Sometimes it’s the atmosphere, defined by an air of refinement combined with a certain eeriness, like a haunting in a palace. Sometimes it’s the characters' style, with their characteristic black clothing, lace, leather, or silver ankh necklaces. Sometimes it’s the plot, surrounding stories of moral decay, or people slipping off sanity’s edge, even as they fight to keep their grip.
Everyone’s definition of what makes ananime gothicis different, but the best ones manage to stand out no matter what. From their preoccupation with death and decline to their grimly fashionable characters, the anime in this subgenre embrace everything on the spooky side of things. Here are some of the best anime that lovers of all things gothic will enjoy.
Updated Jun 25, 2025, by Mark Sammut:As pretty much all thebest gothic animehave been covered, a section dedicated to other shows with notable goth characters has been added. Click below to jump to this part of the article.
OK, this one is a bit of a stretch sinceThe Wallflowerhas a very wacky tone, which is not usually associated with goth stories. Also, just because an anime has a goth character does not mean it is a gothic show; however,The Wallfloweris a bit of an exception since its protagonist, Sunako, is the relevant personality. Usually, goths are relegated to secondary characters, and their unique aesthetic and love for the macabre juxtaposition against the rest of the series.
The Wallflowerboth does and does not do this. The main premise involves four guys trying to turn Sunako into a more conventional “lady,” a process that mostly works but also allows plenty of opportunity for the female lead to revert to her goth demeanor. Visually, the anime also has a gothic flair, particularly in the design of Sunako’s home.
Claymoreis a story about a woman named Clare, whose life used to be an utter mess until she decided that she had enough and went to become a warrior. Even after learning about the painful process of becoming a Claymore, Clare doesn’t back down. With a firm resolve, Clare endures until the very end.
Unfortunately, she was deemed a weakling and overlooked by everyone. However, their reactions do not affect her, and she continues to seek her goals. Clare travels to various eerie places as part of her journey. The animation studio has produced a high-quality series that can be watched by all manner of fans. The story also features many gruesome deaths, making it a truegothic anime.
Anotheris a popular anime series that has horrorand supernatural elements. There is also plenty of gore. While some viewers might consider it a bit odd, the story has the perfect mixture of gothic undertones, as long as they do not mind occasional clumsy moments.
After missing the first month of school due to sickness, Kouichi Sakakibara comes back only to find a rather strange-looking girl who goes by the name of Mei Misaki. Kouichi soon realizes that he met the girl while he was in the hospital. He tries to befriend the girl, but his actions earn him puzzled glances from his classmates, who can’t grasp who he is talking to. However, this doesn’t stop Kouichi from finding out about Mei and her goals.
Shikiis set in a small isolated village, which is the perfect setting for a gothic series. The people in this particular place are well acquainted with each other, so everyone knows about everything happening in the town.
The sudden death of a young girl changes the mood in the locale. With people still trying to figure out the culprit behind her death, more and more bodies start to pile up. Toshio Ozaki, the town doctor, senses that something other than an illness is causing people to die. Toshio Ozaki seeks the help of other townsfolk in the case, and eventually, he comes across a clue that leads him to a major secret.
Those who equate “gothic” with “depressing” should look elsewhere, asxxxHOLiCis far lighter and funnier a series than its serious aesthetic suggests. Though it may lean on slapstick comedy in ways that one doesn’t normally associate with the genre,xxxHOLiChas an undeniably gothic flavor, in particular in the style of its characters.
A high school student who can see spirits and a witch who owns a wish-granting shop are the ideal candidates for holding viewers' interest in this kind of anime, and they don’t disappoint. Kimihiro and Yuko both havetheir share of great momentsthroughout the series, but it’s arguably Yuko who’s the star.
Secrecy and violence are two elements common to gothic stories, and inTokyo Ghoulthey are on full display. In this series, humans unknowingly live side by side with flesh-eating monsters known as ghouls. These creatures hide their existence from humans in order to continue their gruesome feeding habits, preying upon the unsuspecting.
Protagonist Ken Kaneki, along with many other major characters, exudes gothic style. His toothy, terrifying mask is of particular note. Not satisfied with simply slapping some black raiment on its characters and calling it a day, however,Tokyo Ghouldishes out enough cinematic violence and distressing themes to please any lover of the dark.
An action thriller with distinctly gothic overtones,Darker than Blackis excellent for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, though, is its premise: a spatial anomaly leads to the emergence of people with special powers, known as Contractors, so-called because each must pay a special price for their abilities.
Assassin protagonist Hei is an excellent lead, compelling and layered. He brings depth and interest to what could have otherwise been a conventional, albeit dark, story of the supernatural run amok. His character, combined with a series of compellingvillains with interesting quirks,makesDarker than Blackwell worth watching for fans of gothic anime.
Death Note,is for good reason, one of the most popular gothic anime of all time. It is the saga of Light Yagami, a high school boy who comes into possession of the titular notebook and thereby gains the ability to kill anyone whose name he writes in the book.
Death Noteis a brilliant cat-and-mouse series, bursting with mind games and plot twists. The intellectual rivalry between Light and L is unmatched. A highlight of the series is watching Light’s already tenuous grasp on morality slip away, as he justifies greater and greater crimes in the name of “justice.” On top of its dark themes and villainous protagonist,Death Notealso serves up a healthy dose of gothic style in the characters of Misa and Ryuk.
Even by the standards of anime, the school that students attend inGosickis about as grand as they come. For ostentatious, stylized architecture alone,Gosickwould rank among the best gothic anime, but it offers so much more.
There’s Victorique de Blois, a strange, doll-like little girl whom protagonist Kazuya befriends in the library. Her goth loli fashion is exemplary yet not exploitative, and her personality is interesting. The actual story is a series of old-school detective cases mixed withsome slice-of-slice anime,which only lends to the overall atmosphere of intrigue.Gosickis a slickly animated Victorian tale that never gets too much its own way.
Since Bram Stoker first introduced the world of literature to Dracula, it’s been hard to get much more gothic than vampires. As vampire anime go,Hellsing Ultimateis one of the best. Nor is the series shy about hiding its roots, going so far as to name the antagonist Alucard.
Strong art direction and music contribute to its lusciously dark atmosphere. It’s funny but gory, not ananime for kids,with intense fight scenes and a villain actually worth investing in. Though it is not without its flaws,Hellsing Ultimateis a wonderful dip into the ink-black pool of gothic fiction, paying homage to Stoker’s legacy and vampire fiction as a whole even as it carves its own niche.
