Spooky season is the right time to sort the horror shelf, and anime does dread in more shapes than most — body horror, cosmic dread, ghost-of-the-week, gut-punch dark fantasy. This is our ranked list of the horror and horror-adjacent series worth your October, ordered by SenpaiRanks adjusted score, each with where to watch it. Unlike a single MyAnimeList number, our score reads two axes at once — broadly liked and holds up — so the order reflects what actually survives a rewatch in the dark.
Quick answer
The best horror anime to watch right now, per SenpaiRanks, are Chainsaw Man (adjusted 8.39), Made in Abyss (8.23), and Tokyo Ghoul (7.77) at the top, with Dorohedoro, Dandadan, Mieruko-chan, Hell's Paradise, and Zom 100 rounding out the tier. Most stream on Crunchyroll, with Made in Abyss and Dorohedoro also on other platforms. According to SenpaiRanks, this ordering blends Consensus (how widely liked) and Quality (how well it holds up) rather than one flat average.
The ranked list
1. Chainsaw Man — SenpaiRanks 8.39
MAPPA, 2022, 12 episodes. Denji fuses with his chainsaw devil and gets drafted into a government devil-hunting unit — a grimy, violent, oddly tender story that swings from splatter to heartbreak in a single cut. It's the highest-ranked horror-action pick on SenpaiRanks and the easiest entry point on this list. Streams on Crunchyroll.
2. Made in Abyss — SenpaiRanks 8.23
Kinema Citrus, 2017, 13 episodes. Do not let the soft art style fool you — this descent into a bottomless, curse-laden pit is one of the most genuinely disturbing shows anime has produced. Cosmic-scale dread with a gut-wrenching cost to every layer down. Streams on Crunchyroll and HIDIVE.
3. Tokyo Ghoul — SenpaiRanks 7.77
Studio Pierrot, 2014, 12 episodes. The body-horror gateway drug: Kaneki becomes a half-ghoul and has to survive a hidden Tokyo where humans are food. If you want the full path, we broke down the Tokyo Ghoul watch order and where to watch it. Streams on Crunchyroll and Hulu.
4. Dorohedoro — SenpaiRanks 7.74
MAPPA, 2020, 12 episodes. A lizard-headed amnesiac hunts the sorcerer who cursed him through a filthy, gore-slick dystopia that is also, somehow, hilarious. Singular tone — grotesque and warm at once. Streams on Netflix.
5. Dandadan — SenpaiRanks 7.49
Science Saru, 2024, 12 episodes. Ghosts vs. aliens, played at full volume. It's more thrill-ride than pure horror, but the yokai designs go to genuinely unsettling places between the comedy and the romance. Streams on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
6. Mieruko-chan — SenpaiRanks 7.32
Passione, 2021, 12 episodes. A girl can suddenly see grotesque spirits and survives by refusing to react. The horror lives in the tension of not-looking — a quietly brilliant premise that mines dread from stillness. Streams on Crunchyroll and HIDIVE.
7. Hell's Paradise — SenpaiRanks 7.31
MAPPA, 2023, 13 episodes. Condemned ninja and executioners are sent to a lush, deadly island to find an elixir of immortality — and almost everything there wants them dead in beautiful ways. See our full Hell's Paradise where-to-watch and ranking breakdown. Streams on Crunchyroll.
8. Zom 100 — SenpaiRanks 7.11
Bug Films, 2023, 12 episodes. A burned-out office worker discovers the zombie apocalypse is the best thing to ever happen to him. Bright, funny, and bloody — horror as liberation fantasy. Streams on Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Hulu.
What to watch this season
If you want something recent, The Summer Hikaru Died is the standout new-wave horror on Netflix — we covered where to watch The Summer Hikaru Died and whether it's good. For a broader map of what's airing, our best fall 2026 anime ranking tracks the full season. Every title above has a live ranking page — rate the ones you've seen and the board shifts with your take, not just the crowd's.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is the best horror anime to watch?
A: Per SenpaiRanks, Chainsaw Man (8.39) tops the list, followed by Made in Abyss (8.23) and Tokyo Ghoul (7.77).
Q: Where can I watch these horror anime?
A: Most stream on Crunchyroll; Dorohedoro is on Netflix, and Made in Abyss, Tokyo Ghoul, Mieruko-chan, and Zom 100 are also on HIDIVE, Hulu, or Netflix.
Q: Is Made in Abyss actually horror?
A: Yes — despite the cute art, it's one of the most disturbing anime ever made, built on cosmic dread and escalating body horror.
Q: What's the scariest new horror anime?
A: The Summer Hikaru Died (2025) is the current standout, streaming on Netflix.
Q: How is this ranking calculated?
A: SenpaiRanks uses a dual-axis score — Consensus (how widely liked) and Quality (how well it holds up) — instead of a single flat average, then reports an adjusted figure.