New horror anime coming in 2025

Horror anime didn't have a particularly memorable 2024, at least not in a good way. The biggest release in the genre, Uzumaki: Spiral into Horrorwas a bit of a disappointment in the end, and no other show could carry the weight in its place. Fortunately, The horror anime lineup for 2025 looks much better on paper, and hopefully this will be one of the stronger years for the genre in a long time.

With things just starting to take shape, there's a good chance that plenty more shows will be announced in the coming months. However, horror in anime is more of a minor thing, so expectations should be kept relatively low. The year 2025 will almost certainly not offer quantity, but will hopefully deliver quality.

Theater of Darkness: Yamashibai 14

As far as seasonal shows go, Winter 2025 has almost nothing to offer horror fans, with the only exception being another entry Theater of Darkness: Yamashibai. To be clear, this series is one of the greatest horror anime of all time, and there have been many months where Yami Shibai took the genre on its head solo. Currently, it is a staple in the industry and most of the episodes are watchable as they are only 5 minutes long.

That means, Theater of Darkness lost power a long time ago and has been running on exhaust gases ever since. While almost all of the newer episodes are fine, they are rarely more than just that.

Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II – Fire Rat

Okay, this isn't really a Winter 2025 anime, even though it will debut in Japan during that time frame. Mononoke the Movie: Phantom in the Rain was released in Japan in July 2024, but did not become generally available until its international Netflix debut on November 28, 2024. The sequel will likely follow a similar release schedule and arrive on a streaming platform a few months after its theatrical release. Despite it, Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II – Fire Rat should be great since this series hasn't produced anything disappointing yet.

Summer 2025

Hell teacher Nube

One of the more exciting ones 2025 horror anime, Hell teacher Nube makes its grand return with a reboot/remake that re-adapts Shō Makura's classic Shonen manga. The source material was adapted into an entertaining anime in the '90s, but that version is difficult to legally trace these days. Consequently, the upcoming show will likely be an introduction to this universe for most people.

Nube is an elementary school teacher who often has to intervene to protect his students from supernatural forces, and he accomplishes this task with the hand of his demon. Hell teacher Nube will not be 100% horror, as the manga is more of an action comedy that contains themes and images from that genre. Still, it should be entertaining.

Summer Hikaru has died

A frontrunner for outstanding horror anime of 2025, Summer Hikaru has died should be brilliant. The manga is a disturbing psychological mystery with an intriguing premise that is well-executed, and it's one of those stories that newcomers should try to experience as blindly as possible. However, the story revolves around a close friendship between two teenagers that gradually turns into something else after one of the boys changes.

CygamesPictures will adapt the manga, which is an unexpected choice for this series. The studio has produced some very good stuff before Brave Bang Bravers!but his resume consists almost entirely of light-hearted stories. Summer Hikaru has died is anything but carefree.

2025 horror anime with no release season

Nyaight the living cat

Oh, this should be silly fun. Nyaight the living cat delivers exactly what the title promises: a post-apocalyptic setting with cats instead of zombies. A virus spreads across the world, turning victims into adorable cats. Sure, they may look cute, but they're dangerous since one erratic scratch can leave someone crawling on all fours. “Horror” doesn’t always have to be frightening, and Nyaight the living cat should serve as a prime example of this.

2025 anime that might contain some horror elements

Kaiju #8, Chainsaw Man and more

2025 horror anime The selection of films is so scarce that die-hard fans of the genre should at least consider relaxing their criteria for what is a must-see. While horror may not be the main focus, some anime do resort to horror ideas that warrant a brief mention. None of the upcoming series are part of this genre, but they could still entertain people who want to get their fill of gruesome battles or monster mayhem.