Top 15 Best Psychological Thriller Anime List [Recommendations]
I have compiled a list of my all time favorite psychological anime for you folks to watch. I personally think they are the best and I highly recommend that you at least pick one of them! Enjoy!
Anime "Best of" Genre List
Death Note
Death Note is an interesting anime. A Shinigami (death god) has the power to kill anyone they wish provided they write the name of the person in a notebook (the Death Note). One day, a Shinigami, Ryuk, decides to drop a Death Note into the human realm. The notebook is found by a high school student, Light Yagami, who decides to kill all criminals in the world by writing their names on the Death Note with the aim of being a god. The Japanese investigators seek the help of a young man known as L to apprehend Light, who has turned into a serial killer.
Wouldn’t it be great to have the notebook in real life?
Mirai Nikki (Future Diary)
Deus Ex Machina is a God of Space and Time whose leadership is slowly withering out. On realization that he will soon be gone, he organizes a survival game to choose a befitting successor. The 12 selected people are to predict the future in future diaries and fight until one remain standing. One of the contestants is Yukiteru Amano, who has to break the silence in his humdrum life to be part of the challenge.
You should watch Mirai Nikki for the thrill and the suspense created by the competition. It keeps you glued to your TV as you try to predict the next phase.
Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom
A mysterious company known as Inferno is responsible for assassinations on the streets of America. The company uses its invisible weapon, Phantom. One day, a Japanese tourist witnesses Phantom in action. He tries to hide but is apprehended by the Inferno leader who brainwashes him, gives him a new name and uses him as a puppet of Inferno. The once peaceful tourist joins a world of deceit and violence and has to fight his way to survive hoping to regain his memory and return home one day. The drama and the action in this anime makes it interesting to watch.
Trailer
Psycho Pass
The series takes place in the near future, when it is possible to instantaneously measure and quantify a person’s state of mind and personality. This information is recorded and processed, and the term “Psycho-Pass” refers to a standard used to measure an individual’s being. The story centers around the “enforcement officer” Shinya Kougami, who is tasked with managing crime in such a world.
Code Geass
Code Geass is a story of colonialism. The Holy Empire of Britannia conquers Japan in 2010. The once so popular country is now dubbed Area 11. There are bouts of resistance from the Japs. Lelouch, Prince of Britannia who happens to have been exiled and caught in between an ongoing conflict. He meets a girl by the name C.C and gains the power of the king (Geass). He becomes the only hope of ever bringing down Britannia.
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You chose SO MUCH JUNK! Did you just Google top 10 psychological “thriller” animes and copy and paste this list? This list shows no creativity and for me no accuracy at all for a “best of” list. Death note is overrated and garbage. So is neon Genesis Evangelion. So is ergo proxy. You just list popular junk one after another. Future diary and Nikkai are also so-so and not great at all! I do not hate this shows because they are popular I hate them because they are terribly overrated. They are 3 out if 5 at best in my book and don’t deserve mentions in any best of list out there. I hate unoriginal minds and lists like yours that propagate the lie/rumor that these are must see shows or the best. They aren’t. Monster deserves to be on here yes and maybe a couple others I glanced over, but you’re missing other more worthy titles on this list.
Hi Andres, I am sorry you didn’t like the list.
What do you suggest?
Don’t worry about it, at least you’ve got the courage to make it.
Problem with this is guy is he’s all bitching but not offering any solutions/suggestions. If these are garbage animes as you claim they are, then enlighten us pitiful peasants of the GREAT animes that you know. Animes that were created by “creative minds” so we don’t have to glorify these overrated “garbage”
Interesting. I’m not one who’s watched a lot of psychological thriller anime, save Death Note (and I started watching Monster today thanks to this list). So for a second there I wondered if it were possible that I’m so uncultured in the ways of anime that my taste really sucks because I enjoyed the hell out of Death Note and am similarly doing so in Monster. Was I wrong? Was there really MUCH better anime out there?
And as I read Andres’ comment with interest, I waited expectantly for the part where he would quote names of anime that he deemed ‘original’ and good. At the end, suffice it to say, I was surprised to see that there was no mention of any such name. Usually, if a person feels strongly about something of the sort, they quote better examples from experience. So it seems to me this guy is talking trash about something he really has no idea about.
Disclaimer: All these were actual, honest, confused thoughts that ran through my head when I first read his comment. I’m not trying to put him down, merely to point out my revelation by the end of this stimulating critique.
“Death Note is overrated and garbage”………oh really?, If you don’t like something that’s fine no need to insult the anime……death note is one of the best physiological thriller and deserve to be on this list. I don’t know which anime’s satisfied you(coz except Monster you didn’t mention any name genius)……….If you can’t understand the awesomeness of Death Note I really pity you………
ya Death note is one of my best too, i guess who call them garbage is a garbage itself
It’s psychological but similar concept I guess. Not having because I loved the Hell out of Deathnote
Please tell me your favourite anime.Just because you don’t have the brains to understamd the hard-to-follow plots,that doesn’t mean they are overrated.
Why wont give the list? If someone thinks death note is bad…..like you might have better list
andrew list
1. doramon
2. shinchan
3.oggy and the cocroaches
go to hell
Andres got two more on the list guys :
1. Dora the explorer
2. Go Diego Go
Hey kid if you’re saying that death note is Garbage u should first grow up and then see it. …….. Ur probably unable to grasp those anime cuz they r not for kids
i like all but neon genesis evangelion. may be you do not like phycological animes
I think this is probably a pretty accurate list, though I do think Shiki should of been on there, but then again, it’s down to opinion. But yes, I totally agree with this list, and I like how you tried to put in some animes which some haven’t heard of!
its a perfect list
It’s a good list. I’m not too fond of the older animated art at the moment however. I just finished Code Geass and now Im savoring the second season.
The fact Code Geass is on this list makes me question if you even know what the term thriller means. Not even questioning your taste, tho it is crap. It’s just not even close to being in the genre at all.
God, why are you all being such dicks to this guy? He made a list for you to look at and see if you found any of what he found interesting, interesting. This list is based on HIS opinion, and if you think there are better animes out there, go make your own list.
Comment Text*where is another and erased man ????
I would like to see psychological sports anime “one’s out” on this list
Out of this list, I’ve only seen Code Geass, Terror in Resonance, and Ergo Proxy. Out of the three, I like Terror in Resonance the most—dark and realistic yet still heartfelt—although it’s quite short. Code Geass is pretty exciting too and full of eye-candies but it can be over the top at times, and I’m not much a fan of mecha. I heard it’s getting a third season (Lelouch of the Resurrection). Ergo Proxy was harder to grasp, as it was very cryptic, but I find the world/setting and the plot very well-thought out and profound. I’ve heard lots about Death Note and have been meaning to watch it but I just can’t get started with it for some reason. I want to watch Psycho Pass too, sounds like it has a very good premise. Monster seems interesting too.
Do you know other anime like Terror in Resonance (besides the ones on this list) with intelligent/clever characters, themes on war or terrorism, plot twists that make sense, subtly dark atmosphere, psychologically thrilling, with a vague hint of romance (sorry for being such a girl, I love it when there’s a little bit of romance at least), and if possible with young characters too—teenagers or high school students?
watch Death Note, as its protagonist is a high school student, but I’m sure you already know that not much romance there. Future Diary has young characters and romance too(however horrible the romance might be). but honestly, I didn’t enjoy Future Diary or Psycho Pass AT ALL. Way too many potholes which I can’t say because they’ll spoil. But almost every one seems to like it. Hyouka isn’t a psychological thriller but it’s an amazing mystery/detective anime with a very limited dose of romance which I really enjoyed. Also Steins;Gate completely blew my mind.
Need something different like stein’s gate. I had seen death note’ code geass. But m not satisfied with animes. Cause whole stories m finding similar now.
Psycho pass def 5 star. Ergo proxy is way to out there justb to be out there. Found it teadious not hard to understand. I think bezerk is psychological as in the ways of man. Exspecially the end having to walk over the corps of those around you to get what you eant in life. Bit its dated. Gunslinger girl part 1 was entertaining and well done art work but can see how some might not get into it. I did like death note even if it was way over hyped. But not sure if its psycological.
I cant stand how people rip the lists and offer nothing in the form of alternatives. Young angry dorks!!!!
Vanpire hunter D is a clasic that anyone should love with the great character development. But its not really a psycological animi. And there are a few i forget which was the good one. Hellsing is good fun!
Of course ghost in a shell should be mentioned a. thought provoking, although i was never its biggest fan. And after bebop was so popular i never though samuri shamploo got the credit it deserved. The 7 samurai has great character development and a story that makes you care about them good fun. I got a bit off topic with a few but almost all are must see as far as im concerned. As are so many more i dont have time to list. But have fun and ignore the idiots who rip other peoples lists and dont offer there own. Im shure my list will be riped by some dork thinking i didnt list enough obscure anime. But most of that shit is obscure for a reason…
If y’all really like thriller/psychological anime, I think I could do some recommendations here? I like the shocking factor but I strongly dislike the useless gore that most anime like Another, Elfen Lied and Mirai Nikki use.
Well, what to start with… If y’all like some dark theme without it being enough to gross you out, Bungou Stray Dogs is ideal to start with. If y’all prefer something that looks like a mix of Hunger Games and really dark theme, try Btoom!. There’s something that looks like Bungou Stray Dogs but is slightly more disturbing and without powers, it’s called Ranpo Kitan: Games of Laplace, pretty good if y’all are into crime scenes investigations and really dark crimes, like using human skin to make couches. Terror in Resonance was excellent too, it’s like Death Note but more serious and the puzzles and police/criminal interactions are way better. What else… No.6? No.6 honestly don’t cross most of the lines the others did but it do have a dark feeling to it. If it’s the drama side that you’re really on, really suggest 91 Days, honestly probably one of the best anime EVER MADE. Erased is good in the drama side too, but not as much. I think that’s about it? I’ll give updates if I think of anything else
Why isn’t Perfect Blue or Paranoia Agent on this list?