Anime is no exception to this either with many incredible stories focused on supernatural themes. While there are many shows for fans to choose some, some stand out above the rest as must-watch entries in the genre. What are the best supernatural anime ever?
10 Dororo
When a samurai lord will do anything to make his prefecture prosper, he makes a deal with twelve demons that leaves his firstborn son born horribly with no eyes, limbs, or even skin. Tossed into a river to die and be forgotten, the baby is found by a medicine man who creates prosthetics so that the young Hyakkimaru can live.
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Dororo follows his story as he tries to kill the demons that cursed him and regain parts of his true self as he does so. Along the way, Hyakkimaru meets the titular Dororo and the two become fast friends and traveling companions.
9 Mononoke
No anime fan can deny the breathtaking visuals found in Mononoke. The story is just as incredible as the animation, following the mysterious Medicine Seller, Kusuriuri, as he deals with angry spirits disturbing various people. Its combination of classic Japanese horror with the supernatural will keep fans at the edges of their seats until the end.
The Medicine Seller is an enigmatic figure, a person seemingly separate from time and space as they roam through the land looking for Mononoke to exorcise. The spirits might be the disruptive force, however, all of these stories come with a strong human element, exploring the characters who have been dragged into the supernatural entity’s influence.
8 Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files
Yu Yu Hakusho is a shonen battle anime classic. Yuusuke Urameshi goes against what was foretold for his future when he jumps in front of a car to push a young boy out of the way, causing the protagonist to unexpectedly die. Because of this surprising act of kindness, Yusuke is given another chance to return to life by the ruler of the spirit world.
Yu Yu Hakusho is divided into four main arcs, all of which prominently involve the supernatural. The first section is largely devoted to Yusuke taking on cases, and while these episodes are generally weaker than the subsequent arcs, they do a solid job of expanding upon this anime’s world. The Dark Tournament and Chapter Black saga are far superior and the reason Yu Yu Hakusho is considered one of the best supernatural anime ever.
7 To Your Eternity
To Your Eternity was one of the biggest hits to come out of the Spring 2021 anime season and has already gotten itself a permanent place as one of the best supernatural shows out there. It was written by Yoshitoki Ooima, the mind behind A Silent Voice, so viewers need to be ready for a powerfully emotional affair.
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The story is about an immortal being that experiences humanity and slowly learns about people and life. With higher dark powers at play, this supernatural drama is worth watching to see how it all unfolds.
6 Death Note
A shinigami can kill anyone and steal the remainder of their years alive — as long as they can write their name in their notebook called a Death Note. One such titular notebook falls into the hands of Light Yagami who begins using it to try and create his ideal version of the world.
This leads to an intense psychological anime as a secret group of police led by the mysterious genius only known as L tries to track him down as while he is mostly killing terrible people, he’s still breaking the law by committing murders. The supernatural abilities of the shinigami often come into play as Light has one with him at all times.
5 Natsume’s Book Of Friends
Most young boys are busy focusing on school and everyday life but Takashi Natsume has something else to worry about — youkai are out to get him to regain their freedom. The story of Natsume’s Book of Friends follows his adventures as he’s hunted down by these youkai with only a cat spirit named Madara as a bodyguard.
This supernatural anime is unique for being less about horror and more about interesting slice-of-life moments. Natsume inherits the titular book from his grandmother, and its pages contain the names of youkai. This gives its owner control over the spirits, making Natsume a target for not only entities looking to regain their names but also villains desperate to possess the book. Rather than fighting them off, Natsume decides to just give these names back to their rightful owners.
4 Mushi-Shi
Winner of the 2006 Tokyo Anime Award, Mushi-Shi is a story that follows Ginko and he tries to uncover the secrets of the Mushi. Mushi are strange supernatural entities that can mimic the form of anything from diseases to a literal rainbow. The Mushishi are those that try to study these strange entities and Ginko is among them.
The show has incredible visuals and strong storytelling that doesn’t rely on action to be spectacular. Although quite slow-moving in places, Mushi-Shi is a mesmerizing experience, the type of anime that can teleport viewers to another world through both its art and atmosphere.
3 Jujutsu Kaisen
Yuuji might have enjoyed his time as a member of the Occult Club at his school but he wasn’t prepared for what happened when he came to possess a real cursed item. From here he learns about Curses — supernatural beings born from human negativity and malice.
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Jujutsu Kaisen was one of the most hyped-up shows of 2020 and managed to deliver on all that it promised. Heart racing action combined with challenging typical shonen genre tropes is what makes this series special.
2 Monogatari Series
Koyomi Araragi’s adventures through life after encountering a vampire have led to one of the most iconic supernatural anime series of all time. Monotagari can be summarized as a show about a male protagonist who goes around saving girls inflicted with some sort of supernatural struggle, perhaps due to the influence of a spirit or another type of being. However, while this premise somewhat describes the show’s general plot, it is by no means an accurate reflection of Monogatari’s storytelling style and characterization.
There is nothing ordinary or familiar about this anime; consequently, Monogatari is a singular beast and an acquired taste, albeit one that can be absolutely addictive when it strikes a chord with a viewer.
1 Mob Psycho 100
It’s hard to not be excited about an anime from the creator of One Punch Man. Mob Psycho 100 has a lot of that show’s same energy but instead tells the story of a young psychic named Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama. He keeps trying to live a normal life, but his ESP keeps managing to get him into more and more outlandish and dangerous situations.
The show’s visual style is instantly recognizable and something wholly unique to the series. The show is humorous, charming, and incredibly thoughtful. It’s a must-watch for anyone that enjoys supernatural anime, especially now that Mob Psycho 100 is complete.
Most Exciting Supernatural Anime Of Winter 2023
Winter 2023 has arrived, and the season has quite a few series that incorporate supernatural elements. Fans of the genre should definitely keep an eye on The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague, Ayakashi Triangle, and In/Spectre Season 2, and those are just the tip of the iceberg. Which shows will prove to be the best supernatural anime of Winter 2023?
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Malevolent Spirits: Mononogatari
Based on a manga by Onigunsou that has been ongoing since 2014, Malevolent Spirits is a seinen anime revolving around Hyouma Kunato, a guy that comes from a clan that helps spirits possessing objects in the human realm return to their proper world. However, a tragic experience caused Hyouma to grow an intense hatred for these beings, and he now tends to lose his composure around spirits.
To try and change this, Hyouma’s grandfather sends his grandchild to live with Botan Nagatsuki, a girl who is in charge of a group of friendly spirits. Malevolent Spirits: Mononogatari has plenty of content to cover, as 14 volumes have been released in Japan. The source material is not that well known in Western nations since an official English translation of the manga will only start to be released in 2023.
The Vampire Dies In No Time Season 2
Madhouse’s The Vampire Dies in No Time had a decent run toward the end of 2021, and hopefully, the sequel will build upon the strengths of its predecessor. Ronald is a vampire hunter who winds up living with Draluc, a “peaceful” vamp who turns to sand whenever someone even looks at him funny. The two are the ultimate odd couple, and they spend most of their time either getting on each other’s nerves or trying to keep themselves out of trouble.
The Vampire Dies in No Time is a comedy that plays around with expectations when it comes to vampire mythos. For one, vamps are a known quantity in this world, to the point they are treated as almost part of everyday life. The anime pokes fun at quite a few supernatural archetypes.
Bungo Stray Dogs 4
One of the most highly anticipated Winter 2023 anime of any genre, Bungo Stray Dogs 4 sees the Armed Detective Agency targeted by a mysterious group going by the name of Decay of the Angel. The protagonists are framed, causing them to go on the run while Ranpo attempts to get to the bottom of things. Fyodor Dostoevsky, season 3’s primary antagonist, is also set to feature prominently in the new cour.
Bungo Stray Dogs has been a dependably fun ride since its inception, and the anime has improved with each new season. The Winter 2023 entry has started off with a thrilling opening episode, setting the stage for what could prove to be the show’s best storyline yet.
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