30 Best Psychological Thriller Anime To Binge-Watch

All of the most nuanced thriller anime share one trait: they put you on the edge of your seat at all times. This list evaluates every good psychological thriller anime, from Death Note to Psycho-Pass, from best to worst.

Satoshi Kon’s Paranoia Agent, a series that exposes some of the darker aspects of human social behavior, is one of these episodes that is plain scary and nasty. Other series, such as Monster and Erased, are mystery thrillers that keep you guessing.

The suspense that a show creates for the audience makes it more exciting. If you want to become addicted to a good psychological thriller anime, you need to start watching it from the beginning and cheer for the likely events to occur.

I’ve produced a list of the best psychological thriller anime for you to binge-watch. Following this list is something I suggest because it only contains the best psychological thriller anime series of all time.

30. Eden of The East

Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Writer: Kenji Kamiyama
Cast: Various
IMDb: 7.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
streaming Platform: Funimation, Crunchyroll

Eden of the East is the kind of anime that initially just confuses you to no end before snatching you up and keeping you there with no chance of escape.

Just consider the first setup, for example:

No one is killed when a missile strikes Japan. Then there is a time jump in which a girl is on her way to America when she gets into some perilous seas and is rescued by a nude man with no memories.

Before you know it, the situation has evolved into a mobile phone-based Mirai Nikki-style show.

You could think “This must be rushed as hell” after looking at the setup and the number of episodes.

29. Shiki

Director: Tetsurō Amino
Writer: Kenji Sugihara
Cast: Various
IMDb: 7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
Streaming Platform: Funimation, Crunchyroll

We needed a “mysterious village where people keep going missing” program badly.

In Shiki, an illness that transforms humans into vampires is the reason behind their disappearance.

As you might have guessed, the protagonists are in a race against time to figure out what is happening as more and more individuals mysteriously vanish.

Shiki is a rather common premise. But it’s done incredibly well, giving the entire play a very weird and nasty vibe.

28. Rainbow

Director: Hiroshi Kojina
Writer: Higashi no Eden
Cast: Various
IMDb: 7.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
Streaming Platform: N/A

It’s advisable to start with Rainbow if you enjoy a good crime movie.

Particularly considering how violent the program is and how well it portrays a jail environment.

By that, I mean that Satan is ashamed of some of the adversaries’ actions, the prison guards are anything but nice, corruption is rife, and the entire anime has a very somber and dismal atmosphere.

The protagonist shows how far human goodwill can go, even while in prison, thus it’s oddly motivating.

27. Talentless Nana

Director: Shinji Ishihira
Writer: Fumiya Ikeda
Cast: Various
IMDb: 6.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Even though Among Us is less well-known now, the idea is still really cool.

This anime fills that void, to some extent.

The protagonist of the narrative is a girl who is detained on an island with teenage superheroes.

Her objective? As many as you can kill without being discovered.

The catch in the story is that she is helpless, so to survive she will need to use her wits and plenty of vents.

The tension is constant and very alluring, even though the writing may not be the best in the world. This is especially true after a few kids are slain and people start to become protective.

26. Moriarty the Patriot

Director: Kazuya Nomura
Writer: Go Zappa
Cast: Various
IMDb: 7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
Streaming Platform: Funimation, Crunchyroll

The plot of this tale pits a group of people against a directionless organization is a familiar one.

This time, the organization is the whole of Britain.

It’s up to Moriarty and his brothers to make some major waves and push for a more just government because new regulations have been put in place that disproportionately benefit the wealthy.

It’s an extremely tight show. Additionally, the fact that it is all fairly realistic makes it more interesting.

Even if superpowers are fantastic, nothing compares to the stress of a loaded gun with a single bullet.

25. When They Cry.

Director: Chiaki Kon
Writer: Toshifumi Kawase
Cast: Various
IMDb: 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
Streaming Platform: Funimation, Crunchyroll

For quite some time, When They Cry has been a go-to when it comes to frightening an unprepared crowd.

It has a devoted following since it is arguably the most horrific anime series available.

Therefore, if you want to stay as far away from PG as you can, this show is your one-ticket stop for everything gruesome and frightful.

Alternatively, you can choose the most recent version of the show if you wish to slightly lessen the blow.

24. Aoi Bungaku Series

Director: Various (Anthology series)
Writer: Various (Anthology series)
Cast: Various (Anthology series)
IMDb: 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
Streaming Platform: N/A

This compilation series might be more appropriate if you want a psychological tale but don’t feel like watching the lake of blood you would receive in “When They Cry.”

Yes, some of the most important writers from Japan are included in this book.

In total, there are six stories, each of which explores the human mind or the human experience in a distinctive manner.

About two episodes are given to each story, which makes for an extremely fast-paced viewing experience where you’re plunged into a new story as soon as you’ve fully comprehended the prior one. Try at least one episode here and see what you think if you want something quick and to the point.

23. The Garden of Sinners

Director: Various (Anthology series)
Writer: Kinoko Nasu
Cast: Various
IMDb: 7.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
Streaming Platform: N/A

Now, if you’re looking for a show you can truly get into, I suggest The Garden of Sinners.

It’s a collection of at least 8 films that all share a single, epic story.

The majority of it is a paranormal murder mystery, but there is so much symbolism in it that a whole book could be written on it.

The fact that the films aren’t shown in order of chronology enhances the overall impression, making the big storyline more obvious as the chapters progress.

22. Baccano

Director: Takahiro Omori
Writer: Noboru Takagi
Cast: Various
IMDb: 8.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
Streaming Platform: Funimation, Crunchyroll

I think this anime has every right to be termed a thriller, even though it isn’t classified as one.

It tells several stories set in several locations and times, all of which come together on a single train voyage.

The suspense that Baccano! manages to maintain over its whole run is nearly unbelievable, as the spotlight shifts between several characters and their subplots.

The show does contain some S-class humor, which could ruin the suspenseful experience.

However, I believe that the finished product is more than the sum of its components, thus I wholeheartedly endorse it.

21. Ergo Proxy

Director: Shūkō Murase
Writer: Dai Satō
Cast: Kôji Yusa, Liam O’Brien, Akiko Yajima
IMDb ratings: 7.9
Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 87%
Platform available: Netflix, Hulu

Ergo Proxy anime’s plot is set in a post-apocalyptic utopian future. In Rondeau City, humans and robots coexist peacefully. However, a virus spreads among the robots, and it gives them self-awareness. This causes a lot of commotion, and robots start committing murders. All this disturbs the balance and peace that was maintained. However, Inspector Re-L Mayer is appointed to investigate all the incidents, and she discovers the complicated hidden truth behind all the happenings.

20. Mirai Nikki (Future Diary)

Director: Naoto Hosoda
Writer: Sakae Esuno
Cast: Brina Palencia, Josh Grelle, Leah Clark, Emily Neves
IMDb ratings: 7.5
Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: NA
Platforms available: Hulu, Netflix, and Crunchyroll.

Yukiteru Amano, a lonely high school student, spends his days on his phone writing a journal and speaking with his two seemingly fictitious companions Deus Ex Machina, the god of time and space, and Murmur, the god’s servant. Deus provides Yukiteru with a “Random Diary,” which contains exceptionally detailed notes based on the future and puts him into a brutal battle royale with 11 other holders of equally strong future diaries after revealing himself to be an actual entity.

Yukiteru must hunt and murder the other 11 to survive since the last person standing has been selected as the new god of time and space. He grudgingly joins forces with his obsessive stalker Yuno Gasai (who also has a journal like this), and she assumes responsibility for his protection. But there’s more to the girl than meets the eye, as she may have other intentions for her unrequited love than meets the eye.

Mirai Nikki is a fantastic and unusual plot with beautiful characters, particularly Yuno, one of the most distinctive characters ever seen in an anime. Mirai Nikki is worth checking out.

19. Code Geass

Director: Gorō Taniguchi
Writer: Ichirō Ōkouchi
Cast: Jun Fukuyama, Takahiro Sakurai, Johnny Yong Bosch, Yukana
IMDb ratings: 8.7
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 100%
Platform available: Netflix.

The country is named “Area 11” after the invasion of Japan by the British Empire. Lelouch, a young Brittannian student residing in Japan, becomes involved in a local terrorist assault against Britannia, reconciling with his boyhood buddy Suzaku and meeting the intriguing lady C.C. In a life-or-death scenario, Lelouch embraces the power that C.C. gives him: the capacity to command anybody to do anything.

Lelouch waged war against the Brittanian Empire to seek vengeance for the Empire’s acts against his family. Lelouch assumes the identity of Zero to fulfill his childhood promise of destroying Britannia with his newfound power and tactical abilities.

You should watch Code Geass for a variety of reasons. First, code Geass works because it arguably has the finest-developed group of characters in any anime. It has a fantastic plot, rapid pace, and excellent animation, but most significantly, it works because it has possibly the best-developed group of characters in any anime.

18. Death Parade

Director: Yuzuru Tachikawa
Writer: Yuzuru Tachikawa
Cast: Jamie Marchi, Asami Seto, Tomoaki Maeno, Alex Organ
IMDb ratings: 7.9
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: NA
Platform available: Hulu, Netflix, and Funimation.

Most people will either go to Heaven or Hell once they pass. On the other hand, Death takes the chosen few to Quindecim, a pub where the only pairing of individuals who perish at the same instant are allowed to join. Decim, a mysterious character who also serves as the arbitrator, is present at the pub.

He judges people who find themselves at Quindecim by inviting them to a life-or-death battle. These games decide whether the patron’s soul will be reincarnated or cast into the emptiness, never to be seen again. As they gamble their souls on everything from darting to bowling to combat contests, the actual essence of each customer progressively emerges.

Finally, the abrupt emergence of a black-haired amnesiac forces Decim to reassess his judgments, even though his procedures stay intact.

Death Parade has fantastic animation and is a straightforward tale for everyone to follow and be delighted by. Yet, it evolves into a deep analysis of what it means to be human and enjoy life.

17. Perfect Blue

Director: Satoshi Kon
Writer: Yoshikazu Takeuchi
Cast: Junko Iwao, Rica Matsumoto, Shinpachi Tsuji, Masaaki Ôkura
IMDb ratings: 8.0
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 89%
Platform available: Netflix.

Mima was a pop artist idolized by the general public until they suggested the trend differently. She is encouraged to give up singing and seek acting to save her future. A soap opera job is given, but Mima’s figure isn’t as straight-laced as she would like.

Nonetheless, she accepts, and things quickly deteriorate. Mima realizes that her existence is not hers as the truth starts to crumble around her. She finds (or, more accurately, assumes) a mirror version of herself who hasn’t surrendered singing.

A stalker chases her from the darkness, revealing every personal aspect of her life online. As Mima sinks into a deadly realm of delusional fantasy, her pals and acquaintances are attacked (and executed). She is terrified of her survival and must detach reality from fiction to survive.

Everything in Perfect Blue works so perfectly together, from the colors and directing to the voice acting and scene details, that it’s almost difficult not to be awestruck by its brilliance. Perfect Blue successfully demonstrates that you may experience absolute horror in various ways.

16. Mind Games

Director: Masaaki Yuasa
Writer: Masaaki Yuasa
Cast: Kôji Imada, Sayaka Maeda, Takashi Fujii, Seiko Takuma
IMDb ratings: 7.8
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 92%
Platform available: Netflix and Crunchyroll.

Nishi, a loser with a crush on his childhood girlfriend, is the film’s protagonist. After a run-in with the Japanese mafia, Nishi embarks on a voyage to paradise and back, only to find himself stranded in an even more improbable location.

Nishi (and a few pals) try to break free from their prison and learn what it means to be alive in the process. This mind-blowing journey features some of the most cutting-edge animation ever made.

‘Mind Game’ has it all: irony, action, comedy, and even romance, and it touches on almost every element of human existence, from relationships to home issues. Of course, all of the trippy visuals make a strong impact.

You may feel various feelings while viewing this film, but one thing is sure: you will not feel as if you have wasted your time after it is over.

15. Tokyo Ghoul

Director: Shuhei Morita
Writer: Chūji Mikasano
Cast: Natsuki Hanae, Austin Tindle, Brina Palencia, Sora Amamiya
IMDb ratings: 7.8
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: NA
Platform available: Hulu and Netflix

This is an excellent psychological thriller anime where Ken Kaneki, a college student, barely escapes a deadly meeting with Rize Kamishiro, his date, who exposes herself to be a ghoul. In critical condition, he was rushed to the hospital. Kaneki realizes that he underwent surgery that turned him into a half-ghoul once he recovers.

Kaneki did this because portions of Rize’s organs were transplanted into his body, and he now has to eat human flesh to survive, much like normal ghouls. He is taken in by the ghouls who own the coffee shop “Anteiku,” who educate him on living with his new existence as a half-ghoul.

Fitting into ghoul culture and keeping his identity secret from his human friends, particularly his best buddy Hideyoshi, are two of his everyday problems.

Tokyo Ghoul is well worth your time. Tokyo Ghoul is a beautiful anime series that will captivate your interest and make you watch it from beginning to end, even though it is not a flawless novel adaptation with many modifications and contradictions.

14. Steins Gate: 0

Director: Hiroshi Hamasaki
Writer: Jukki Hanada
Cast: Mamoru Miyano, J. Michael Tatum, Monica Rial, Tyson Rinehart
IMDb ratings: 8.4
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 96%
Platform available: Hulu, Netflix, and Crunchyroll

The dark hidden origin of Steins; Gate begins with the eccentric mad scientist Okabe, who is recovering after a botched effort to save Kurisu. He chooses to give up and abandons his vivacious scientific alter persona to forget the past. When everything appears to be back to normal, he meets a friend of Kurisu.

The latter informs him that they have begun developing a gadget that preserves a human’s memory and generates a simulation of them with their features and personalities. Okabe starts testing and discovers that the Kurisu simulation has brought back agony and some other unanticipated tragedies.

This is a side narrative about occurrences in the Beta Attractor Field’s future that help to make the original story’s ending feasible.

Steins Gate is an excellent anime with many twists and turns, as well as a heartbreaking narrative about sacrifice and moving on.

The concluding events of the Steins Gate are best explained in Steins Gate 0. It begins off slowly, but as the tale progresses, you’ll encounter some significant discoveries, excellent character development, plot twists, and the introduction of new characters, among other things. In conclusion, if you want a better experience with the entire anime series, you should see this sequel.

13. Paranoia agent

Director: Satoshi Kon
Writer: Satoshi Kon Yuichi Umezu
Cast: Shôzô Îzuka, Toshihiko Seki, Mamiko Noto, Michael McConnohie
IMDb ratings: 8.1
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 100%
Platform available: Netflix, Funimation, and Amazon.

This thriller anime is about an elementary school student known as “Shounen Bat” or “Lil Slugger” who has been assaulting people with his bent, golden bat, two detectives are now investigating to prevent this child from committing any further attacks, but they will quickly discover that this case is far more complicated than they anticipated.

Paranoia Agent is both a celebration of fantasy’s power and the escape it gives, as well as a severe examination of how humans distribute knowledge in the current day. The anime represents a world that is similar to yours or mine today. It is dark, joyful, and intriguing in its way. It’s gory and insane at times, but it’s authentic to the atrocities that unfold just outside your window, making it an intriguing series to watch for adult fans of the genre.

12. Borderland Alice

Director: Hideki Tachibana
Writer: Ryōsuke Nakamura
Cast: Yoshimasa Hosoya, Takahiro Sakurai, Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Maaya Sakamoto
IMDb ratings: 7.1
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 91%
Platform available: Hidive and Netflix.

Arisu, Karube, and Chta are three high school students who are frustrated with their current situation. Arisu hopes he could live on a new planet that would be more interesting during the fireworks display.

As a result, his desire was realized, and the three were transported into a parallel world that appeared post-apocalyptic. They are hailed by a lady who informs them that they have already “joined their game” after entering what seems to be an empty festival. After clearing the game, she discloses that they must play games to survive in Borderland.

This anime is similar to No Game No Life in that the characters must play games to survive. However, this anime is fantastic because it takes kids who aren’t excellent at anything in the real world and places them in a world where they can succeed.

Once you get past the initial shock, most of the characters are likewise fantastic. It’s a must-see for everyone who enjoyed No Game No Life or animes about solving riddles. It also progresses quickly, so you don’t have to sit through many monologues.

11. Ayashi no Ceres

Director: Hajime Kamegaki
Writer: Yukiyoshi Ōhashi
Cast: Victor Atelevich, Matthew Erickson, C. Adam Leigh, Tommy Campbell
IMDb ratings: 7.3
Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: NA
Platform available: Amazon Prime and Crunchyroll

In Ceres: Celestial Legend, Aya Mikage’s life is flipped upside down as her family tries to kill her, her twin brother is taken away, and her father is murdered. Then, aya discovers she is the rebirth of Ceres, a celestial girl on a quest for her heavenly garment and vengeance on the Mikage for trapping her on this earth for so long. Unfortunately, as Aya searches for the robe, another branch of the Mikage family tracks her down, hoping to kidnap Ceres for personal benefit.

The narrative revolves around the lineage of Ceres, a heavenly maiden. She came to earth to wash and was unable to return. So, her descendants must now learn to manage their extraordinary powers and master them.

This anime is one of our all-time favorites lists. Ayashi No Ceres never fails to provide thrills with spectacular situations despite its age.

10. Gakkou Gurashi

Director: Masaomi Andō
Writer: Norimitsu Kaihō
Cast: Inori Minase, Ari Ozawa, Mao Ichimichi, Rie Takahashi
IMDb ratings: 7.2
Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: NA
Platform available: Netflix and Crunchyroll.

Yuki Takeya is a cheerful schoolgirl who is a member of the Megurigaoka Private High School’s School Living Club ( Megurigaoka Gakuin Kt Gakk Gakuen Seikatsu-bu) alongside her pals Kurumi Ebisuzawa, Yri Wakasa, and Miki Naoki. While Yuki searches out exciting school activities daily while attending school, the other girls fight to keep her safe since they are the only survivors of their school after a zombie pandemic has engulfed the city.

Initially, you could easily be forgiven for believing Gakko Gurashi is a standard shojo, with its cutesy heroines and upbeat entrance music. It’s pretty catchy. We’re wondering why they reside at school in the first place. The indications are subtle… the shocks are unexpected… and you’ll be emotionally involved.

I can’t explain the plot without giving away the first episode, so you’ll have to see this fantastic psychological thriller anime instead.

9. xxxHOLIC

Director: Tsutomu Mizushima
Writer: Clamp
Cast: Sayaka Ôhara, Jun Fukuyama, Kazuya Nakai, Shizuka Itô
IMDb ratings: 7.7
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: NA
Platforms available: Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Funimation.

This thriller anime is about Kimihiro Watanuki, a young child cursed with unique abilities. He can perceive evil spirits, and they appear to be drawn to him somehow. He runs across a mysterious woman named Yuuko one day.

She claims to have the ability to relieve his suffering, but she never works for free, and she won’t assist him until he pays for her services. As a result, he begins working at her business and realizes that nothing is as it seems.

Holic’s story is intriguing, swirling around spirits, ghosts, and the bizarre. There is little action in this film aimed at an older and more intelligent audience, but there is plenty of thought-provoking and brilliant conversation.

Holic is a thriller anime that makes you think about things like fate, destiny, and life’s purpose. However, there’s also a side to it that makes remarks about people’s lives and society as a whole. Not to mention that it is also educative. Holic provides a glimpse into a side of Japanese culture that most people are unfamiliar with.

xxxHolic isn’t an actual horror anime but deals with the supernatural, frightening to specific viewers.

8. Serial Experiments Lain

Director: Ryūtarō Nakamura
Writer: Yoshitoshi ABe`
Cast: Kaori Shimizu, Bridget Hoffman, Dan Lorge
IMDb ratings: 8.1
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: NA
Platform available: Funimation and Crunchyroll.

Lain Iwakura, a shy and introverted teenage girl at her school, gets a troubling email from her classmate Chisa Yomoda—the same Chisa who recently committed herself. Lain has neither the desire nor the knowledge to deal with even basic technology; nonetheless, when she opens the email, she is immediately transported to Wired, a virtual world of communication networks identical to the internet.

Lain’s life is flipped upside down as she begins to unravel a series of enigmatic riddles. Strange individuals known as the Men in Black begin to follow her, asking her questions and seemingly knowing more about her than she does.

As the lines between reality and cyberspace become increasingly blurred, Lain is thrust into increasingly surreal and weird occurrences in which identity, awareness, and perception all take on new meanings.

To summarize, the characters in this anime create an ideal environment, and the plot is terrific. Unfortunately, some parts of the story are left unfinished, allowing fans to draw their own conclusions.

7. Erased

Director: Tomohiko Itō
Writer: Taku Kishimoto
Cast: Ben Diskin, Tao Tsuchiya, Michelle Ruff, Shinnosuke Mitsushima
IMDb ratings: 8.5
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 100%
Platform available: Hulu, Netflix, and Crunchyroll

This anime revolves around Satoru Fujinuma, 29, transported back in time to 18 years to avoid the events that led to his mother’s murder, which began when he was in fifth grade with a series of kidnappings.

When a 29-year-old guy is working at a pizza parlor, he begins to experience a weird occurrence he refers to as “Revival.” When ‘Revival’ occurs, Satoru Fujinuma is sent back in time to prevent an event from occurring.

He is wrongly accused of his mother’s death one day, and the phenomenon occurs again, but this time he is transported back 18 years to his elementary school days. He needs to figure out what he needs to alter to rescind this allegation and return to the present with the intellect of a 29-year-old and the body of a toddler.

Erased is a breath of new air compared to the usual isekai, ecchi, or comic stuff. Instead, the anime includes some lovely animation and directing, which adds to the plot’s tension and keeps you hooked to your seat, waiting for what’s next.

6. Yakusoku no Neverland (Promised Neverland)

Director: Yûichirô Hirakawa
Writer: Kaiu Shirai
Cast: Sumire Morohoshi, Mariya Ise, Shinei Ueki, Lynn
IMDb ratings: 8.4
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 100%
Platforms available: Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Hulu.

Yakusoku no (A Promise) Neverland narrates a tale of Grace Field House, which is a separated orphanage in the year 2045 where kids under the age of 12 are cared for and roam happily under the watchful eye of ‘Mama,’ the benevolent caretaker responsible for the children’s growth and well-being until the time comes for them to join ‘the outside,’ a place beyond the forest surrounding the orphanage where real life begins.

Emma, the oldest of the children, feels responsible for her younger siblings and likes assisting with chores with her trusted companions, Norman and Ray, who are equally clever and intelligent.

When they discover that the house, they believed was their home is a human farm and that the lady they dubbed Mama is the butcher who harvests children to feed to demons, the three decide to depart, but not before devising a plan to take all 37 orphans with them. This is an impossible task under the scrutiny of the already suspicious cunning Mama and her demon associates.

Yakusoku no Neverland is a fascinating anime full of twists, dark truths, and horror that is well worth seeing.

5. Psycho-Pass

Director: Naoyoshi Shiotani, Katsuyuki Motohiro
Writer: Gen Urobuchi, Makoto Fukami, Aya Takaha
Cast: Kana Hanazawa, Miyuki Sawashiro, Takahiro Sakurai, Shizuka Itô
IMDB ratings: 8.2
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 79%
Platforms available: Netflix and Funimation.

Akane Tsunemori, a fresh top-of-the-class recruit, joins the police force in a futuristic world where the Sybil System analyses criminal intent; nonetheless, she always prioritizes her sense of justice over Sybil’s judgment. Enforcers (latent criminals with strong criminal intent) assist the police. One of them is a former inspector who supports Akane’s strategy.

A brilliant young woman joins the Public Security Department, whose mission is to find and kill persons whose Psycho-pass indicates a criminal coefficient higher than the legal limit. However, after Akane, the rookie, realizes that her team’s executors are required to execute persons whose nuance (Psycho-pass criminal scale) has been raised without being willing to hurt anybody, she begins to doubt the whole notion of justice.

In conclusion, Psycho-Pass is a rich, intellectual anime that will appeal to a wide range of mystery and sci-fi enthusiasts. Moreover, it’s a work of animation art that’s well worth watching.

4. Yojôhan shinwa taikei

Director: Shingo Natsume
Writer: Makoto Ueda
Cast: Shintarô Asanuma, Rin Mizuhara, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Maaya Sakamoto
IMDb ratings: 8.5
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: NA
Platforms available: Funimation, Crunchyroll, and Netflix.

The protagonist of this anime series is an unidentified college student in Kyoto who believes he has squandered his time there; he has no partner and only two pals, Ozo, who has no redeeming qualities, and a first-year student Ms. Akashi.

One night, he visits a deity who warns him that Akashi will marry either Ozo or our protagonist. All he needs to do now is seize the chance dangling in front of him. Our protagonist relives the last two years, making different decisions each time, such as joining various clubs.

Tatami Galaxy is a psychological thriller anime series where everything works out. In the end, I know you’ll look at the episodes and think they’re all the same, but each one is more unique and beautiful than the last. Suppose you pay attention to the previous episode. In that case, you’ll understand what the writers are trying to say, and the art style is unique and beautiful, making it a must-see for anyone who enjoys unusual and well-made shows.

3. Neon Genesis Evangelion

Director: Hideaki Anno, Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki
Writer: Hideaki Anno, et al.
Cast: Megumi Ogata, Megumi Hayashibara, Kotono Mitsuishi, Spike Spencer
IMDb: ratings: 8.5
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 100%
Platform Available: Netflix and Amazon Prime.

The Evangelion series follows the corporation NERV, which employs massive mechas known as Evangelions to fight horrific monsters known as Angels. Several prominent protagonists, notably Shinji Ikari, Asuka Sohryu, and Rei Ayanami, pilot them.

While the first few episodes focus primarily on religious symbolism and Bible allusions, subsequent episodes tend to delve deeper into the characters’ psyches, revealing that many suffer from deep-seated emotional and mental difficulties. The show begins to challenge reality and the existence inside it due to its study of these themes. Hideaki Anno’s psychiatric depression inspired a lot of the series’ material.

The most compelling reason to see Evangelion is the most obvious: it delivers a fantastic tale. It takes the conventional hook of a young boy destined to save the world. It turns it into sophisticated, captivating mythology while also rooting it in a genuine struggle with depression and self-worth.

Each episode solves a few critical questions posing new ones. The tale encompasses many emotions, frequently shocking you with its unexpected detours. It can’t and doesn’t explain everything or tie up all the loose ends, but it doesn’t make it any less of a compelling story.

2. Monster

Director: Masayuki Kojima, Ryôsuke Nakamura
Writer: Naoki Urasawa
Cast: Hidenobu Kiuchi, Liam O’Brien, Mamiko Noto, Karen Strassman
IMDb ratings: 8.7
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 100%
Platform Available: Netflix and Amazon Prime.

The story has a storyline in late-twentieth-century Central Europe. It follows a neurosurgeon who, against the hospital’s desires, decides to preserve the life of a recently orphaned youngster who came first rather than the city’s mayor.

After nine years, the youngster emerges, exposing himself to be a serial killer r on the loose. What kind of Monster is this? What type of mysteries does he have buried in his past?

Apart from that, Monster is a fantastic anime for those who aren’t anime fans. I, for one, enjoy a good narrative regardless of the medium. Monster is devoid of overblown passion and colossal sweat droplets. It’s a mature and vital trip that’s hard to put into words. Monster is unlikely to appeal to fans of Naruto and Pokemon. But check it out if you’re an adult with a bit of patience.

1. Death Note

Director: Tetsurō Araki
Writer: Toshiki Inoue
Cast: Toshiki Inoue, Mamoru Miyano, Nakamura Shidō II, Kappei Yamaguchi, Brad Swaile
IMDb ratings: 9
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 100%
Platform Available: Netflix, Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu, and Amazon Prime

In this psychological thriller anime, our protagonist is a young high school boy named Light Yagami, who one day comes upon a weird notebook called Death Note.

This notebook promises to have the ability to assassinate anyone whose name is written within. Light first believes that this is a joke. However, this boy’s curiosity gets the best of him, and he decides to test it out. Surprisingly, this kills everyone whose name is written on the death note. Light intends to utilize Death Note’s divine power to rid the world of all evil. How is he going to accomplish it? By assassinating every criminal!

Death Note is one of the best psychological thriller anime that raises important themes about justice and murder and provides a highly thrilling story of tactical one-upmanship between a detective and a serial murderer.

Even if you’re new to anime, you should start with Death Note since it will take you on an incredible journey through the best psychological thriller anime culture.

What Psychological thriller should I watch?

There’s nothing like a good psychological thriller anime to get you in the mood. Psychological anime is known for messing with your mind and emotions. But, at the same time, suspense anime will keep you guessing as to what will happen next. Above are some choices for psychological thriller anime to get your horses racing as well.

Are Code Geass psychological thrillers?

Code Geass may appear to be an action-packed mecha anime, but its mind-blowing mental games provide considerably more to the audience. It is a psychological thriller anime that keeps you wanting more and more, and with each new episode, you’ll find new cliffhangers to cling to as you wonder what will happen to your favorite characters.