Top 10 Most Disturbing Animes

1. Boku no Pico

   

   Boku no Pico is a Japanese original video animation (OVA) hentai anime series consisting of three episodes. It was created by Katsuhiko Takayama and produced by Natural High, and the first episode was released on DVD on September 17, 2006. Described by its producer as "the world's first shotacon anime... read more

   Japan, how can you make such disgusting things? Eating poisonous fish - blowfish called fugu. Weird vending machines. Gory game shows. (No offense to any fans.) Electric Soldier Porygon. Boku no Pico.

   It's a disgrace, even to other hentai animes! Who thought it was a good idea to make this? I have nothing against homosexuals, but this? Pedophilia! I wish this would be banned!

   I wish I had never seen this anime. It was the most disturbing thing I have ever seen. If you haven't seen it, don't.

2. Higurashi: When They Cry

   

   My all-time favorite anime, Higurashi, tells a compelling story through the development of characters and the excessive use of gore. While the plot is confusing in the first season, the second later goes on to explain just why time is looping. The answer is more disturbing than you could imagine.

   Every act of violence isn't without a purpose, which is the most horrifying part of the anime. The story is told through arcs which loop back through time, revealing key pieces of information in exciting, fresh ways each time. If you like mystery and gore, this anime is definitely for you.

   It's really confusing, and I'd be really grateful if someone could explain to me who the killer in this series is. Everyone seems messed up by some drug.

   Anyway, some scenes are awesome!

3. Elfen Lied

   

   Elfen Lied is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Lynn Okamoto. It was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine from June 2002 to August 2005. The series includes 107 chapters, which have been compiled into twelve tankōbon volumes.

   It's an amazing anime, but yes, I have to agree. It's pretty disturbing, especially the death scenes. And some of the characters are also pretty crazy, just the way they act.

   Don't get me started on Number 35.

   This is one of my favorite animes, but it has some sick incest that bothers me! Oh, and let's not forget, Myu's sick stepfather who basically molests her. If all of that were taken out, it would be a 10/10 anime. But I have to give it 9/10.

   Elfen Lied is a great anime, but it's said to be the most disturbing of all. Many people were scarred for life from the infamous Dog Scene.

4. 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. The series first aired on Nippon TV and covers the Golden Age Arc from... read more

   Whether you're a manga reader or anime watcher of this amazing work of art, we all know about the infamous ending to the Golden Age arc. When Guts was screaming and fighting off the horde of apostles as he was fighting for his life, it was so incredible. The context of his situation was so, so disturbing.

   This work contains some of the most gruesome and visually disgusting scenes, period. It is also disturbing in its themes, leaving the reader or watcher contemplating and absorbing what just happened.

5. Kiss×sis

   

   This anime is very disturbing. I've watched it only because my friend recommended it to me, but after episode 6 or so, I was done. It freaked and grossed me out so much. I mean, the two girls are practically just trying to get the brother to make out with them the whole time.

   There was this one episode too where the boy was trapped in a storage closet with some random girl from school. She needed to use the restroom and pissed all over the boy. Gross! After that, I just couldn't watch it anymore.

   This was disturbing as hell. It's disgusting. To top it off, they got open support from the parents. They aren't blood-related, but growing up with someone all your life should make them feel like siblings, not your objects of fantasy.

   Moreover, all the episodes have a lot of mature content. That's alright since it is 18+, but this felt more like a bizarre Hentai ride rather than containing any proper plot. All the girls exhibit bizarre sexual symbolism and have little personality.

6. Another

   

   Another is a Japanese horror anime based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Yukito Ayatsuji. The story also inspired a manga adaptation and a 2012 live-action film. The series is known for its suspenseful storytelling and supernatural themes.

   Had a great ending but in between it's quite the stomach turner. I loved it! The last episode is full of blood though.

   One of my favorites. If you're looking for suspense and love horror, I would recommend this anime! It will keep you at the edge of your seat.

   This anime is actually really good and captivating, but I guess it has its disturbing moments.

7. School Days

   

   An anime series was developed by TNK with joint production by Avex Entertainment, Lantis, Marvelous Entertainment, Pony Canyon, and Jinnan Studio.

   The twelve television episodes of the anime aired in Japan between July 3, 2007, and September 27, 2007, on TV Kanagawa. On July 4, 2007, Chiba TV... read more

   Very disturbing. The ending is so gory, not to mention that it started out as a romantic, dramatic anime.

   Someone told me that it was your typical romance high school anime, so I watched it. It didn't end so well. Let's just say this anime is a bit disturbing.

   Jokes aside, I really enjoyed this anime, although that plot twist at the end was too unexpected.

   This anime is good. It is able to make the person watching it feel really, really bad.

8. Mirai Nikki

   

   Future Diary is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Sakae Esuno. It depicts a battle royale in which each combatant possesses a diary that can predict future events. The manga was serialized from 2006 to 2010 and was later adapted into a 26-episode anime television series in 2011.

9. Corpse Party: Tortured Souls

   This anime totally scared me to death. I rarely get scared, but this anime is simply taken to a whole new level of gore and disturbance. If you are going to watch this anime, be prepared to not sleep for 3 nights (probably more).

   I highly do not recommend this anime if you are paranoid or you get easily scared.

   This was the one anime (or cartoon) that I have ever found to be truly disturbing. Although it is great and I highly recommend it, think twice about watching it. No matter your age, you will be thoroughly disturbed by it.

10. Blood-C

    This anime is my religion, and it has been since I was 12. It is so bloody that it's actually hilarious. Although it's not really scary, it is disturbing, and I definitely wouldn't recommend watching this if you have a weak stomach.

    This is the most violent one. The only one, as far as I know, where we have impalement through the mouth and anus.

    Nene's death is number one on almost every "Brutal Anime Deaths" list. And it's true! That scene is impossible to watch without cringing.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Made in Abyss

    

    Made in Abyss (Japanese: メイドインアビス, Hepburn: Meido in Abisu) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akihito Tsukushi. It has been serialized since October 2012 in Takeshobo's digital publication Web Comic Gamma and has been collected into 13 tankōbon volumes to date. The... read more

12. ?

    Cool Devices

The Contenders

13. Midori: Shoujo Tsubaki

    

    Midori (Japanese: 地下幻燈劇画 少女椿, Hepburn: Chika Gentō Gekiga: Shōjo Tsubaki, roughly translated as "Underground Projected Dramatic Pictures: The Camellia Girl") is a 1992 Japanese independent semi-animated ero-guro horror film. It was created by Hiroshi Harada and is based on Suehiro Maruo's graphic novel... read more

    Easily one of the most messed up pieces of animation to ever exist, and that's why we love it. The only animated film that matches it is Where the Dead Go to Die, but that's American so I can't vote for that.

    Obviously, the worst anime of all time would make it on this list.

    Don't watch this. I couldn't sleep after watching it for days.

14. Now and Then, Here and There

    How did nobody else write something on this one? Shame, shame! Seriously speaking, now: Now and Then, Here and There is a criminally overlooked gem. As most who have seen it will tell you, its themes are really heavy. (The reason I even gave it a look was because I heard it was basically "Berserk-dark Isekai", though I personally feel that that's debatable).

    The plot and setting are quite unique. It's worth a watch, despite the dub being "meh" at times. It's a harrowing but thoughtful experience, and I'm honestly disappointed it doesn't get mentioned more often.

15. Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne

    What. I literally didn't know if I should cry or laugh. And oh my goodness, the torture scenes. I feel so bad, yet enjoyed it in a sick kind of way.

    After watching the piercing scene, I could not stop crossing my legs.

16. 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. It was directed by Hideaki Anno and originally aired in Japan from October 1995 to March 1996. The series is known for its psychological depth, complex... read more

    This anime is emotional but as gory and bloody as hell! (I've only read the manga adaptation and 1.0, 2.0)

17. Perfect Blue

    

    As much as I love this movie, it definitely is very disturbing. It's one of the best in the psychological thriller genre and is a must-watch for fans of darker anime!

    I've seen the movie. It was great but very disturbing.

18. Hellsing

    

    Hellsing is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kouta Hirano. It premiered in Young King OURs in 1997 and concluded in September 2008. The series follows the Hellsing Organization as it battles supernatural threats, particularly vampires and other undead enemies.

    I love Hellsing! It's definitely not for children as it is very violent and has many disturbing scenes.

19. Serial Experiments Lain

    

    Serial Experiments Lain is a Japanese anime series directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura. The characters were designed by Yoshitoshi ABe, the script was written by Chiaki J. Konaka, and production was overseen by Yasuyuki Ueda of Triangle Staff. The show originally aired on TV Tokyo from July to September 1998.... read more

    Theology, philosophy, reality, religion, presence, worth, drugs, the end of the world, suicide, drugs, life, death, society - this show is demented.

20. Attack on Titan

    

    Attack on Titan, known in Japan as Shingeki no Kyojin, is a widely acclaimed anime series created by Hajime Isayama. The series premiered in Japan in April 2013 and debuted in English in the United States in 2014. It is recognized for its emotional storytelling, post-apocalyptic setting, and thrilling... read more

    One of my favorite animes, but sometimes it's just flat-out disturbing.

    It was surprisingly disturbing, but still a masterpiece of anime.

21. Euphoria

    

22. Genocyber

    

23. Pupa

    

24. 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 from September 2011 to September 2014. The series has been collected in fourteen tankōbon volumes as of August 2014 and follows Ken Kaneki... read more

    It's very gory. The gore scenes are censored because they were too graphic. It shows graphic, mutilated corpses.

    I love this anime, and I kind of like the gory scenes.

25. Barefoot Gen

    

26. Inuyashiki

27. Danganronpa

    

    Danganronpa: The Animation is a 2013 anime television series based on Spike Chunsoft's video game Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. The story follows a group of high school students trapped in a deadly game of mutual killing at Hope's Peak Academy. The anime adaptation condenses the plot of the original... read more

    This show... I like it, but it is messed up! A teddy bear (not really a teddy bear, but you get the point) forcing a bunch of high schoolers to murder each other, and then executing the murderer if they're caught? And if they're not caught, executing all the innocents? Somebody tell me how that's not disturbing!

    Yet I can't stop watching it, and I think many people get that feeling.

    I think it's great! The future arc anime is just a bit too gory and has the same system like the first anime, but still good.

    It made me start self-harming again, so that's pretty despair-inducing.