From ghostly encounters to psychic battles, join us as we explore the most captivating supernatural anime series! Our list features thrilling stories, unforgettable characters, and mind-bending powers that will leave you spellbound. Which otherworldly adventure is your favorite?
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best anime shows that
00:11prominently feature supernatural elements, ghosts, aliens, monsters, what have you.
00:22Number 10.
00:23Mononoke
00:24While anime is art, Mononoke is especially fine art.
00:29The series follows an unnamed medicine seller as he encounters and eliminates various Mononoke,
00:35or negative spirits.
00:43The medicine seller's investigations into the Mononoke often require discovering more
00:48about the people affected by them before he's able to deal with the ghosts.
01:02Every few episodes tell a unique, self-contained ghost story, and it's all tied together
01:07with a gorgeous art style and an enigmatic lead character.
01:11Moments of horror or arthouse animation are sure to be haunted by this exceptional anime.
01:25Number 9.
01:26Mushishi
01:27Another supernatural anthology series, Mushishi follows Ginko, a man who can see Mushi, supernatural
01:33entities that are everywhere, yet imperceptible to most people.
01:42While Mushi aren't evil, they do cause problems for humans, and vice versa, and Ginko helps
01:48to fix them.
01:49The animation is stunning, yet, like the rest of the show, it isn't bombastic in its presentation.
02:03Mushishi is subtle and deliberate with how it tells its stories.
02:07Its pacing may be slower than what many are used to, but the imagination and creativity
02:12of the world it crafts is truly unique.
02:20Number 8.
02:21Dandadan
02:22While this wild series touches on many genres, including everything from sci-fi to romance,
02:28the most prominent one is arguably supernatural.
02:31Dandadan follows a teenage boy and girl who become friends, and maybe more, after a dare
02:36sees them each encounter aliens and ghosts.
02:50From there, they begin combating various paranormal threats, along with the friends and weirdos
02:54they meet along the way.
03:01Dandadan is a strange trip of an anime, with phenomenal action scenes, some striking visual
03:06presentation, and outrageous comedy.
03:09It's creepy, high-octane, and adorable, sometimes all at once.
03:18Number 7.
03:19Mob Psycho 100
03:21Growing up is hard enough for most kids, but Mob has psychic powers.
03:26One part slice of life, and another part action series, Mob Psycho 100 follows Mob's struggles,
03:32with his emotions, as well as evil spirits, and his fellow espers.
03:45The series' art style is simple, yet evocative, and gives the incredible fight scenes some
03:50incredibly fluid motion.
03:52Mob Psycho 100 features an excellent cast of characters, all of whom experience significant
03:58growth over the course of the story.
04:04It's just a heartwarming, and excellently made anime, with more wholesome vibes throughout
04:10than a hug from the body improvement club.
04:17Number 6.
04:18Jujutsu Kaisen
04:19The new generation of supernatural action anime has been spearheaded by JJK.
04:25The series follows Yuji, a student who joins Jujutsu High, which teaches its pupils sorcery
04:30to battle malevolent spirits called Curses.
04:41Jujutsu Kaisen features nearly non-stop action throughout, with a ton of exceptional, and
04:47fantastically animated fight scenes.
04:56Its darker tone, and occasional horror inspirations, help give it more of an edge than other similar
05:01shonen series, while also balancing things out with some fantastic comedy too.
05:07And whether it's from laughing, crying, or hype, Jujutsu Kaisen always leaves us breathless.
05:18Number 5.
05:19Bleach
05:20One of the legendary big three of shonen anime, Bleach depicts teenager Kurosaki Ichigo's
05:26battles against supernatural forces after obtaining the powers of a shinigami – spiritual
05:31shepherds that guide souls to the afterlife and dispatch evil ghosts.
05:44The series is filled to the brim with action-packed fight scenes, as well as varied and memorable
05:49characters.
05:50Bleach has an undeniable swagger and charisma to it, since it practically oozes style, and
05:55its diverse soundtrack is loaded with bangers.
06:04Its intense fight scenes and supernatural setting have inspired plenty of other anime,
06:09including some on this list.
06:10However, its own biggest influence was…
06:24Number 4.
06:26Yu Yu Hakusho
06:27An anime that helped shape shonen action series in general, Yu Yu Hakusho is about Yusuke,
06:33a teenage troublemaker who dies, yet is revived as a spirit detective because of his final
06:39act of self-sacrifice.
06:40Yusuke and his friends must overcome ghosts, demons, and all manner of supernatural antagonists,
06:50whether in true battles or in several tournaments.
06:56The characters are iconic, the fights are epic, and the writing is top-notch.
07:01It's no wonder why Yu Yu Hakusho set the stage for so many supernatural anime that
07:06followed it – it's an absolute classic.
07:16Number 3.
07:17JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
07:19Renowned the world over for its memes, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure certainly lives up to its
07:24name.
07:31Chronicling the exploits of several generations of the Joestar family, the series pits each
07:36successive JoJo against everything from vampires to uses of psychic projections known as stans.
07:43The detailed abilities throughout lead to some incredible and highly strategic fights.
07:48The best way to defeat an enemy stan is to figure out how it works.
08:02The show also features some of the most outrageous comedy and heartbreaking tragedy in anime,
08:07plus some incredible music.
08:09JoJo's may be bizarre, but it's an adventure well worth embarking on.
08:18Number 2.
08:19Monogatari series
08:20This franchise follows Aragi Koyomi, a high schooler who assists various girls with supernatural
08:27problems after his own encounter with a vampire.
08:30That's the elevator pitch, anyway.
08:38Though it's something of a harem series, the Monogatari anime is a lot deeper than
08:43fan service, even if there's plenty of that.
08:46The series delves heavily into its characters, with action and dialogue scenes that both
08:51entertain and expand upon who they are as people.
09:01While its use of Japanese wordplay and the occasional strange pacing can be off-putting
09:05to some, the Monogatari series is a masterpiece for those who appreciate its particular style.
09:32Number 1.
09:33Death Note
09:34A supernatural thriller to end all supernatural thrillers, Death Note follows Light, a teenage
09:39boy who receives one of the titular murder notebooks.
09:43Light decides to kill criminals by writing their names down in the Death Note, ostensibly
09:48to make the world a better place.
09:56The cat-and-mouse game between Light and those out to catch him, particularly the detective
10:01L, makes for a gripping story.
10:07The operatic score, dynamic camera angles, and many twists and turns lend the series
10:12an incredible level of intrigue and gravitas.
10:16Death Note is not only the best supernatural anime, but it's in the discussion of one
10:20of the best anime ever.
10:27Is there a supernatural anime we forgot?
10:30You should take one of your favourites and comment it!