Romance anime can be sweet, sugary, and in the case of Clannad, tragic when realistic circumstances take place.
Horror anime are simply vile, brutal, and wicked, with some having some of the best storytelling to ever be seen (Higurashi).
But horror with romance is a unique category of anime that isn’t pumped out and created as much by authors, directors, and creators.
Let’s focus on this blend of anime.
Here’s a list.
1. Corpse Princess
Corpse Princess is about the monsters called IShikabane which are like demons. The main female protagonist wants to kill a specific number of Shikabane because she’s under the impression there’s something “grand” at the end of this goal.
Of course, the anime ends up much darker than that. Over the course of its content, both Makina Hoshimura (female protagonist) and the male protagonist have many romantic moments.
This anime is a horror series and it’s not one many think of at all, let alone when it comes to romance as well.
Guns, violence, strong female characters – you can expect to see all of thiswith its action scenes and fights.
2. Elfen Lied
Elfen Lied is an old school series by today’s standards. It was released back in the 2000s, and it’s still arguably the most famous horror series of all time in the anime industry.
This is even more true when talking about horror anime with romance elements baked into its core.
Lucy, a diclonius, a type of humanoid invention with powerful vectors, escapes her laboratory and murders many on her way out. She washes up shore and it’s as if her mind has been wiped.
But every now and then, her “true” self appears. She meets a boy she has a surprising amount of history with (revealed later).
The anime has romance, but it’s tragic, savage, vile, and most of all, unfair when you consider everything happening within this violent anime series.
3. Dark Gathering
Dark Gathering is an anime that was released back at the end of 2023. It’s one of the best horror anime shows to have come out in a long time since there aren’t too many.
It’s about Yayoi, a young girl whose parents are “taken away” by a powerful spirit. She starts to find ways to capture strong spirits in the hopes of defeating the spirit that took her mother away.
Keitaro, another protagonist, is her tutor but he also works with her to capture spirits since their interests are mutual.
Eiko, the girlfriend of Keitaro, is where the romance aspect plays into this anime series with its horror and romantic elements.
It doesn’t overshadow the plot, but it’s placed in nicely and more can be expected as the story continues to progress.
4. High School Of The Dead
High School Of The Dead is an anime series that feels more like a comedy than a horror with romance. But in fact, you could claim it to be all 3 of those things.
The world is overrun with zombies and the main characters use baseball bats, guns, and whatever they can to kill them and defend themselves.
The anime is also ECCHI, so it manages to throw in “panty” shots, skirt flips blown up by the wind conveniently, and even more ridiculous camera shots during the killing of zombies.
Fanservice aside, there is genuine romance as well but not in the way you’d get from comparable anime shows.
5. Sankarea
Sankarea is an anime about Rea, a girl who is being abused by her father and has a father who is at best, a creep which adds a level of uncomfortablity to the anime.
Rea offs herself and becomes a zombie thanks to the main protagonist who uses a “method” that’s supposed to bring the dead to life.
Him wanting a zombie girlfriend only adds to the story, and he gets his wish with Rea who becomes his zombie girlfriend.
There is also some light ecchi, kissing, and other factors besides its horror.
6. Kabaneri Of The Iron Fortress
Kabaneri Of The Iron Fortress is about two characters. One is essentially a scientist and an inventor. He is the brains of the anime.
The Braun of the anime is Mumei, the female protagonist who has half human blood and half Kabane.
Together they fight Kabane and do what they can to protect the world that is under threat of extension from the Kabane.
This anime is comparable to AOT except it has a horror vibe, it is a horror, and it blends romance with action as well.
7. Tasogare Otome x Amnesia
This is an anime about ghosts and the supernatural, and of course, it has horror elements as well from the very beginning.
The way this anime works with its horror and romance is different.
The main male protagonist runs into the female ghost, who is also a prominent character. And essentially, they develop a weird romance between each other.
I say “weird” because she is a ghost, and he is a human.
Everything picks up from there as well as the haunted place that brings them together.
8. Blood+
Blood+ is an anime that focuses on both human characters and vampires. There are two special vampire sisters in particular. One of them is called Saya, the main character.
She loses her memory but slowly regains it through a number of seemingly tragic and strange events.
She values her human family above all else, and her sister Diva (there other special vampire) is seen as the threat in this anime plot and story.
The romance aspect is between Saya and Haji, her protector and guardian of sorts. They have a long history together.
The build up is slow in this anime, but eventually, it picks up and the action, the romance, the relationships, the drama, and more start to evolve.
9. Happy Sugar Life
Happy Sugar Life is about Satou Matzuzaka, a pink haired girl who is cheery, happy, jolly, extroverted, and gets along with everyone.
Underneath the surface, she is taking care of a girl called Shiow who she “falls in love with” and wants to marry. Shio is found abandoned outside in the rain one night, and Satou decides to take her in.
This is where the weird infatuation begins.
The anime is violent, brutal, tragic, and savage and it all circles back to Shio Kobe and other characters connected to both Shio and Satou Matsuzaka.
Expect to see some unforgiving scenes, unhinged moments, and psychological aspects that will take you for a spin.
10. Tokyo Ghoul
Tokyo Ghoul is another famous horror series that rivals Elfen Lied for its fame, popularity, and how well-known it is to this day.
With a focus on ghouls, which isn’t the most common theme in anime, it takes a different turn but it also introduces and includes romance, action, and horror, with some brutal themes, tragic scenes, and emotional episodes.
The later seasons are more diluted and not as impactful as the earlier content of Tokyo Ghoul.
The first episode may make some people cringe at the violence and the somewhat realistic sound effects of a ghoul tearing into flesh.
11. Kemonozume
Also released in the 2000s like many of the greatest horror anime (regardless of romance), Kemonozume involves romance and is one of the more obvious romance horror series.
It is burned into the fabric of this anime’s plot and story from the beginning. It’s also highly rated for its genre.
Highlights:
- Since ancient times, shokujinki, flesh-eating monsters, have existed, capable of human-like forms or lurking in shadows to prey on humans.
- The Kifūken martial arts school was established to combat these creatures, passing down its teachings through generations to the Momota family.
12. Mirrai Nikki
Mirai Nikki (Future Diary) is about a pink haired yandere who falls in love with a boy named Yuki Amano. He’s not the strong type either.
He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t know how to tell people to F off or stand his ground, and this is how he becomes prey to Yuno Gosai, a girl who is madly in love with Yuki.
It’s bad enough that he develops Stockholm syndrome.
This is the romance side of the anime which becomes real.
Then there is the horror aspect of this anime where many people are chosen at random to fight to the death with each other (by God), including characters like Yuki and Yuno.
Some characters have phones that can read the future, and other quirks to help them survive or thrive.
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