The beloved sports anime Haikyu!!is set to wrap up in the 2-part feature film Haikyu!! Final which has released its first trailer.
The finale for the anime will feature Karasuno and Nekoma’s volleyball teams going against each other at the Tokyo Nationals Tournament, as well as the final arc for the series as seen in the manga. Watch the trailer for Haikyuu!! Final below:
The successful anime franchise ended its fourth season in 2020, and while it was not followed by a fifth season, fans will finally see the ending for the beloved anime, not just on their small screens but on the big screen.
While there is no release window yet for Haikyu!! Final, a kick-off event for the films is scheduled for August 2023. For more details, you can check out the announcement made by Crunchyroll.
Haikyu!! is a slice-of-life, sports anime series by Haruichi Furudate which begins with Shoyo Hinata joining the volleyball team of Karasuno High. Here, he gets teamed up with the prodigy setter Tobio Kageyama, who he considers a rival. Despite their differences, Shoyo and Kageyama would soon become a promising duo that could help Karasuno redeem its reputation as a powerhouse school for aspiring volleyball players.
The Shohoku team is finally back, this time with a 3D computer graphics style, in the upcoming movie The First Slam Dunk!
The first teaser trailer for the new film has been revealed, giving us glimpses of the iconic characters in court, including the well-known rivals Sakuragi and Rukawa. Watch the teaser of The First Slam Dunk below:
Days prior to the teaser’s release, the character posters for the film have been released for theaters, featuring the Shohoku’s five key players, namely Hanamichi Sakuragi, Kaede Rukawa, Takenori Akagi, Ryota Miyagi, and Hisashi Mitsui. Meanwhile, the film’s official synopsis is yet to be revealed.
Slam Dunk is a hit manga and anime series created by Takehiko Inoue, who also wrote and directed the upcoming film. The series tells the story of Hanamichi Sakuragi, a high school delinquent who goes head over heels for the girl Haruko Akagi. Upon learning that Haruko likes watching basketball, Hanamichi joins the school’s basketball team despite his lack of knowledge about the sport. But since Haruko is already obsessed with the ace rookie, Kaede Rukawa, the arrogant Sakuragi does not waste a second in creating a rivalry between himself and his own teammate.
Slam Dunk was first released as a manga in 1990, and was adapted into an anime series that ran from 1993 to 1996. Four films have also been released during the series’ run, with the last movie released back in 1995.
The First Slam Dunk is set for release in Japan on December 3, 2022. It has yet to be revealed if the film will also be available in Philippine cinemas. Check out the film’s official website for more details.
Solo Leveling is set to be the next webtoon to have an anime adaptation, following titles like Tower of God, Gods of High School, and Noblesse. Solo Leveling‘s first trailer has confirmed the studio and staff that will be working on its anime adaptation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0G4fAvucIs
A-1 Pictures, known for producing anime titles such as Sword Art: Online, 7 Deadly Sins, Fairy Tale, and more, will be the studio behind the upcoming series. Shunsuke Nakashige will serve as the director, Noboru Kimura is head writer, Hiroyuki Sawano will be providing the music, while Tomoko Sudo is on character design.
The worldwide dungeon-crawling phenomenon is getting an anime adaptation!
— Crunchyroll @ Anime Expo (@Crunchyroll) July 3, 2022
Based on the webcomic series of the same name by DUBU (REDICE Studio), Chugong, and h-goon, Solo Leveling is set in a world similar to a fantasy RPG game, filled with monster-infested dungeons. It follows the E-Rank hunter Sung Jin-Woo who almost met his demise inside a D-rank dungeon. But for some mysterious reason, he was able to survive the battle that swept his stronger allies. Not only that, Sung Jin-Woo also receives a mysterious power– the ability to see a quest log that would help him rise to the top ranks of hunting.
Solo Leveling is set for release sometime in 2023 via Crunchyroll and Aniplex.
Hanamichi Sakuragi and the gang are officially heading to the big screen this holiday season in the upcoming movie The First Slam Dunk. The much-anticipated anime film has revealed its title, as well as its December 3, 2022 release in Japan.
Cinema complex Wald 9 also shared on Twitter a photo of the new posters for the upcoming film, featuring the iconic members of the Shohoku team– Hanamichi Sakuragi, Kaede Rukawa, Takenori Akagi, Ryota Miyagi, and Hisashi Mitsui.
Created by Takehiko Inoue, Slam Dunk follows the high school delinquent Hanamichi Sakuragi who hates basketball but gives it a shot after seeing that the cute girl he has a crush on is really interested in the sport. After joining his school’s basketball team, Hanamichi quickly declares a rivalry between himself and his popular and talented teammate, Rukawa.
More details about the new film are expected to be revealed in Toei Animation’s announcement video premiering this July 7, 6 PM, Philippine time.
Slam Dunk was first released as a manga in 1990, and was adapted into an anime series that ran from 1993 to 1996. Four films have also been released during the series’ run, with the last film released back in 1995. For the 2022 film, Takehiko Inoue will serve as director and writer.
It has yet to be revealed if the film will also be available in Philippine cinemas. Check out the film’s official website for more details.
It is no secret that Japanese anime has a lot of rich stories to offer, from exciting thrillers to epic adventures to just feel-good stories with humorous antics. But aside from these, some anime have also been notorious for their heartwrenching moments that had viewers wiping tears off of their cheeks!
If you’re interested in watching some tearjerker anime that would really give you the feels, look no further, as we’ve listed down 25 titles that you should watch right now if you really need a good cry!
1. Grave of the Fireflies (Film)
Perhaps Studio Ghibli’s most harrowing film, Grave of the Fireflies tells the story of siblings Seita and Setsuko as they try to fend for themselves during the onslaught of World War II. As the American’s firebombs continue to drop on the streets, the siblings’ survival gets slimmer by the minute.
2. Your Lie in April (Series)
Your Lie in April exhibits both the beauty and pain music can evoke. After his mother’s death left him traumatized, piano prodigy Kōse becomes unable to hear the sound of his piano and only sees the world in monochrome. Years later, he meets the lively violinist Kaori who slowly brings back the color to his life. Stream Your Lie in April soon on Netflix.
3. 5 Centimeters Per Second (Film)
A story about growing apart, Makoto Shinkai’s short film 5 Centimeters Per Second follows the encounters of childhood friends Takaki and Akari. When Takaki’s family moves to the other side of the country, the distance slowly chips away at their relationship. Stream 5 Centimeters Per Second on Netflix.
4. Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (Series)
A tale of friendship and death, Anohana centers on Jinta and his childhood friends who all drifted apart after Menma, the littlest and most innocent of the group, died in an accident. Now a young adult, Jinta is soon acquainted with the ghost of a grown-up Menma, who asks him to grant her mysterious wish.
5. A Silent Voice (Film)
A Silent Voice follows a young man’s search for redemption he may not be worthy of. It tells the story of Shouya, a cruel elementary student who bullies his deaf classmate Shouko until she decides to change schools. Years later, Shouya is still haunted by his wrongdoings as a young boy and decides to find Shouko to make amends.
6. Your Name (Film)
Your Name takes the body swap cliché and turns it into a heartwarming, romantic tale. It follows Mitsuha and Taki– two teens living from different parts of Japan whose bodies suddenly started swapping. The more time they spend with the other person’s body, the deeper the connection between them becomes. A connection that soon turns into romance.
7. I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (Film)
This film follows an aloof boy who seems to avoid social interactions, thus having no friends for most of his life. This changes when he accidentally reads a book in a hospital waiting room, which happens to be the diary of his popular classmate. The two then began to develop a connection after she reveals to him that she’s secretly suffering from a fatal pancreatic illness.
8. Clannad (Series)
In Clannad, the school delinquent Tomoya thinks that life is dull and wastes his time skipping classes. But his life takes a turn when he becomes friends with Nagisa, a girl who was held back a year due to a severe illness. When he learns that her dream is to revive the drama club, Tomoya joins her in her mission, meeting four more girls and helping them overcome their respective life hurdles.
9. Angel Beats! (Series)
Angel Beats! plays on the concept of a high school-like limbo, where the students must overcome the hardships they experienced in life before passing on. After finding himself in this limbo, Yuzuru is recruited into the Afterlife Battlefront, a rebel group fighting against an unseen god as payback for the members’ unfair circumstances in life. As Yuzuru navigates this new world, he regains more of his memories, and ultimately, discovers the afterlife’s true purpose.
Photo: Netflix
10. Violet Evergarden (Series)
Filled with heartbreaking moments, this anime follows the young ex-soldier Violet Evergarden, who is now navigating the post-Great War world. Assigned to a writers’ agency, Violet writes letters to connect people, while suffering from the pains of her own past. Stream Violet Evergarden on Netflix.
11. Orange (Series)
What if you can prevent the things that you will be regretting later in life? This is the premise of Orange, which follows the sophomore student Naho. One day, she receives a letter from herself ten years into the future, telling her of the mistakes and regrets she will be having in the future, including losing a person that she has yet to meet.
12. Elfen Lied (Series)
This sci-fi fantasy series touches on dark and serious themes such as discrimination, abuse, revenge, and jealousy just to name a few. It centers on the mutated species of Diclonius, who have a humanlike appearance but are dangerous killers. It follows the Diclonii Lucy who escapes from an experiment facility and wreaks havoc on the area. After getting injured, Lucy develops a second, childish personality called Nyu.
Photo: Amazon Prime Video
13. Steins; Gate (Series)
Steins; Gate explores the consequences of time travel. It tells the story of Rintaro Okabe who develops a time travel machine using a microwave oven. When the research organization SERN learns about this, they send men to retrieve the technology, killing Rintaro’s friend, Mayuri, in the process. Rintaro then tries to undo everything through his time machine, but saving her would also entail grave consequences. Stream Steins; Gate on Netflix.
Photo: Amazon Prime Video
14. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 (Series)
This anime bares the horrors of a natural disaster, specifically an earthquake that leaves cities in ruins in its wake. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 follows the two young siblings, Mirai and Yuki, who were visiting a robot exhibition in Odaiba when a massive earthquake happens in Tokyo. Alongside the motorcycle courier Mari who is trying to get home to her own daughter, the two kids journey to the partly-ruined city to be reunited with their parents.
15. Wolf Children (Film)
Wolf Children tells the story of Hana who falls in love with an enigmatic man that could turn into a wolf. After bearing his two wolf-human children, tragedy struck leaving Hana widowed. The movie then follows Hana’s hardships as she raises the two children on her own, children who want to experience many things in the world but are hindered by their feral callings.
This is the first truly globally-distributed theatrical release for Crunchyroll and is distributed in North America by Crunchyroll. Internationally, the film will be distributed by Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment. The film will be coming to theaters across the globe on all continents, including North America, Latin America, Europe, Australia/New Zealand, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia (excluding Japan, which will debut the film on June 11). The film will be released in Japanese with subtitles and dubbed.
“For more than 30 years, the Dragon Ball franchise has delighted fans around the globe who have followed the world’s greatest warriors who defend Earth from forces of evil,” said Rahul Purini, President of Crunchyroll. “We’re thrilled to partner with Toei Animation to bring fans the latest chapter of Dragon Ball Super to the legion of superfans eager to continue the adventure and to grow the anime audiences who are discovering it for the first time.”
Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO is the second film in the Dragon Ball Super franchise. Dragon Ball Super: Broly was released in 2018 to fans around the globe. The film has grossed over $120 million at the box office globally and is the #5th highest-grossing anime movie at the box office in the U.S.
Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO Official Synopsis:
The Red Ribbon Army was once destroyed by Son Goku. Individuals, who carry on its spirit, have created the ultimate Androids, Gamma 1 and Gamma 2. These two Androids call themselves “Super Heroes”. They start attacking Piccolo and Gohan… What is the New Red Ribbon Army’s objective? In the face of approaching danger, it is time to awaken, Super Hero!
The film, with full commitment and deep involvement from Dragon Ball’s original creator Akira Toriyama, has the legendary manga creator behind the film’s original story, screenplay and character design.
Additionally, the film will be directed by Tetsuro Kodama and the Japanese voice actors for the film include Masako Nozawa (Gohan, Goku and Goten), Toshio Furukawa (Piccolo), Yūko Minaguchi (Pan), Ryō Horikawa (Vegeta), Mayumi Tanaka (Krillin), Aya Hisakawa (Bulma), Takeshi Kusao (Trunks), Miki Itō (Android 18), Bin Shimada (Broly), Kōichi Yamadera (Beerus), Masakazu Morita (Whis), Hiroshi Kamiya (Gamma 1), Mamoru Miyano (Gamma 2), Miyu Irino (Dr. Hedo), Volcano Ota (Magenta), and Ryota Takeuchi (Carmine). The English voice cast will be announced soon.
The Dragon Ball phenomena began in 1984 when Japan’s well-known manga from Akira Toriyama premiered in Shueisha’s “Weekly Shonen Jump” – becoming a top ranked title throughout its 10 and a half years of publication. Since then, the manga’s popularity has continued to grow with an astonishing record of 260 million copies sold worldwide and counting. And with Dragon Ball’s ever-increasing popularity, it has expanded beyond manga to include TV animation, movies, games and merchandising. Now 38 years after the launch of the original manga, Dragon Ball continues to evolve and will reach new heights starting with this new large-scale movie.
In cinemas across the Philippines this Summer 2022, Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Connect with the hashtag #DragonBallSuper
Sports anime may be a niche genre, but titles from this part of the genre spectrum could really stir one’s emotions and motivation. After all, sports are surrounded by stories of perseverance, teamwork, and confidence in one’s own skills– attributes that we long for not only in sports, but in many aspects of our lives.
If you’re on the lookout for anime series that will inspire you through its characters that never give up, we’ve got the list for you! Below are some sports anime series that are packed with tales of friendship, competitive rivalries, and players who push themselves to the limit!
Haikyu!!
Despite his small stature, Shoyo Hinata is determined to become a volleyball player and joins the volleyball team of Karasuno High. Here, he gets teamed up with the prodigy setter Tobio Kageyama, who he considers a rival. Despite their differences, Shoyo and Kageyama would soon become a promising duo that could help Karasuno redeem its reputation as a powerhouse school for aspiring volleyball players.
Taiga Kagami is a promising new player for the Seirin High basketball team who aims to take his school to the top. But to do so, Kagami must take on the most talented players that were once part of a single team dubbed as the Generation of Miracles. Little did Taiga know, Kuroko– his team member who appears to have no talent in basketball, is actually a former member of the Generation of Miracles, and his sheer lack of presence in court becomes a total gamechanger for Seirin.
Photo: Kuroko’s Basketball on Netflix
Yuri!!! on Ice
Yuri!! on Ice is an anime about figure skating that also doubles as a romantic BL series. It tells the story of figure skater Yuri Katsuki who strays away from his career after losing at the Grand Prix Final. While doing the advanced skating routine of his idol, the Russian figure skating champion Victor Nikiforov, Yuri is recorded on video and the clip is uploaded on the internet. This catches Victor’s attention who travels to Yuri’s hometown to help him get back on track. By doing so, romance also buds between the two skaters.
Hajime no Ippo is a Japanese boxing anime that follows the many ups and downs of the boxing career of Makunouchi Ippo. A constant victim of bullying, Ippo gets saved by the boxer Takamura Mamoru after his classmates brutally beat him up. As Ippo recovers at Mamoru’s gym, he is amazed by its atmosphere, and soon asks Mamoru to train him to become a boxer– a journey that will test his limits and take him places.
Photo: Crunchyroll website
Slam Dunk
Slam Dunk is a basketball anime that has become a classic and is soon to have a new movie after two decades since its last episode aired. It follows the high school delinquent Hanamichi Sakuragi who joins his school’s basketball team hoping to get the attention of his crush, Haruko, who loves the sport. As part of the Shohoku High School team, Sakuragi also forms a rivalry with the rookie superstar Kaeda Rukawa.
Photo: Netflix
Free!
Free! follows the four friends Haruka, Rin, Nagisa, and Makoto, who won a swimming relay race shortly before their graduation from elementary school. Years later, they reunite as high school students, but Rin is only intent on proving that he’s a better swimmer than Haruka. The three friends then decide to form the Iwatobi High School Swim Club, recruiting a former track team member named Rei.
This anime follows the powerful friendship and partnership of the two boys Makoto and Yutaka, nicknamed Smile and Peco. While Peco is filled with confidence and aspirations to become the best table tennis player in the world, Smile shows little ambition. But their mutual love for ping pong drives them to continue persevering while having each other’s back.
The Prince of Tennis
This anime that aired in the early 2000s tells the story of the 12-year-old tennis prodigy Ryoma Echizen. After joining the Seishun Boys’ Tennis Team, Ryoma and his newfound teammates will have to face a plethora of strong schools as they aim to be champions at the National Tournament.
Photo: Crunchyroll website
Big Windup
In this anime series that features baseball, a young pitcher rises from the ashes of defeats and shame. Ren Mihashi has been blamed by his baseball middle school team after suffering from a series of losses, causing Ren to have low self-esteem and transfer to another school. In his new school, a baseball team is being formed, and despite the fear, Ren pushes himself to join as their Ace Pitcher.
Yowamushi Pedal
Yowamushi Pedal follows a cheerful otaku who is about to join his new school’s anime club. But upon learning that the club has been disbanded, Onoda makes it his mission to revive it by finding new members. During this quest, he meets the determined cyclist Shunsuke Imaizumi who challenges him to a bicycle race. If Onoda wins, Imaizumi will join the anime club, but the challenge will kick off Onoda’s dive into the world of bicycle racing.
Need a break from all the stress and stale days? Then what you need are hilarious shows that can deliver your much-needed dose of good vibes! When it comes to Japanese anime, comedy also thrives with titles that could be relatably funny, comical with their weirdness, or just hit the right spots to tickle us! If you’re looking for such shows to check out, then this list is for you! We’ve rounded up some of the funniest anime series out there if you need a good laugh!
Gintama
In an alternate feudal Japan where the city of Edo has become overrun by aliens, an eccentric, jack-of-all-trades samurai named Gintoki goes around accepting odd jobs with a young man named Shinpachi, the strong girl Kagura, and their big puppy Sadaharu. Together, the gang is given all kinds of tasks and would encounter all kinds of strange challenges that would take viewers on a hilarious ride. Gintama also makes parodies of other popular anime that will surely be appreciated by anime fans.
This comedy series follows the odd life of Kusuo Saiki who has the powers of telekinesis and psychokinesis. Despite having these unique abilities, Kusuo tries to hide them from everyone and only uses them when no one’s looking. Aside from the funny cameos of characters from other anime shows, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. also delivers a myriad of strange yet interesting characters of its own– from his weird parents to his troublesome schoolmates– making the series more entertaining.
One-Punch Man has truly become an icon in the realm of powerful anime characters. In a world of superheroes and monstrous villains, a wacky-looking figure named Saitama turns out to be the strongest. As a superhero, Saitama can defeat any foe with a single punch, but his powerful strength has become too boring for him. He then soon becomes a reluctant mentor to Genos, a cyborg who is seeking revenge on another cyborg who killed his family.
This romantic comedy follows the complicated relationship between school geniuses Shirogane and Kaguya who treat their romantic feelings for each other as a war, where the first person to confess is the loser. What makes this anime series funny is how the main protagonists overthink everything and go to extreme lengths to tempt a confession out of the other person. Also joining Shirogane and Kaguya’s crazy high school life are the energetic Fujiwara and reclusive Ishigami.
At her elite school, the beautiful and elegant Komi is perceived to be cold and intimidating, but only Hitohito Tadano– the average schoolboy sitting next to her– knows the truth: Komi really suffers from extreme social anxiety. The two would then get into a comical journey as they try to win Komi 100 friends before their graduation.
This anime series tells the story of Iori Kitahara and his adventures on the beach and underwater. This coming-of-age story begins when Iori decides to live at his uncle’s scuba diving shop named Grand Blue, just before he heads off to college. Here, he finds himself surrounded by the carefree members of the Diving Club who drags him into all kinds of beach party antics.
When the Demon Lord Satan’s plans to conquer the land of Ente Isla are thwarted by the hero Emilia, he is forced to retreat and enter a dimensional portal only to find himself in the human world. Stranded in Tokyo, Satan takes the form of a human named Sadao Maou and must live a mundane life as he finds a way back to his realm. But to survive, the powerless Demon Lord will have to take a part-time job at the fast-food restaurant MgRonald’s.
Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-Kun
Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun follows the riotous story of high school students Chiyo Sakura and Umetarou Nozaki. When Chiyo confesses to Nozaki that she has a crush on him, he mistakes her for a fan and signs her an autograph. And when Chiyo tells him that she wants to be with him, Nozaki invites her to his home and turns her into an assistant for his popular manga.
This anime series revolves around Haruhi Fujioka and her accidental involvement with the Host Club of the prestigious Ouran High. After entering a seemingly empty music room, Haruhi is greeted by the handsome men of the Host Club, and in the process, she accidentally breaks an expensive vase. To pay for the vase, Haruhi is asked to work on the club where, as a girl who is often mistaken for a boy, she will have to amuse girls with her charms.
One Piece is one of the most popular and beloved anime series out there, and for good reason. Not only does it inspire with its emotional moments and draw awe with its action-packed sequences, the anime also delivers a lot of laughs with its wisecracking dialogue and slapstick humor. For the uninitiated, One Piece follows Luffy as he sails the seas to become the next Pirate King and find the fabled treasure of One Piece. Alongside his crew, Luffy faces the most dangerous foes and gets in all sorts of trouble partly due to his childish personality.
Looking for more romantic titles to watch right now? If you feel like you’ve watched all the highly-recommended romantic films out there, or if you’re still waiting for the next episode of that K-drama you’re so into right now, then why don’t you take a dip into romantic anime shows in the meantime? On this list, we’ve rounded up some interesting anime series that will make you laugh, cry, and of course, feel that heart flutter with their sometimes cheesy but oftentimes kilig moments! Check them out below:
Kaguya-sama: Love is War
Love is War follows the complicated relationship of high school geniuses Shirogane and Kaguya, who are also the president and vice president of their school’s student council. While they have feelings for each other, the two treat their situation as a war where the first person who confesses their love for the other will be the loser. With Kaguya and Shirogane’s overthinking of schemes, this romantic comedy gives the viewers a cute and funny series to binge on.
Your Lie in April
While this anime series is seemingly a harmless romance, viewers would better watch out for some *emotional damage* from its heavy drama. Your Lie in April tells the story of the piano prodigy Kōsei whose trauma rendered him unable to hear the sound of his piano. He then meets the bubbly violinist Kaori who brings back the color to his life. Soon, he finds himself falling in love with her.
Fruits Basket
This anime series follows the story of the orphan girl Tohru and the thirteen members of the Sohma clan. Not long after stumbling upon its three members, Kyo, Yuki, and Shigure, Tohru discovers that the clan’s members turn into the animals of the Chinese Zodiac when they experience strong feelings. Through Tohru’s caring and loving nature, she helps the members of the Sohma clan overcome their struggles.
Kimi No Todoke
This anime series centers on Sawako, who is shunned by her classmates due to her appearance that resembles Sadako of The Ring. Longing for friendship, Sawako gets drawn to Kazehaya, the friendliest and most popular boy in school. Through him, Sawako gets to befriend more people, and she soon finds her life being changed. Little does she know, she also got to impact the life of Kazehaya.
HoriMiya
Hori is a bright and popular girl in school while Miyamura is a gloomy and nerdy guy. One day, the two discover each other’s secret identities– Hori being a homebody who must take care of her younger brother and Miyamura being adorned with piercings and tattoos when outside the school. As the pair agrees to hide each other’s true personalities, they find themselves spending more time together, getting to know more about each other, and becoming closer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNs2IZQZcyI
Toradora
Toradora follows the love-hate relationship of students Ryuuji and Taiga. Despite his gentle personality, Ryuuji is often thought of as a delinquent because of his fierce-looking eyes. Meanwhile, the small, doll-like Taiga is actually a feisty girl. Upon discovering that they’re in love with each other’s best friends, the two decide to support each other’s quest for love. But can something else blossom from this partnership?
Special A
Hikari is a girl who exhibited impressive intelligence and talents ever since she was young, and so she believed that no one could beat her. That is until she met Kei, who seems to beat her on anything she does. Decided to make Kei her number one rival, Hikari enrolls in the same prestigious school as him and becomes part of Special A, which is a group of the best students in the academy. As Hikari continues to pursue a rivalry, she doesn’t know that Kei actually harbors hidden feelings for her.
This series has been around since 2006 and serves as a hilarious alternative to the F4 shows out there. It tells the story of Sunako who, after being insulted by her crush, decided to live as an outcast who hates beauty and loves morbid things. Her life gets shaken up when her aunt makes a deal with four handsome men– if they can turn her into a prim and proper lady, they can live in her mansion rent-free. Thus started Sunako’s slice-of-life adventures with the four hunks at her home.
If you enjoy stories that keep you at the edge of your seat, shock you with mind-blowing plot twists, and chill your spine with its disturbing scenarios, chances are, you’re crazy for psychological thrillers. However, if you ever feel like you’ve exhausted the most popular movies, shows, and novels under the genre, then you might just be scratching the surface, because the anime scene have some of the most thrilling stories waiting for you to discover! On this list, we’ve rounded up some of the best anime with psychological themes and hair-raising thrills that demand a place on your watchlist!
1. Death Note
Death Note is perhaps the most popular psychological thriller out there, having perfectly infused elements of the supernatural to a world that greatly reflects our own. It tells the story of the righteous high school student Light Yagami who picks up the Death Note– a notebook that could kill people just by writing down their names on its pages. With his genius mind and twisted sense of justice, Light starts killing off criminals using the notebook. But his killing spree is hindered by a mysterious detective known only as L, who challenges him on a battle of wits where the loser will either be killed or captured.
2. Monster
Monster has been around since the early 2000s but it remains to be an acclaimed title under the psychological thriller genre. It begins with the moral struggles of Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a prized Japanese surgeon in a German hospital. When he makes the choice of operating on a young boy over the city mayor, believing that it was the right thing to do, his life begins spiraling down into despair. Things get worse when the young boy grows up to be a dangerous serial killer, and Tenma feels responsible for putting a stop to him.
To the uninitiated, Code Geass might appear to be an action-driven mecha anime, but it offers far more to the viewers with its mind-blowing mind games. The series revolves around Lelouch, the exiled prince of Britannia who was sent to Japan as a mere political pawn. With a thirst for revenge on his father and his own country, Lelouch then uses his genius and his Geass, which grants him the power to manipulate people, to take down Brittania and its king.
4. Steins; Gate
If Death Note has a murderous notebook and Code Geass has the manipulating power of the Geass, Steins; Gate uses time travel to propel its thrilling tale. It centers on Okabe, a self-proclaimed mad scientist, who invents a device that could send emails to the past, making changes to it. But when the research organization SERN sends its men to retrieve it, his friend Mayuri gets killed. To save Mayuri from her fate, Okabe must undo the changes they’ve made in time, but not without consequences.
5. Erased
This anime also incorporates time travel into a mystery thriller. Erased follows the aspiring manga artist and pizza delivery guy Satoru who has the power to go back in time a few minutes earlier when someone around him is about to die. But when his mother gets murdered, Satoru is suddenly sent back to 20 years ago, giving him another chance, as his 9-year-old self, to save a childhood friend from being killed by a serial killer.
6. Future Diary
Future Diary is one of the most popular anime out there under the survival game subgenre. And while it has plenty of action, it also offers some huge psychological thrills and shockers. The series begins with the god of space and time, Deus Ex Machina, orchestrating a game of kill-or-be-killed between twelve individuals, who he’d given the power to predict the future through their diaries. Yuki is one of the competitors, and while he seemed to be an easy target, another player appears to protect him no matter the cost. But could he trust her with his life?
7. B: The Beginning
If you’re a fan of crime thrillers, then this sci-fi anime is worth checking out. In the futuristic city of Cremona, a mysterious figure known as Killer B throws the city into chaos by enacting vigilante justice in its streets. To catch the dangerous murderer, the Royal Investigation Service (RIS) calls in the seasoned investigator Keith Flick to get on the case, but as Keith delves deeper into the mystery, plots of corruption, human experiments, and domestic terrorism begin to unravel before him.
8. The Promised Neverland
The Promised Neverland‘s second season received mixed reactions after taking a different route from the manga, but for those who don’t have the time to read its 20 volumes, the anime is still worth watching. Unlike the other titles on this list, The Promised Neverland‘s main protagonists are just children, but it does not take long for the anime to take a dark turn. The series revolves around the children of the orphanage Grace Field House, who lives a seemingly perfect life with the caretaker they call Mama. But the lives of the house’s most intelligent kids, Emma, Norman, and Ray, are upended when they discover that they are being raised as livestock for flesh-eating monsters. The three must then plan an escape and save the other children from their cunning Mama.
This film from 1997 is regarded as one of the classics that needs to be seen by fans of psychological thrillers. In Perfect Blue, the J-Pop idol Mima Kirigoe decides to leave her group to pursue a career in acting. But as the work becomes more demanding and the group she left getting more success without her, Mima’s life seems to be going downhill. On top of it all, an obsessed fan starts stalking her, slowly driving her into insanity as the reality and fantasy converge before her very eyes.
10. Paranoia Agent
Also from the director of Perfect Blue, Satoshi Kon, comes this thrilling anime series about a bizarre figure called the Lil’ Slugger. The story begins with Tsukiko Sagi, a character designer who created the popular pink dog Maromi but is pressured to recreate her success. One night, she is attacked by an elementary school boy with a bent golden baseball bat. When another victim surfaces, detectives Ikari and Maniwa set out on a mission to track down and stop the perpetrator, as the paranoia among civilians rises.
11. Terror in Resonance
Terror in Resonance is another anime that depicts the spread of terror among people. It begins with a terrorist attack on a nuclear facility in Japan, causing great chaos among the citizens and the authorities who are supposed to track down the culprits. Six months later, a video surfaced on the internet with two teenagers who identify themselves as ‘Sphinx’, threatening to cause further destruction across Tokyo. With the mass panic and the dangerous terrorists on the loose, Detective Kenjirou Shibazaki finds himself desperate to find answers.
12. Death Parade
One of the questions that many of us will carry throughout our lifetime is what will happen when we die? Death Parade offers a unique take on an answer. In the anime series, there is no Heaven or Hell. When people die, they are sent to the Quindecim, a mysterious bar run by the white-haired Decim. To judge the dead whether they should be reincarnated or sent to the Void, Decim plays games with them that would bare their nature.
13. Psycho-Pass
Psycho-Pass is a cyberpunk thriller that explores psychological themes in a dystopian setting. In this series, advanced technology has become able to calculate a person’s criminality potential through mind scans, which is used to enforce the law and apprehend possible perpetrators. Akane Tsunemori, joins the law enforcement to uphold justice, but as she discovers more about the present system, she begins to question if they really have a flawless method in keeping the peace in the community.
14. Moriarty The Patriot
Fans of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes will surely be interested in this anime that carries a familiar name. Moriarty is best known as Holmes’ archenemy, with intellect on par with the iconic detective. But in this series, William James Moriarty is not just a genius criminal mastermind. The series gives him empathic motives, making him a hero of sorts determined to rid his country of its most rotten people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN0et_oxumc
15. Alice in Borderland
Alice in Borderland gained immense popularity thanks to its live-action adaptation on Netflix. But years before, the original manga has been adapted into a three-episode original video animation (OVA), which is more loyal to the original story. Alice in Borderland centers on Arisu and his friends Chota and Karube, who are suddenly thrust into the world of Borderland. Here, they have to play death games to survive. As they are faced with deadlier challenges, their instincts for survival become more apparent toying with their feelings and principles.
