New Horror Anime Coming Out In 2025

Horror anime did not have a particularly 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 looks much better on paper, and that will hopefully translate into one of the stronger years for the genre in a long time.

As things are only starting to take shape, there is a good chance that plenty of other shows will be announced within the coming months. That said, horror tends to be something of an afterthought in anime, so expectations should be kept relatively low. 2025 will almost certainly not offer quantity, but it will hopefully deliver quality.

Theatre of Darkness: Yamishibai 14

In terms of seasonal shows, Winter 2025 has almost nothing to offer horror fans, with the sole 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.

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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.

Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II – Fire Rat

OK, this one is 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 will probably follow a similar release schedule, arriving 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.

Summer 2025

Hell Teacher Nube

One of the more exciting 2025 horror anime, Hell Teacher Nube is making its big return, receiving a reboot/remake that will freshly adapt Shō Makura’s classic shonen manga. The source material was turned into an enjoyable anime during the ’90s, but that version is quite hard to track down legally in this day and age. Consequently, the upcoming show will likely be most people’s introduction to this universe.

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Nube is an elementary school teacher who frequently has to step up to protect his students from supernatural forces, and he accomplishes this task by using his Demon’s Hand. Hell Teacher Nube will not be 100% horror, as the manga is more of an action-comedy that incorporates themes and imagery from that genre. Nevertheless, it should be entertaining.

The Summer Hikaru Died

A frontrunner for 2025’s standout horror anime, The Summer Hikaru Died should be brilliant. The manga is an unsettling psychological mystery with a gripping premise that is executed well, and it is one of those stories that newcomers should try to experience as blindly as possible. That said, the story revolves around a close friendship between two teenagers that gradually morphs into something else after one of the boys changes.

CygamesPictures will be adapting the manga, which is kind of an unexpected pick for this series. The studio has produced very good stuff before, like Brave Bang Bravern!, but its resume consists almost solely of lighthearted stories. The Summer Hikaru Died is anything but lighthearted.

2025 Horror Anime With No Release Season

Nyaight of the Living Cat

Oh, this should be silly fun. Nyaight of the Living Cat delivers exactly what its title offers: a post-apocalyptic setting with cats instead of zombies. A virus spreads throughout the world, transforming victims into adorable felines. Sure, they might look cute, but they are dangerous as a wayward scratch could leave someone crawling on all fours. “Horror” does not always have to be terrifying, and Nyaight of the Living Cat should serve as a prime example of that.

2025 Anime That Might Have Some Horror Elements

Kaiju No. 8, Chainsaw Man, & More

2025 horror anime are in short enough supply that die-hard fans of the genre should, at least, consider loosening their criteria for what qualifies as a must-watch. While scares might not be the main focus, some anime incorporate ideas from horror, to the point of warranting a quick mention. None of the upcoming series are part of the genre, but they might still entertain folks who want to get their fill of gruesome battles or monster mayhem.

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