As one of the most popular holidays, Halloween is a time to enjoy the intriguing mysteries of the supernatural and there's no better way to do that than through television. While the holiday definitely gives the horror genre a major boost in views, not everyone can handle it or enjoys watching it. Luckily for these viewers, there are plenty of non-horror supernatural shows. Across anime specifically, there is an incredibly wide spectrum of supernatural series. That being said, even non-horror anime can bring memorable moments of terror.
With anime, there's a wide spectrum of supernatural series. Some are the most horrific, leaving viewers with terrifying emotional baggage — think Junji Ito — while others are lighthearted slice-of-life series that just so happen to have supernatural elements. In between those, there are a few series that have managed to perfectly balance fear with lighter-toned entertainment. These anime have only brief moments that are scary, but those scenes are terrifying enough that they have managed to stick in the minds of fans. Both fans of horror and non-horror may find that these anime are the perfect Halloween treat.
Jujutsu Kaisen Gives Its Main Cast A Fighting Chance
The hit anime series Jujutsu Kaisen is centered around the fight between supernatural warriors known as Jujutsu Sorcerers and nightmarish creatures known as curses. The story follows the protagonist Yuji Itadori, who without any background information is gifted with inhuman reserves of physical strength. Yuji uses this natural power to protect his high school friends when they are in danger against a curse that threatens their lives. After taking in a powerful artifact tied to the entity known as Sukuna Ryoumen, infamously known as the King of Curses, Yuji is bound to Sukuna and pulled into the dangerous world of Jujustu Society. From battle to battle, Yuji learns the hard way how difficult the life of a sorcerer is, but not without growing in strength himself.
As Yuji grows in strength and fights to protect his friends and those who are innocent, he is pushed to his limits as he overcomes one nightmarish challenge after the other. Despite the mild horrors of this series, the moments of character growth give viewers a sense that perhaps there may be a happy ending waiting for them. While this anime is unquestionably an action shonen series with added drama, there are plenty of horror elements, specifically with the beings known as curses. More than their monstrous forms, curses are bloodthirsty and the series doesn't shy away from showing gore and murder on the screen. There are also subtle jump scares that could easily be replaced in a horror film. With how brief these scenes are and so long as the viewer is fine with a moderate amount of gore, even the most horror-avoidant fan can enjoy this anime.
Death Parade Reflects The Drama Of Death
Taking the audience through the gruesome steps of the dead, Death Parade follows the story of Decim, an arbiter of the underworld who judges the souls of those who've passed away. Focusing on two souls at a time, Decim forces these two to play random games that reveal the truth about their spirits, their personalities, and their moralities. In the end, it's decided by Decim whether they are pure enough to be reincarnated and move onto another life or too corrupted and must suffer for eternity in darkness. Decim is a stoic man who, with the help of a new assistant, learns more about how complex human lives are.
The games that bring out the true nature of each wayward soul are purely psychological but also terribly morbid, often involving overwhelming torture for the participants. While the overall tone of the series is drama, there are glimpses of horrors that certainly leave a crawl-under-the-skin feeling for the viewer. Any viewer looking for high-stakes action or monsters to defeat may be disappointed, as this series is more of a slow-paced look at the drama and pain of humanity. For those who are drawn in by psychological drama, this series will certainly stick.
Mushishi Takes On A Whole New View Of Horror
Taking on a more spiritual look at the supernatural, Mushishi follows the researching traveler Ginko who is known as a Mushishi — someone who studies the lifeforms called "Mushi." These Mushi are considered the most basic creatures in existence, but because they carry with them very powerful abilities they can cause supernatural dangers for human beings. Ginko travels from one location to the next helping innocent people throughout the country deal with the Mushi that are turning their lives upside down.
What has really stuck with fans of this series is how poetic and subtle the horrors of the Mushi are. While there are moments of body horror, as opposed to gore, there is a strange sense of peace within even the most terrifying scenes. The unknown mysteries of these happenings are what keep viewers on the edge of their seats and make the series unpredictable. The series is essentially a different perspective of what most would classify as fearsome monsters. Rather than leaning into the horror and wholly terrifying the audience, this anime creates an appreciation for the beauty and power of the mysterious, even if it at times can be horrific.
For fans of the supernatural, these three series are where horror and non-horror fans can meet in the middle. Each certainly has iconic horror-esc scenes that have stayed with fans for years, but also provide more than just the typical fear in viewers. Supported by lore, character development, and intriguing setups in the plot, these series are ideal for anyone with a love of the supernatural. For this Halloween season, these anime are perfect to set the scary mood for any viewer, without leaving them with garish nightmares.
