8 underrated Anime for fans of thriller genre

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Psycho-Pass - Image via Studio Production I.G.
Psycho-Pass - Image via Studio Production I.G.

The anime community is brimful of vivid genres and undertones that a diverse viewership can enjoy. While some genres are slightly niche, they are mostly preferred by light-hearted fans. Others being somewhat edgy can be enjoyed by a dedicated otaku.

Thriller is one of those genres known for its gripping story with a suspenseful background. The tense atmosphere keeps fans wondering what will happen next. This genre is best enjoyed by viewers who like to keep themselves on the edge of their seats.

Note: This article represents the author's personal views.


8 compelling underrated anime for thriller-seeking fans

1) Happy Sugar Life

Satou Matsuzaka - Image via Studio Ezo'la
Satou Matsuzaka - Image via Studio Ezo'la

The only thing happy about this series is its title. The anime may seem wholesome after the first look, seemingly giving a relaxing vibe. However, it is a psychological thriller about a yandere girl who has kidnapped an elementary schooler.

It follows Satou Matsuzaka, who falls in love with Shio Kobe, and the two live together. While Satao may look like an average teenager but is a serious sociopath. If she feels that her life with Shio is threatened, she doesn’t hesitate to kill even those close to her.


2) The Promised Neverland

Norman and Emma - Image via Studio CloverWorks
Norman and Emma - Image via Studio CloverWorks

The anime tells the story of the three friends, Ray, Norman, and Emma, living happily in an orphanage and waiting to be adopted. But that is just on the surface. The series takes a thrilling turn when one of the orphan conny is adapted.

It turns out that Conny was sent to demons to be eaten. None of the kids were to be sent to a new family. They were all raised to share the same fate. To escape fate, the three friends concoct an escape plan.


3) Made In Abyss

Made in Abyss - Image via Kinema Citrus
Made in Abyss - Image via Kinema Citrus

The series packs a thrilling adventure of two characters, Riko and Reg, with a darker tone always lurking in the background. The anime maintains an eerie atmosphere while getting suspenseful at times.

Riko is an orphan who finds a robot (named him Reg) and her mother's journal in the abyss, a giant hole. The diary reveals that her mother is still alive. She embarks on a journey to find her mother. However, the abyss creeps with many dangers awaiting them.


4) Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Puella Magi Madoka Magica - Image va Studio Shaft
Puella Magi Madoka Magica - Image va Studio Shaft

The series successfully fooled viewers with its cutesy art style and vibrant animation. It gave the vibe of a cheerful anime focused on magical girls and their adventures in the playful world.

However, after a few episodes, the story delves into the darker side of being a magical girl. Being a magical girl is not always fun. They have to suffer losses as well. The hardships of the power they bear and facing ghastly enemies are all explored in the series.


5) Talentless Nana

Nana Hiiragi - Image via Studio Bridge
Nana Hiiragi - Image via Studio Bridge

Nana Hiiragi is a high schooler who attends a school with teenagers full of different abilities. She does not possess any abilities, seemingly trying to fit into the atmosphere. However, she has a secret.

It was revealed that she was an agent of a secret organization. She has been tasked with killing the "talented" labeled as enemies of humanity. By the end of the first episode, it became an exhilarating psychological thriller as Nana proceeded to carry out her task.


6) Future Diary

Yukiteru Amano & Yuno Gasai - Image via Studio Asread
Yukiteru Amano & Yuno Gasai - Image via Studio Asread

Yukitero Amano is a loner high schooler who finds himself dragged into a game of survival along with eleven others. The goal is to eliminate the other members. The last man standing will be chosen as the new god of the world.

Moreover, Yukiteru is accompanied by Yuno Gasai, a psychotic girl obsessed with Yukiteru. The battle for power and survival begins with every candidate trying to kill each other. The anime follows their struggles to survive this deadly game.


7) Another

Another - Image via Studio P.A. Works
Another - Image via Studio P.A. Works

This anime tells the story of Kouichi Sakakibara, who, along with his friends, is in a race against time to save his classmates from seemingly inevitable death. This thrilling anime can be terrifying at certain times, maintaining a suspenseful atmosphere throughout the story.

Kouichi learns that his class is inflicted by a curse, slowly killing his classmates. He and his friends must find the truth behind this curse and stop this calamity before everyone ends up dead.


8) B - The Beginning

B - The Beginning - Image via Production I.G.
B - The Beginning - Image via Production I.G.

This anime is set in a world with advanced technology and follows the two characters, Koku and Keith. Koku is on a mission to save his childhood friend, while Keith is on a quest to solve a murder case.

Both of them eventually crossed paths. To continue their quest, both go against their mutual enemy while also trying to find out the true reasons behind their supernatural abilities.


The above thrillers have a compelling plot with thrilling events that can gratify the thriller-seeking audience. Viewers can experience major cliffhangers and an eerie atmosphere to keep themselves on edge.

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Edited by Suchitra
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