Horror anime did not have a memorable 2024, at least not in a positive sense. The genre’s biggest release, Uzumaki: Spiral into Horror, ended up being a bit of a disappointment, and no other show stood up to carry the weight in its place. Fortunately, 2025’s horror anime lineup has been better, mostly due to the quality of a single show. In terms of quantity, the year has not exactly produced constant scares, but every season except Spring has included at least one series that fits the genre.
Horror tends to be something of an afterthought in anime, so expectations should be kept relatively low. If you are craving a fright or some nightmare fuel, these 2025 horror anime might just be able to deliver.
Updated on October 12, 2025, by Mark Sammut: With the Fall 2025 season underway, the year’s horror anime lineup is done and has been mostly OK. The Summer Hikaru Died was in a league of its own, but some of the other shows were also OK. This Monster Wants to Eat Me has minimal horror elements, but fans of the genres (who enjoy Girls Love stories) should check it out.
Winter 2025
Theatre of Darkness: Yamishibai 14
In terms of seasonal shows, Winter 2025 had almost nothing to offer horror fans, with the main exception being another entry in Theatre of Darkness: Yamishibai. Just to be clear, this series is one of the greatest horror anime of all time, and there have been plenty of months when Yami Shibai carried the genre on its back solo. At this point, it is a staple of the industry, and most episodes are watchable since they are just 5 minutes long.
That said, Theatre of Darkness lost steam quite a long time ago and has been running on fumes ever since. While nearly all the more recent episodes are fine, they are rarely anything more than just that. Season 14 continued that trend with no variation.
Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning
Release Month (Korea): February 21, 2025
Studio: Locus Corporation
Based On: The Soul Guardians, aka Toemarok, by Lee Hyeop (Manhwa)
Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning is still a bit unknown, with most of the information being based on a trailer and the source material. Technically, the movie has made its debut in some regions, but it is not widely available at the moment. The manhwa lasted for roughly three years and 131 chapters, but it is not extremely well-known compared to some other stories that have managed to crossover into Western nations. A lot of manhwa are popular only in South Korea, and a lack of exposure in North America does not reflect their quality.
Going by the trailer, which showcases pretty good animation, Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning seems to focus more on action than horror, although the latter will be represented through various supernatural entities. While there is a good chance it will not receive an official release in the United States or Europe, this movie is still worth keeping an eye on for anyone craving something similar to horror anime. The few impressions available suggest this could be a pretty good film and, perhaps, one of the better 2025 horror anime.
Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II – Fire Rat
OK, this one was not truly a Winter 2025 anime, even if it will debut during this period in Japan. Mononoke the Movie: Phantom in the Rain came out in July 2024 in Japan, but it did not become widely available until its international Netflix debut on November 28, 2024.
The sequel is following a similar release schedule, so it will likely arrive on a streaming platform a few months following its cinematic launch. Still, Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II – Fire Rat should be great, as this series has yet to produce anything underwhelming.
Lockdown Zone: Lv. X Season 2
Lockdown Zone: Lv. X ended its first season in October 2024, releasing six half-length episodes in the process. As the Fall 2024 anime flew under the radar compared to nearly everything else released during that quarter, there is a good chance not too many people are aware that a sequel will be coming out in Winter 2025. While not amazing, Lockdown Zone: Lv. X is more than watchable and gets pretty intense at times. The story has a cosmic horror twist and leans heavily into mystery, with the main characters being very much in the dark during the earliest episodes.
Ryouka and Shuuhei are trapped in a building that has been quarantined due to the presence of Sai, an unknown creature. They have to stay quiet, not leave their rooms, and avoid looking outside. The anime gradually pulls back the curtain, all the while introducing a few fun shifts that move the story in an unexpected direction. Lockdown Zone: Lv. X is fun, and the sequel mostly maintains the quality of its predecessor. Unfortunately, the anime has largely flown by without attracting any attention, but it is one of the only 2025 horror anime to debut so far.
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