One of the most common misconceptions aboutanimeis that it’s a form of entertainment made for kids. Though battle shōnen, which is typically targeted towards younger teens, dominates in terms of popularity, it isn’t all that’s out there. Every season, shows are made for more mature audiences and include darker themes or content, some of which have gone on to become incredibly popular franchises,rivaling other top-earning anime IPs in annual revenue.
However, shōnen can get dark too.Anime has never shied away from heavier subject matter, even in shows made for younger audiences. Sometimes, a disturbing moment can become all the more impactful when found in a series no one would have expected to dive into heavier material. Whether based on theirpure shock factor, consequences for the overall narrative, or simply being difficult to watch, these disturbing anime moments have haunted viewers for years.
Neon Genesis Evangelionshocked the anime-watching communitywith its original ending, having abandoned the giant robot action it became known for, and instead turning its focus to the psychological states of its characters. By the time 1997’sThe End of Evangelionpremiered, fans expected something unique, if not just downright strange.However, nothing could have prepared them for the series' film ending. Flipping the TV anime’s perspective back to the outside world, viewers were met with brutal, apocalyptic scenes.
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The Third Impact is simultaneously one of the more visually impressive anime sequences ever,and also one of the most disturbing. When Rei merges with Lilith and Eva Unit-01 becomes the Tree of Life, the Third Impact and Human Instrumentality commences, turning the entire human population into an orange liquid called ‘LCL’ and combining them into one shared consciousness. All set to the sounds of Rei’s laughter mixed with ‘90’s pop music.
Oshi No Ko
Cast
Oshi No Ko is a 2023 Japanese series that follows a small-town doctor’s encounter with a popular teen idol leading to an entanglement in the cutthroat entertainment industry. The narrative explores themes of ambition, identity, and the hidden realities behind fame as the characters navigate complex personal and professional challenges.
The anime community wasn’t exactly ready forOshi no Ko. Premiering in 2023with a 90-minute first episode, everything from the series’ unusually long pilot to its overall premise took viewers by surprise. A doctor named Gorou Amamiya is obsessed with idol Ai Hoshino, partly due to one of his deceased patients' love for the performer. However, he’s shocked when she arrives at his hospital pregnant with twins, and becomes determined to help deliver her children. The premise is strange enough as it is, but then Gorou is randomly killed.
In an even more shocking development, he and his former patient are then reincarnated as Ai’s newborn twins, and it doesn’t stop there. Once the two grow a few years older,Ai is brutally stabbed and killed in their doorway, and her two children are forced to helplessly stand by and watch as she dies. What was marketed as another idol series with a strange twist, traumatized viewers with a harrowing death just before the credits rolled on its first episode.
Dandadan
Two high school students, embroiled in a wager to prove the existence of ghosts or aliens, encounter daunting paranormal threats, acquire superpowers, and possibly discover love. The series blends supernatural elements with personal dynamics as the protagonists navigate their newfound abilities and unexpected challenges.
Dandadanwas the breakout hit of 2024, marching onto the scene and stealing the attention of the anime community during the airing of its first season. In its first six episodes, the series established itself as a fast-paced, supernatural action experience all centered on the premise of a boy looking to retrieve his stolen reproductive organs. Fans likely felt that by the halfway point of the season, they had figuredDandadanout. However,episode #7, “To a Kinder World”, shocked countless viewers to tears.
In a flashback sequence following Acrobatic Silky’s origin, fans were treated to wonderfully directed and unexpectedly wholesome scenes of a mother and child, and the parent’s determination to give her daughter a good life. That all changed when a group of shady men broke into their home, gravely injured the mother, and stole the child. Following the shocking twist, the distraught womandanced to a somber piano on a rooftop, eventually jumping from the edge. The sequence ends with a loud thud.
The moment was incredibly disturbing for a show about ghosts, aliens, and stolen body parts, and the intimate direction of the scene combined with Kensuke Ushio’s masterful soundtrack made it one of the year’s most unforgettable scenes.
Elfen Lied
Elfen Lied is an anime series centered on Lucy, a mutated Diclonius with telekinetic abilities. After escaping a government laboratory, she encounters teenagers Kouta and Yuka, who take her in despite her homicidal past. The narrative explores themes of identity and the consequences of scientific experimentation.
2004’sElfen Liedwas once a rite of passage for any anime fan diving into the art form’s darker titles. Set in a world where a mutant species of humanoid beings called Diclonii have begun wreaking havoc,Elfen Liedis violent, gory, and so overly edgy it often comes off as charming. Lucy, the series' main Diclonius, is introduced during her breakout of a containment facility, where she brutally murders countless soldiers during her escape. However, she’s injured during the ordeal, and develops a tamer personality named Nyu.
As the series goes on,it’s revealed that humans are partially responsible for the Diclonii’s violent nature, and viewers are treated to an incredibly disturbing flashback of Lucy as a child. In school, she was routinely harassed by bullies, who one day went way too far, and captured her puppy. While Lucy was being restrained, one of the bullies grabbed a vase, and began viciously attacking the small dog.Elfen Liedrarely holds back in its depictions of violence, but this one particular scene takes it above and beyond.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood follows brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric who use alchemy in a quest to restore their bodies after a failed transmutation. The series explores themes of sacrifice, the consequences of ambition, and the quest for truth in a richly developed world.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodis commonly regarded as one of the greatest anime series of all-time,and has remained a popular entry point for new fans looking to fall in love with the medium. Which is somewhat surprising, however, consideringone of the darkest moments in anime historytakes place in only the fourth episode. When looking into chimeric alchemy, the Elric brothers run into Shou Tucker, who rose to fame after creating the first chimera capable of human speech.
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Living alone with his dog and young daughter, Nina, the boys befriend the girl, only to return to Tucker’s place later and find both the dog and Nina missing, and a brand-new chimera in their place. It doesn’t take long for Ed to realize what happened, and he becomes absolutely furious with Tucker. It turns outhe fused his daughter and dog together for his newest creation. The mutated Nina’s broken speech continues to haunt fans over two decades later.
WhileThe End of Evangelion’s Third Impact sequence may have disturbed fans,it’s likely they had already long been traumatized by the time the climactic scene arrived. It cannot be understated just how large a departureThe End of Evangelionis from the TV anime, and that is communicated to fans in the film’s first minutes. It opens on an already distraught and defeated Shinji, who enters the hospital room where Asuka lies unconscious.
Standing over her, Shinji begins to break down and cry, begging the girl to help him while attempting to pull her awake. In doing so, Asuka rolls over, leaving her chest exposed. The film doesn’t show viewers what happens next, but it does make sure they can hear it. The sound of Shinji’s breathing becomes heavier from behind the locked door, and when the audience returns to the protagonist, it becomes clear that he pleasured himself to the comatose pilot. The scene is shockingly disturbing,and communicates to fans that they aren’t ready for what’s to come.
When anime fans think of Studio Ghibli, disturbing moments are likely the last thing that comes to mind.Known for their uplifting and inspiring filmstargeted towards families and young viewers,Grave of the Firefliessticks out among the rest of their works. The film follows 14-year-old Seita and 4-year-old Setsuko through a war-torn 1945 Japan. After a bombing kills their mother, the children live with their abusive aunt until her mistreatment of the siblings causes them to flee.
Living in an abandoned air-raid shelter, supplies become thin, and Setsuko eventually falls ill from malnutrition. One day, Seita returns with supplies, only to find his little sister hallucinating and chewing on marbles. She’s visibly weak, and offers her brother rocks to eat, calling them rice balls. Seita feeds Setsuko some watermelon before she falls asleep, and leaves once more for supplies.When he returns, he finds that his sister never woke up. Stories which show the tragedy of war can already be difficult to watch, and become more so when children are involved.
Berserkis one of the most successful manga franchises in history, and commonly regarded as one of the greatest stories ever told in the medium. The dark fantasy series is disturbing in a number of moments, andthe adaptation by OLMdoes well to faithfully depict the source material. However, no moment in the series comes close to the brutality of the Eclipse. When Griffith reaches his lowest point and his Behelit begins to cry, he and the Band of the Hawk are transported into a realm of demons and darkness.
The despicable White Hawk then sacrifices his comrades in exchange for demonic power. The Eclipse is not only disturbing because of the violence that takes place, but also because it kills off the entire cast viewers spent the previous 24 episodes familiarizing themselves with. What happens to Casca while Guts helplessly watches on is one of the darkest moments in anime, and before any sort of resolution, the credits roll and the series ends. WhileBerserkis undeniably a masterpiece, viewers might want to check content warnings before diving in.
