7 Anime Series Scary Enough to Give You Actual Nightmares

Anime can sometimes take viewers to some dark places. But there are some scenes in this genre of Japanese animation that stick with you and have the potential to give you actual nightmares.

Here are 7 shows that have done just that:

1. School Days

Shocking and groundbreaking, School Days is a true rabbit hole of a series. What begins as a sweet story of unrequited love between three high school students then becomes a twisted tale of jealousy, emotional manipulation and abuse. Cutesy on the outside, this anime deals with trauma, mental health issues, stalking and even murder. Not exactly Bugs Bunny.

2. Attack on Titan

A dark fantasy anime set in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by Titans. What's left of humanity hides behind a giant wall in fear of the Titans. Then a huge Titan breaks through the wall and it's time to stand up and fight. A word of warning, this show includes a mother being eaten (and other graphic gore).

3. The Promised Neverland

This may look like a cute little children's show – and that's partly why it's so scary. When you hear it's set in an orphanage, you think these kids must have a tough life. When you realize exactly what's in store for them, you just want them to get the hell out of there.

4. Madoka Magica

Being a magical girl in the world of anime is a good thing, right? It's noble. It's a way to fight evil. Only, for these girls, the contracts they signed to become magical girls bring more than they bargained for.

5. Higurashi

Just one element of this franchise that shocked the world from the beginning. It's hard to believe that anime can be so violent. But this series proves that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. If you tune in, be prepared for blood. Lots of blood.

6. Mononoke

This show follows the Medicine Seller as he travels around selling his wares and taking on Mononoke – spirits that attach themselves to negative human emotions. The Medicine Seller (who is not really human) has the ability to remain calm no matter what - which is more than a little creepy.

7. Berserk

It has a protagonist named Guts. But that's not what makes it a scary anime. It's the isolation of Guts and his fellow survivors, who attract all kinds of evil and seem unable to find any kind of solace in a dystopian world that has them firmly in its grip.