Anime is a diverse medium with shows that cater to a wide range of interests. For fans who enjoy dark and disturbing content, there are many anime shows that fit the bill. Here are 8 of the darkest anime shows on Netflix.
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10 Top Darkest Anime Shows in 2023
1. Shinsekai Yori
Shinsekai Yori is one of the darkest anime shows in 2023. It’s a dystopian anime set in a future where humans have developed psychic powers. The story follows a group of children as they grow up in this world and learn about the dark secrets that lie beneath its surface.
This Japanese science fiction anime television series was produced by A-1 Pictures and directed by Masashi Ishihama. It aired on Fuji TV‘s noitamina programming block from October 12, 2012, to March 29, 2013, for a total of 25 episodes.
Set in a post-apocalyptic Japan where humans have developed psychic abilities, Saki Watanabe, a young girl, is enrolled in a special school for psychics. Saki and her friends soon learn that the world they live in is not as peaceful as it seems, and they must face a dark conspiracy that threatens their very existence.
The show explores dark themes including violence, death, child abuse, and psychological trauma.
2. Monster
Monster is a 2004 Japanese psychological thriller film directed by Hideaki Anno and based on the manga series of the same name by Naoki Urasawa. The film stars Kōji Yakusho as Kenzo Tenma, a Japanese neurosurgeon who is forced to make a difficult decision that has far-reaching consequences.
Tenma is being transferred to a prestigious hospital in Düsseldorf, Germany. He is soon promoted to chief neurosurgeon, and he is tasked with operating as the mayor of the city. However, Tenma is faced with a moral dilemma when he is called away to operate on a young boy who has been shot in the head. Tenma decides to save the boy’s life, even though it means that the mayor will die.
Tenma’s decision has far-reaching consequences. He is accused of murder, and he is forced to flee Germany. He soon finds himself embroiled in a web of intrigue and gf no violence, and he must use all of his skills to stay alive. The film is one of the darkest
3. Texhnolyze
Texhnolyze is a cyberpunk anime and another one of the darkest anime shows in 2023. It takes place in a dystopian future where humans have merged with machines.
The protagonist, Ichise, was initially a prizefighter who loses his arm and leg after displeasing an unnamed figure. He is brought back from the brink of death by Eriko “Doc” Kamata, who replaces his lost limbs with prosthetic limbs through a process known as “texhnolyzation”.
Ichise is hired by Onishi, a member of the Organo, a powerful organization that controls Lux, to investigate a series of murders. The murders are linked to a secret government project called the “Technosphere”, which is designed to control the population of Lux.
As Ichise gets closer to the truth, he finds himself in danger from both the Organo and the government. He also begins to question his own identity and what it means to be human.
4. Perfect Blue
The Perfect Blue is a psychological thriller anime that tells the story of a pop idol who is struggling to cope with the pressures of fame. The show contains disturbing imagery and explores the dark side of the entertainment industry.
Mima Kirigoe is a former idol singer who decides to quit her group to pursue a career as an actress. She soon begins to experience disturbing hallucinations, and she starts to question her sanity.
It doesn’t end there. A deranged fan starts sending her threatening phone calls and letters. Mima’s grip on reality starts to slip, and she begins to wonder if she is really the victim of a stalker, or if she is simply losing her mind.
5. Another
In Another, a group of students are cursed by a mysterious presence. This is a horror anime where you’ll get to see a lot of suspenseful scenes, a creepy atmosphere, and gore-filled violence. It’s one of the darkest anime shows in 2023.
Kouichi Sakakibara is a new student who transfers to Yomiyama North Middle School in the town of Yomiyama, where he soon learns that the class he has been assigned to is cursed.
The curse is said to have originated 26 years ago when a student named Misaki died in the class. Since then, every year on the anniversary of her death, another student dies in the class. Kouichi soon realizes that he is the only one who can see Misaki’s ghost, and he must find a way to break the curse before it is too late.
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6. Higurashi: When They Cry
Released in 2006, Higurashi: When They Cry is another horror anime about a group of friends who are haunted by a mysterious curse.
Keiichi Maebara is a new student who transfers to Hinamizawa Middle School in the small town of Hinamizawa. He soon learns that the town is cursed and that a series of murders occur every year at the Watanagashi festival. Now Keiichi takes it upon himself to find a way to break the curse before it is too late.
The curse is said to be caused by the wrath of the local god, Oyashiro-sama. The murders are often gruesome and violent, and they always seem to be linked to the Watanagashi festival. Keiichi must work together with his friends to find a way to break the curse, but they soon realize that the curse is not what they thought it was.
7. Elfen Lied
Elfen Lied is a Japanese anime that follows a group of humans who are hunted by a species of humanoid creatures called Diclonius.
Lucy, a Diclonius, a human-like creature with horns and telekinetic powers, is captured by the government and subjected to experiments, but she escapes and kills her captors. She then meets Kouta and Yuka, two teenagers who help her to escape. Lucy begins to learn about the world and her place in it, but she is still haunted by her past.
This anime is one of the darkest anime shows in 2023 full of violence and gore. It is not suitable for younger viewers.
8. Serial Experiments Lain
Last on our list of darkest anime shows in 2023 is The Last Serial Experiments, Lain. This is a 1998 Japanese psychological thriller anime series that follows a teenage girl as she becomes increasingly involved in the world of the internet.
A 14-year-old girl, Lain Iwakura, becomes increasingly involved in Wired, a vast computer network. As Lain begins to explore the Wired, she begins to question her own identity and reality. She soon realizes that the Wired may be a dangerous place and
is not what it seems.
