Nothing gets the blood pumping quite like a thriller, and psychological thrillers seem especially good at that. They are able to create tension to such a point where you become invested in the story and characters, and even though your heart is pounding and you find yourself recoiling in both fear and disgust at points, you are unable to stop watching.



Here are 10 anime that celebrate the spirit of the psychological thriller for you to enjoy this spooky season:

Death Note
Studio: Madhouse



One of the best and most well-known psychological thriller anime (with a touch of the supernatural), Death Note follows Light Yagami, a high school student who finds a mysterious black notebook one day, and discovers that it has the power to kill anyone whose name is written in it. And that the person’s death can even be specified. Armed with this knowledge, Light takes it upon himself to become judge, jury, and executor of all the criminals in Japan. This catches the attention of famous detective L, and thus starts a game of cat and mouse between Light and L.

Death Note is available to stream on Crunchyroll and Netflix SA.

Watch time: 37 episodes of 23 minutes each – just over 14 hours. Netflix has 2 additional episodes as movies, which add an additional approximate 4 hours to the watch time.

B: The Beginning
Studio: Production I.G



In a futuristic world powered by advanced technology, genius investigator Keith Flick is invited to rejoin the royal police force as vigilante serial killer, “Killer B”, has emerged, throwing the city into chaos. A mysterious youth, Koku, may or may not be a part of the situation, but whether as an accomplice or victim remains to be seen. While the anime is marketed as a psychological thriller, there are also elements of the supernatural involved as well.

B: The Beginning is available to stream on Netflix SA.

Watch time: 18 episodes of an average of 25 minutes each – just under 8 hours.

Babylon
Studio: Revoroot



Babylon follows public prosecutor Zen Seizaki in a newly created district, Shiniki, which functions as a testing ground for a new nation. He is investigating reports of falsified test results of a defective drug that is being promoted by a pharmaceutical company. During his investigation, an anesthetist’s body is discovered alongside a mysterious document and human samples. The deeper Seizaki digs, the bigger the plot he uncovers, proving that more than just defective drugs is happening in the Shiniki district.

Babylon is available to stream on Prime Video SA.

Watch time: 12 episodes of 24 minutes each – just under 5 hours.

The Garden of Sinners
Studio: ufotable



Set in Japan during the late 1990s, The Garden of Sinners follows teenager Shiki Ryougi, who awakens from a two-year long coma with the ”Mystic Eyes of Death Perception”, which allows her to see the invisible lines of mortality that holds everything together, both living and non-living. She makes use of this ability to take care of thrilling, supernatural cases while also searching for her purpose for living.

The Garden of Sinners is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

Watch time: 10 short films of varying lengths – just under 11 and a half hours.

ID: Invaded
Studio: NAZ



In an alternate world where investigators are able into what is known as the id well of a killer’s unconscious mind, the series follows brilliant detective Sakaido, or Akihito Narihisago, who helps a team of detectives investigate various serial killers.

ID: Invaded is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

Watch time: 13 episodes of 25 minutes each – just under 5 and a half hours.

Monster
Studio: Madhouse



A highly skilled Japanese neurosurgeon, Dr. Kenzo Tenma lives in Germany and seemingly has it all – professionally accomplished and engaged. One day, he forgoes performing surgery on the mayor and instead saving a young child, Johan, from a gunshot wound to the head. Years later, a remorseless killer is on the loose, with an unnerving connection to Tenma, who now has to decide whether or not he must face this evil and put a stop to it.

Monster is available to stream on Netflix SA.

Watch time: 74 episodes of 24 minutes each – just over 29 and a half hours.

Paranoia Agent
Studio: Madhouse



Paranoia Agent is slightly different from the other series listed in this article in that it doesn’t have one main storyline or main character to follow, but rather multiple characters and multiple storylines that end up woven together. Each story focuses on details about the phenomenon of Lil’ Slugger (a seemingly elementary aged boy with golden inline skates, a bent, golden bat, and a baseball cap who goes around attacking people), and the details revealed from both the victims’ and the detectives’ lives slowly start to also reveal the truth behind Lil’ Slugger.

Paranoia Agent is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

Watch time: 13 episodes of 25 minutes each – just under 5 and a half hours.

The Promised Neverland
Studio: CloverWorks



Emma, along with her two friends Ray and Norman, live a happy life in the Grace Field House, a home for orphans. The children receive good food, clean clothing, and the love of their “Mother”, the orphanage director. Each of them dreams of being adopted out, and cannot wait for their turn. One night, when one of the younger children is adopted out, Emma and Norman realise she forgot her favourite stuffed toy, and chase after her to return it, only to discover her dead body and the truth of the world they live in.

The Promised Neverland season 2 is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

Season 1 is currently not available for streaming in South Africa.

Watch time: season 2 consists of 12 episodes (one of which is a recap episode) of 23 minutes each – just over 4 and a half hours.

Psycho-Pass
Studio: Production I.G (except for season 2, where the production studio was Tatsunoko Production)



In a futuristic world where just thinking about a crime makes you automatically guilty, detectives work in teams of Enforcers (those who take out the bad guys), and Inspectors (those who monitor the Enforers). Justice is automatically served on capturing the criminal, and a special weapon known as the Dominator is used to tell when citizens are about to become criminals. The series follows new Inspector Akane Tsunemori, whose first job is to track down a flagged potential criminal who ran away from the police, taking a hostage while doing so.

Psycho-Pass is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

Psycho-Pass season 3 and Psycho-Pass: First Inspector are available to stream on Prime Video SA.

Psycho-Pass: The Movie and Psycho-Pass: Providence are currently not available for streaming in South Africa.

Watch time:

• Psycho-Pass season 1 consists of 22 episodes of 23 minutes each – just under 8 and a half hours.
• Psycho-Pass season 2 consists of 11 episodes of 23 minutes each – just over 4 hours.
• Psycho-Pass season 3 consists of 8 episodes of 46 minutes each – just over 6 hours.
• Psycho-Pass: The Movie runs for 113 minutes.
• Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System consists of 3 short films – a little over 3 hours.
• Psycho-Pass: First Inspector consists of 3 short films – just over 2 hours.
• Psycho-Pass: Providence runs for 120 minutes.

Total watch time: just over 24 hours (excluding Psycho-Pass: The Movie and Psycho-Pass: Providence).

The Summer Hikaru Died
Studio: Cypic



One day, friends Yoshiki Tsujinaka and Hikaru Indou are hanging out on a hot summer day, when Yoshiki realises that “Hikaru” isn’t the true Hikaru. The being pretending to be Hikaru explains that the real Hikaru perished while on a solo hike, and the being consumed his body, inheriting Hikaru’s memories and physical appearance. Yoshiki, while horrified at the news, also doesn’t want to lose Hikaru and his friendship, and decides to leave the eldritch being alone. However, other eldritch beings and hunters of said beings may make it impossible for Yoshiki to keep “Hikaru” and their friendship safe. While there are elements of the supernatural in the anime, it also counts as a psychological thriller because of situations that affect the mind.

The Summer Hikaru Died is available to stream on Netflix SA.

Watch time: 12 episodes of 25 minutes each – 5 hours.

Written by Samantha Crerar