13 Perfect Blue
14 Psycho Pass
15 Higurashi When They Cry
16 Shinsekai Yori
Not many people have actually seen this anime which is why I think it's so low on the list, In my opnion this one one of the darkest animes out there, After watching this it really messed me up emotionally for awhile. If you have not seen this yet it is seriously a MUST watch.
17 Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Puella Magi Madoka Magica is a 2011 Japanese anime television series produced by Shaft and Aniplex, directed by Akiyuki Shinbo, written by Gen Urobuchi, music by Yuki Kajiura, opening sang by ClariS, ending by Kalafina (sometimes by the seiyuus) and original characters by Ume Aoki. Just so dark...everything from Kyubey and the incubators to Sayaka turning into a witch, it's unrivaled! Plus, the scene with Mami getting her head bitten off...it brought chills. It's the way the anime was executed, the series of events, that makes it so dark, though. The way that people think it's a cute anime and then watch the witches' labyrinths that are drawn so darkly...this is an ingenious and dark anime filled with plot twists at every corner.
Why is this even here? It's nothing dark about this series, it's just about cute girls having a happy life and fighting monsters with their magical powers, nothing dark, nothing at all.
Should be in the top 3, this series gets real dark.
This should be higher.
18 Pokemon
Pokémon, abbreviated from the Japanese title of Pocket Monsters and currently advertised in English as Pokémon: The Series, is a Japanese anime television series, which has been adapted for the international television markets. It was first broadcast in Japan on April 1, 1997, in the United States on September 8, 1998. What idiot put this on the list?!
Should be higher
19 Tokyo Ghoul
Tokyo Ghoul is a Japanese dark fantasy manga series written and illustrated by Sui Ishida. It was serialized in Shueisha's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Jump between September 2011 and September 2014, and it has been collected in fourteen tankōbon volumes as of August 2014. This deserves to be in the top 5. The plot is so amazing that it literally questions basic idea of what's good or evil.
20 Monster
Monster (Japanese: モンスター Hepburn: Monsutā, sometimes referred to as "Naoki Urasawa's Monster") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa. Monster has been critically acclaimed, with the manga having won several awards and its anime adaptation being called one of ...read more.
21 The Promised Neverland
I'm not going to spoil anything. Just watch the first episode yourself.
22 Boku No Pico
Boku no Pico is an anime series of three OVA episodes created by Katsuhiko Takayama. It was released to DVD on September 17, 2006. It's dark because it shows what happens when pedophiles take advantage of impressionable kids with no consequences.
23 Devilman Crybaby
This show is pretty brutal but its also creative. But only certain people can watch or handle how dark it is.
24 Deadman Wonderland
Deadman Wonderland is a Japanese manga series written by Jinsei Kataoka and illustrated by Kazuma Kondou, who also wrote and illustrated the Eureka Seven manga, and published in Shōnen Ace since 2008. Blood, death, gore, and a theme park full of criminals. Oh, and the theme park is controlled by a psychopath. No further explanation needed.
It's probably more dark than Attack on Titan and Tokyo Ghoul.
25 Black Butler
Black Butler is a Japanese anime television series produced by A-1 Pictures. It premiered in October, 2008. It was based on the manga of the same name written and illustrated by Yana Toboso. The series follows Ciel Phantomhive, the twelve-year-old Earl of Phantomhive serving as the Queen's Watchdog. He is tasked with solving crimes in the underworld of Victorian-era London. Ciel has formed a contract with demon Sebastian Michaelis, who disguises himself as his butler, to seek revenge on those who tortured him and murdered his parents. In exchange for his services, Sebastian will be allowed to consume Ciel's soul. This anime should be before Tokyo ghoul its much darker in its own way.
Quite dark and mysterious, but still comedic. No, this isn't for more than to recognize on this list due to some issues with writing and jokes, but it is still terrifyingly beautiful. Just look at Undertaker and Jack/Grell/that_idiot_that_I_hate_but_everyone_loves to get the idea!