Another is a popular horror anime that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with its mysterious story and tense atmosphere. The 2012 anime follows a transfer student named Kouichi who joins a new class where a student died under unexplained circumstances the previous year.
As Kouichi investigates the strange goings-on in his class, the truth about the curse plaguing his classmates shockingly comes to light. Fans of Another’s nail-biting suspense and supernatural twists should check out these 10 similar anime series.
From classics of the horror genre to newer thrillers, these shows feature intriguing mysteries, creepy atmospheres, shocking plot twists, violent deaths, and dangerous secrets that are best left undisturbed.
Disclaimer: This list is not ranked in any particular order and reflects the writer's opinions.
Top 10 must-watch anime series for fans of Another
1. Higurashi: When They Cry
This iconic horror mystery franchise debuted in 2007 and takes place in a small rural town plagued by suspicious deaths. When teenager Keiichi Maebara moves to the quiet village of Hinamizawa, he quickly learns of the area’s troubled past.
Every year, one person dies, and one person goes missing on the same day during the annual Watanagashi Festival without explanation. As Keiichi befriends his new classmates, he grows increasingly paranoid that the villagers are hiding a dark secret.
With its annual arc structure showing different permutations of the village’s fate, Higurashi allows viewers to piece together the puzzle box mystery along with Keiichi. Fans of Another’s intricate plotting and nerve-wracking tension will appreciate this classic horror anime.
2. Shiki
This 2010 series is regarded as one of the best modern vampire anime out there. When a strange family moves into a country manor, a mysterious string of anemia-related deaths strikes the rural community.
Teenager Natsuno is suspicious of the new arrivals at the manor, and soon a terrifying secret is revealed—the new occupants are vampires preying upon the villagers.
Like Another, Shiki crafts an oppressive, unsettling atmosphere brimming with paranoia and dread. Viewers can expect bloody violence mixed with a captivating mystery as the villagers try to uncover the true nature of the serial killings before it’s too late.
3. Boogiepop Phantom
This surreal supernatural series aired in 2000 and chronicles a month-long string of bizarre occurrences at an urban Japanese high school. Students and faculty are periodically overwhelmed by memories that aren’t their own, witness flashes of disturbing imagery, and even disappear entirely. Meanwhile, a Shinigami-like being named Boogiepop prowls the night, feeding on the darkness in human hearts.
Fans of Another’s abnormal happenings and anomalous entities will appreciate this avant-garde urban fantasy. With its non-linear presentation and abstract visuals, Boogiepop Phantom is an enigmatic viewing experience immersed in the creeping supernatural.
4. Ghost Hunt
In this 2006 anime, a young girl named Mai inadvertently causes substantial damage to her high school from a paranormal investigation she provoked. To make amends, she joins the professional Shibuya Psychic Research company, which documents supernatural occurrences.
Together with enigmatic leader Kazuya, she assists in investigations of hauntings, poltergeists, possessions, and other unexplained phenomena. Like Another, Ghost Hunt crafts an eerie atmosphere through creepy encounters with dangerous spirits. Viewers looking for more sinister mysteries and creepy ghosts should check out this paranormal thriller.
5. Death Parade
This psychological anime aired in 2015 and brings uneasy viewers to Quindecim, a mysterious bar acting as limbo between the living world and the afterlife. The bartender challenges visitors to play games which determine if they will be reincarnated or banished into the void. But the games reveal sinister truths about the darkest parts of human nature.
With violence and mature themes comparable to Another, Death Parade broodingly examines the morbid side of the human psyche. Its suspenseful, uncertain premise will enthrall viewers who enjoy dark psychological horror.
6. Monster
This mature psychological thriller from 2004 examines moral ambiguity through a dangerous battle of wits. Renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Kenzo Tenma rescues a boy named Johan from a gunshot wound over the town mayor—a decision that ruined his career. Years later, a string of strange murders makes Dr. Tenma suspect Johan has grown into a heartless serial killer mastermind.
While slower-paced than Another, Monster builds nerve-wracking suspense through this intense cat-and-mouse thriller as Dr. Tenma resolves to stop Johan from killing again. Its mature themes and moral complexity make it a must-see.
7. Corpse Party
This gory horror franchise originated as a 1996 adventure game before being adapted into a four-episode anime OVA in 2013. When a group of students perform a charm to preserve their friendship, they are transported to the site of Heavenly Host Elementary School, which was demolished after children were kidnapped and murdered within its halls.
The students must now find a way to escape the haunted school grounds while contending with the ghosts of the school’s victims. With disturbing imagery and violence on par with Another, Corpse Party delivers shocking horror and suspense. Fans of paranormal mysteries and terrifying ghosts should appreciate this grim series.
8. From the New World
Set in a dystopian reality, this 2012 anime takes place one thousand years after humans acquired psychokinesis and devastated civilization. In the isolated rural community of Kamisu 66, 12-year-old Saki navigates the trials of adolescence while slowly uncovering the dark secrets of her home and the previous eras lost to time.
While less overtly horror-focused than Another, From the New World uses its foreboding setting and enigmatic characters to foster an unsettling, uncertain atmosphere tinged with lurking danger. Its engrossing sense of mystery makes it a must-see.
9. Steins;Gate
This highly acclaimed sci-fi thriller aired in 2011 and subverts viewers' expectations at every turn. Eccentric college student Rintaro masterminds gadgetry with his friends in Akihabara, eventually constructing a device that can send text messages into the past.
However, their experiments with time travel unintentionally alter history in disastrous ways. Rintaro must scramble to set things right as reality itself threatens to unravel around them.
While firmly science fiction rather than horror, Steins;Gate delivers chilling thrills and a gripping rollercoaster of plot twists comparable to Another. Its masterful storytelling also earned it film sequels and spinoff series in the ever-expanding Steins;Gate franchise.
10. Future Diary
This psychological thriller anime aired in 2011-2012 and features a deadly battle royale among diary owners competiting to become god. When loner Yukiteru discovers that his cell phone diary can predict the future, he soon gets dragged into a vicious game by deity Deus Ex Machina and his psychotic associate Gasai Yuno.
Armed with her meticulously updated diary, Yuno pledges herself as Yukiteru’s obsessive protector in the fight to the death among the other diary owners. With violence, mature themes, and creepy characters comparable to Another, Future Diary delivers psychological suspense through its intense death game premise.
Conclusion
With its ominous atmosphere, bloody deaths, and shrouded truths, Another showcases some of anime’s best edge-of-your-seat horror storytelling. Fans seeking more thrilling mysteries in sinister settings should check out the selections on this list, from paranormal classics like Higurashi to psychological thrillers like Death Parade.
Each anime delivers compelling enigmas, palpable tension, impactful twists, and the looming threat of disturbing revelations in store. So dim the lights, lock the doors, and steel your nerves before experiencing these great anime recommendations for more shocking and suspenseful viewing.