Focus set on darker themes in a fantasy setting, sometimes leaning towards horror elements. Bleak and pessimistic tones often dominate. Dark supernatural beings like vampires may play a significant role.
Top 16 Dark Fantasy Anime to watch
- 1. Tokyo Ghoul
- 2. Soul Eater
- 3. Fate/Zero
- 4. Kenpuu Denki Berserk
- 5. Made in Abyss
- 6. Goblin Slayer
- 7. Made in Abyss: Retsujitsu no Ougonkyou
- 8. Castlevania
- 9. Shiki
- 10. Made in Abyss: Fukaki Tamashii no Reimei
- 11. Kemono Jihen
- 12. D.Gray-man
- 13. Claymore
- 14. Majo no Tabitabi
- 15. Castlevania: Nocturne
- 16. Juuni Kokuki
1. Tokyo Ghoul

The suspense horror/dark fantasy story is set in Tokyo, which is haunted by mysterious "ghouls" who are devouring humans. People are gripped by the fear of these ghouls whose identities are masked in mystery. An ordinary college student named Kaneki encounters Rize, a girl who is an avid reader like him, at the café he frequents. Little does he realize that his fate will change overnight.
Tokyo Ghoul is finished and has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 東京喰種-トーキョーグール-, Tokyo Kushu, Toukyou Kushu, Toukyou Ghoul
2. Soul Eater

Death City is home to the famous Shibusen, a technical academy headed by the Shinigami–Lord Death himself. Its mission: to raise "Death Scythes" for the Shinigami to wield against the many evils of their fantastical world. These Death Scythes, however, are not made from physical weapons; rather, they are born from human hybrids who have the ability to transform their bodies into Demon Weapons, and only after they have consumed the souls of 99 evil beings and one witch's soul.
Soul Eater Evans, a Demon Scythe who only seems to care about what's cool, aims to become a Death Scythe with the help of his straight-laced wielder, or meister, Maka Albarn. The contrasting duo work and study alongside the hot headed Black☆Star and his caring weapon Tsubaki, as well as the Shinigami's own son, Death the Kid, an obsessive-compulsive dual wielder of twin pistols Patty and Liz.Soul Eater follows these students of Shibusen as they take on missions to collect souls and protect the city from the world's threats while working together under the snickering sun to become sounder in mind, body, and soul.
Soul Eater is finished and has 51 Episodes. It is also Known as: ソウルイーター, SOUL EATER
3. Fate/Zero

With the promise of granting any wish, the omnipotent Holy Grail triggered three wars in the past, each too cruel and fierce to leave a victor. In spite of that, the wealthy Einzbern family is confident that the Fourth Holy Grail War will be different; namely, with a vessel of the Holy Grail now in their grasp. Solely for this reason, the much hated "Magus Killer" Kiritsugu Emiya is hired by the Einzberns, with marriage to their only daughter Irisviel as binding contract.
Kiritsugu now stands at the center of a cutthroat game of survival, facing off against six other participants, each armed with an ancient familiar, and fueled by unique desires and ideals. Accompanied by his own familiar, Saber, the notorious mercenary soon finds his greatest opponent in Kirei Kotomine, a priest who seeks salvation from the emptiness within himself in pursuit of Kiritsugu.
Based on the light novel written by Gen Urobuchi, Fate/Zero depicts the events of the Fourth Holy Grail War—10 years prior to Fate/stay night. Witness a battle royale in which no one is guaranteed to survive.
Fate/Zero is finished and has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: フェイト/ゼロ, Fate/Zero
4. Kenpuu Denki Berserk

Born from the corpse of his mother, a young mercenary known only as Guts, embraces the battlefield as his only means of survival. Day in and day out, putting his life on the line just to make enough to get by, he moves from one bloodshed to the next.
After a run-in with the Band of the Hawk, a formidable troop of mercenaries, Guts is recruited by their charismatic leader Griffith, nicknamed the "White Hawk." As he quickly climbed the ranks in order to become the head of the offensive faction, Guts proves to be a mighty addition to Griffith's force, taking Midland by storm. However, while the band's quest for recognition continues, Guts slowly realizes that the world is not as black-and-white as he once assumed.
Set in the medieval era, Berserk is a dark, gritty tale that follows one man's struggle to find his own path, while supporting another's lust for power, and the unimaginable tragedy that begins to turn the wheels of fate.
Berserk is finished and has 25 Episodes. It is also Known as: 剣風伝奇ベルセルク, Kenpuu Denki Berserk, Kenfu Denki Berserk, Sword-Wind Chronicle Berserk, Berserk: The Chronicles of Wind Blades, Berserk: Sword-Wind Tales, Berserk: SWORD-WIND ROMANCE
5. Made in Abyss

The enormous cave system, known as the Abyss, is the only unexplored place in the world. Nobody knows how deep down goes this titanic pit, inhabited by strange and wondrous creatures and full of mysterious ancient relics which purpose in unknown to modern man. Generations of bold adventurers have been drawn by the cryptic depths of the Abyss. In course of time those bold enough to explore the dangerous pit came to be known as "Cave Raiders."
In Oosu, the town at the edge of the Abyss, there lives a little orphan named Rico, who dreams of becoming as great a cave raider as her mother was and solving the great mystery of the pit. One day exploring the murky depths she stumbles upon a little boy, who turns out to be a robot...
Made in Abyss is finished and has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: メイドインアビス, Made in Abyss
6. Goblin Slayer

"I'm not saving the world. I just kill goblins." Rumor has it that, in a certain guild in the middle of nowhere, there is an extraordinary man who has climbed all the way to the Silver rank just by killing goblins. At the same guild, a priestess who's just become a new adventurer has formed her first party... and the man who ends up rescuing that party when they get into trouble is none other than the Goblin Slayer.
Goblin Slayer is finished and has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: ゴブリンスレイヤー, Goblin Slayer
7. Made in Abyss: Retsujitsu no Ougonkyou

The second season of Made in Abyss.
Directly after the events of Made in Abyss: Fukaki Tamashii no Reimei, the third installment of Made in Abyss covers the adventures of Reg, Riko, and Nanachi in the Sixth Layer, The Capital of the Unreturned.
Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun is finished and has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: メイドインアビス 烈日の黄金郷, Made in Abyss Season 2
8. Castlevania

The last surviving member of a disgraced clan fights to save Eastern Europe from Dracula. Inspired by the classic video game series.
Castlevania is finished and has 4 Episodes. It is also Known as: Akumajou Dracula: Castlevania, 悪魔城ドラキュラ -キャッスルヴァニア-, Castlevania
9. Shiki

Fifteen-year-old Megumi Shimizu dreamed of a glamorous life in the big city; however, her unexpected death in the quiet village of Sotoba marks the beginning of what appears to be a ferocious epidemic that turns the hot summer into a season of blood and terror. A young doctor named Toshio Ozaki begins to doubt the nature of the disease and comes to understand that to discover the truth, he must abandon his humanity. Meanwhile, Natsuno Yuuki, an antisocial youth from the city, is haunted by the sudden death of Megumi and must realize the pain of friendship in the face of his own tragedy. Toshio and Natsuno form an unlikely pair as they work together to save Sotoba before it transforms into a ghost town of vampires.Shiki, adapted from the horror novel written by Fuyumi Ono, goes beyond the average vampire story. It tells the tragic tale of survival in a world where one cannot easily distinguish between good and evil. Abandoned by God, the Shiki, as the vampires call themselves, have only their will to live as they clash with the fear of the paranoid/unbelieving villagers. Shiki explores the boundary that separates man from monster.
Shiki is finished and has 22 Episodes. It is also Known as: 屍鬼, Corpse Demon
10. Made in Abyss: Fukaki Tamashii no Reimei

Dawn of the Deep Soul continues the epic adventure of plucky Riko and Reg who are joined by their new friend Nanachi. Together they descend into the Abyss' treacherous fifth layer, the Sea of Corpses, and encounter the mysterious Bondrewd, a legendary White Whistle whose shadow looms over Nanachi's troubled past. Bondrewd is ingratiatingly hospitable, but the brave adventurers know things are not always as they seem in the enigmatic Abyss...
Made in Abyss: Dawn of the Deep Soul is a Movie. It is also Known as: 劇場版メイドインアビス 深き魂の黎明, Made in Abyss: Fukaki Tamashii no Reimei
11. Kemono Jihen

When a series of animal bodies that rot away after a single night begin appearing in a remote mountain village, Inugami, a detective from Tokyo who specializes in the occult, is called to investigate.
While working the case, he befriends a strange boy who works in the field every day instead of going to school. Shunned by his peers and nicknamed "Dorota-bou" after a yokai that lives in the mud, he helps Inugami uncover the truth behind the killings—but supernatural forces are at work, and while Dorota-bou is just a nickname, it might not be the only thing about the boy that isn't human.
Kemono Jihen is finished and has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 怪物事変, けものじへん, Monster Incidents, Kemono Incidents
12. D.Gray-man

Losing a loved one is so painful that one may sometimes wish to be able to resurrect them—a weakness that the enigmatic Millennium Earl exploits. To make his mechanical weapons known as "Akuma," he uses the souls of the dead that are called back. Once a soul is placed in an Akuma, it is trapped forever, and the only way to save them is to exorcise them from their vessel using the Anti-Akuma weapon, "Innocence."
After spending three years as the disciple of General Cross, Allen Walker is sent to the Black Order—an organization comprised of those willing to fight Akuma and the Millennium Earl—to become an official Exorcist. With an arm as his Innocence and a cursed eye that can see the suffering souls within an Akuma, it's up to Allen and his fellow Exorcists to stop the Millennium Earl's ultimate plot: one that can lead to the destruction of the world.
D.Gray-man is finished and has 103 Episodes. It is also Known as: ディー・グレイマン, D. Gray-man, D. Grey-man
13. Claymore

In this world, humans coexist with demonic predators called Yoma. These demonic beasts feast on human innards and can blend into human society by taking on human appearance. As a counter force, a mysterious organization created half-human, half-Yoma warriors known as the "Silver Eyed Witches" or "Claymores," after the huge claymore swords they carry. They are detested by humanity however necessary.
The story begins with a young boy, Raki, who has lost everything in a Yoma attack, and the Claymore, Clare, who is generally detested by society. Throughout the series, Clare and Raki show their deeper qualities, powers and Clare's never ending devotion to the goal she swore to fulfill in her childhood.
Claymore is finished and has 26 Episodes. It is also Known as: クレイモア, Claymore
14. Majo no Tabitabi

In a certain place, there was a traveler witch. Her name was Elaina. Being a traveler, she came across many people and countries while continuing her long, long journey. A country that only accepted magicians, a muscle loving giant, a youth wanting to return a lover from the grasp of death, a Princess left alone in the ruined country, and the story of the witch herself up until now and from now on. While meeting unbelievably odd people and experiencing beautiful moments of some, then, even now, the witch keeps spinning the tale of meeting and parting.
The Journey of Elaina is finished and has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 魔女の旅々, Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina
15. Castlevania: Nocturne

As revolution sweeps France, Richter Belmont fights to uphold his family's legacy and prevent the rise of a ruthless, power-hungry vampire ruler.
Castlevania: Nocturne is finished and has 8 Episodes. It is also Known as: Akumajou Dracula Castlevania: Tsukiyo no Nokutān, 悪魔城ドラキュラ -キャッスルヴァニア-: 月夜のノクターン, Akumajō Dracula - Castlevania: Nocturne, Castlevania: Nocturno, Castlevania: Noturno
16. Juuni Kokuki

Nakajima Youko is your average somewhat timid high school student. One day, a strange man named Keiki appears before her, swearing allegiance. Before she could properly register what was happening, demon-like creatures attack Youko and her friends, after which they are pulled into a different world. A world unlike what she has ever known. Separated from Keiki, Youko and her friends must do whatever they can if they wish to survive in this new world.
The Twelve Kingdoms is finished and has 45 Episodes. It is also Known as: 十二国記, 12 Kingdoms, Juuni Kokki