15 Best Dark Fantasy Anime Movies-Ranked!

Oh My! Are you in search of dark fantasy anime movies? Dude, you have got a taste! I have watched countless anime series and films, but this genre impacts me the most. Therefore, I have specially created a list for my otaku friends. 

Dark Fantasy often gives us goosebumps and keeps us on the edge of our seats. So, make sure you bring your favorite meal and drink with you because you won’t like to pause these movies. Before we begin, let me mention that some of them are standalone movies, while others may need a little bit of background knowledge. However, all of them are a must-watch!

Must-Watch Dark Fantasy Anime Movies That Will Give You Chills

15. Blood: The Last Vampire

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total
8/10	7/10	8/10	23/30

Imagine you can’t differentiate between humans or bloodsuckers; how will you survive? Well, the movie is all about Teropterids, the bloodsuckers who are in search of opportunities to quench their thirst. Also, they pretend to be humans, so many innocents fall prey to their trap. 

In this chaos comes out the female lead, Saya, who takes over the duty to slay these monsters. A lot of challenges come her way, but things are opposite to their appearance.  The film has a lot of gore, thrill, and horror, so make sure you watch it with your heart firm. It’s a pretty good start to our list of dark fantasy anime movies.

14. Angel’s Egg

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total
8/10	7/10	8/10	23/30

It’s an OVA with a duration of 1 hour 11 minutes, offering the same fun as a movie. So don’t worry; you will be entertained if you are in search of dark fantasy anime movies. We are introduced to a world that exhibits very odd phenomena. 

There are mysterious floating orbs, statuses, and a lot more that raise questions. In this world, the movie highlights the life of a girl who looks after a mysterious egg. When a man with a cross on his shoulder finds the girl, he finds himself curious about the girl’s motives and life. 

The two join forces and decide to uncover the mysteries of the world together. Not gonna lie; the plot is very different from typical movies, as it’s all up to you how to interpret the story. In short, it’s abstract in both theme and story. So, though it’s here on the list of dark fantasy anime movies, it’s not to be enjoyed by everyone. 

13. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total
8/10	7/10	8/10	23/30

Get ready to experience the aesthetics of the anime movies in the year 2000. Studio Madhouse animated this project, and it’s one of the classics. That’s true. It lacks a lot in terms of quality, but I am sure you’ll find it one of the best dark fantasy anime movies. 

It’s a good watch if you solely want to pass your time! The story’s main character is the human and vampire hybrid “D.” He is usually hired to fight against vampires, and this time, it goes the same way. A girl’s father requests him to bring his daughter who is kidnapped by a deadly vampire. A series of adventures full of action and thrill begins the moment D accepts the request!

12. Origin: Spirits Of The Past

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total
8/10	8/10	8/10	24/30

Even after 3 centuries, the world still faces many challenges due to the wrong genetic experiment in the past. Almost all of mankind was destroyed, and the world became a place where survival had become tough. Now, after 3 centuries, we follow the life of a boy named Agito. 

He was living a pretty simple life before the day he found a mysterious girl in a machine. He helps the girl and introduces her to the village. However, many evil and greedy people were on a mission to capture her. Why? Because they believed she had the answers to restore the world to where it used to be. 

The girl gets into trouble, and Agito decides to protect her. The movie fits the definition of dark fantasy anime movies, so make sure you don’t miss watching it. 

11. Goblin Slayer: Goblin’s Crown

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total
8/10	8/10	8/10	24/30

Goblin Slayer is a very controversial series and movie in the otaku community that has many debates. The debates aside, the anime series and movies are famous as one of the best dark fantasy anime movies and series. So, you should watch it. 

However, since it has a series, you might need background knowledge. Well, let me enlighten you. As the title suggests, it’s all about the adventures of a Goblin Slayer on a mission to slay the goblins and protect people. 

In this movie, we follow the Goblin Slayer and his team as they head towards a certain mountain. There, a challenging situation knocks on their door, where a village is under threat of goblins. Also, there was something mysterious and uncommon about these goblins that was bothering the main character. But what might that be? I am sure you’ll enjoy finding the answers while watching this movie!

10. Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total
8/10	8/10	9/10	25/30

Not gonna lie; it’s a fantastic watch but might not have dark themes as much as you would like to watch. However, it’s worth a watch, and I can promise that. It has the potential to fit in the definition of Otaku’s BEST when it comes to dark fantasy anime movies. Just watch it and decide after that!

We are introduced to a world whose peace was destroyed a millennium ago due to a Nuclear War. The war impacted almost everything, and the most impacted was the forests, which are now full of harmful toxins. There is a place named Valley of the Wind, led by Princess Nausicaa, who is responsible for maintaining peace. 

Unlike other areas, this valley is livable because the toxins from the forest can’t reach it due to the nearby sea. Also, Princess Nausicaa has many surprising and impressive abilities that have helped a lot. Unfortunately, the valley is threatened when some evil minds decide to dig into the remaining weapons of the horrible nuclear war. They wish to repeat history, but our heroine stands firm against their motives. 

9. Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I – The Egg Of The King

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total
9/10	9/10	8/10	26/30

How can we forget to add Berserk’s movies, knowing that they are among the best dark fantasy anime movies? The series is famous for so many reasons, and if you are a true otaku, you already know them all. The story highlights the adventures of the brave warrior Berserk. 

He is different from the typical warriors and doesn’t step away from things challenging peace. Guts is so powerful that people are afraid to challenge him in a duel. Anyhow, his win is a must and predicted when he steps into a battle. Guess what? 

Something out of the ordinary happens when he grabs the attention of Griffith, the leader of a mercenary group. Griffith offers him to be a part of his group, but Guts refuses. His refusal leads them both to a duel and surprisingly enough, Guts loses the fight against Griffith and is forced to join him.  

The more he stays close to Griffith, the more mysterious he finds him. It seems like the leader hides something sinister, but what is it?

8. Puella Magi Madoka Magica Movie 1

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total
9/10	9/10	9/10	27/30

If you still haven’t watched the Puella Magi series, then please, my lord, allow this one of the best dark fantasy anime movies to win your heart. If you were in search of dark fantasy anime movies with magic and powers, please watch it right now. 

Sayaka and Madoka are the two best friends who are very, very happy with their ordinary and simple lives. Unfortunately, their peace of mind and, bit by bit, everything gets threatened after the talking cat Kyubey gives them an offer. 

Kyubey asks them to become magical girls to protect the world, and in return, they can fulfill any One wish. Well, an ordinary person might fall prey to the sparkling idea of having powers and the ability to be a hero to protect the world. Sadly, the truth behind this will haunt you. 

In reality, no one suffers more than the magical girls because of their fated, brutal, and painful destiny. To stop Sayaka and Madoka, a mysterious magical girl, Homura tries her level best. It turns out she had been stuck in a time loop where she had already tried numerous times to prevent both of them from saying yes to the cat’s offer. 

She was a true friend, but no matter what, she always failed to protect her friends. This time, will she be successful? You know what to do, right?

7. Made In Abyss: Journey’s Dawn (Movie 1)

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total
9/10	9/10	9/10	27/30

If you really don’t have a lot of time to spend on anime series, then consider going for their recap movies. Made in Abyss Movie One basically summarizes the story of the episodes 1 to 8 from the series. Guess the best part? You don’t need to have background knowledge about its story.

Riko is our brave female lead who is searching for her White Whistle mother. The White Whistle is a courageous adventure that explores the deepest layers of a mysterious abyss. Whoever enters the abyss, it becomes impossible for them to return. 

The deeper they go, the more impossible it becomes to return alive. Well, despite being warned by the elders, she was stubborn to explore the depths of the abyss to meet her mother. Surprisingly, she comes across a boy named Reg, who is more like a robot with many robotic abilities. He doesn’t know anything about his roots, how he reached here. 

The girl doubted that he might be from the abyss, so the two began their adventures in the depths of the abyss. Trust me, their journey down in the Hole is no less than a thrilling visual treat. The deeper they go, the more haunting and deadly things become. 

6. The Garden Of Sinners

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total
9/10	9/10	9/10	27/30

Things become objectionable when a series of mysterious deaths begin. The shocking part? All of them died similarly and that is by jumping from an abandoned structure.. Was the building haunted, or was there something suspicious there? 

To investigate the root cause, the female lead, Shiki Ryougi, decides to find the answers along with her friends. Don’t you worry, she is not an ordinary individual but has some surprising abilities. Her friends are also very impressive, so expect double the fun of their mission. 

If you genuinely enjoy mystery, action, suspense, and the supernatural, you can’t ignore watching this movie. There are so many reasons why this is famous as one of the best dark fantasy anime movies. 

5. Mushishi Zoku Shou: Suzu no Shizuku (Movie)

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total
9/10	9/10	10/10	28/30

It’s a masterpiece that is worth watching and a must-watch for any anime lover. Dude, you need to watch it before anything else. Trust me, you won’t regret it. A unique charm about this movie will capture your attention, and its aesthetics and presentation are remarkable.

Mushishi Ginko is our main character. He is a curious soul, and his curiosity forces him to travel from place to place to investigate mysteries. His mission is to help people suffering from mysterious problems by finding a root cause for them and then providing a solution. 

In this movie, he finds a girl who has been suffering from a bothersome phenomenon. Well, she grows weed out of her body. This makes Ginko curious, and he decides to find the root cause of the girl’s condition. I would really request that you watch its commendable series as well. It’s a fantastic masterpiece, and you will feel proud watching it! There are effortlessly so many reasons for this movie to be on this list of dark fantasy anime movies. 

4. Paprika

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total
9/10	9/10	10/10	28/30

Ever wonder what people dream of and how different the world of our dreams can be? We are introduced to a world where some genius minds, Atsuko Chiba and Kosaku Tokuta, have developed a DC Mini machine. This machine lets the doctor explore their patient’s minds so they can actually find a solution for their psychological disorders. 

Though the machine is a great invention, it can also be used to destroy the world if put into the wrong hands. Guess what? Unfortunately, the threat begins when evil minds steal the device, leading to danger. People around start to experience very strange and odd behaviors, and now the main characters must find a way to save the world. Trust me or not, this is indeed one of the best dark fantasy movies!

3. Ninja Scroll

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total
9/10	9/10	10/10	28/30

Sword Fighting, action,  adventure, fantasy, romance, martial arts, and gore, dude, this one is a complete package! You are not allowed to miss this one if you want to watch the best dark fantasy anime movies. Jubei Kibagami is our main character who wanders from one place to the other in search of a person who can be his master. 

Challenges arise when he saves a girl named Kagero from a deadly man. Even though Kagero was herself a ninja, it took her Jubei’s help to escape. The girl was actually on a very daunting mission, which was to search for the root cause of a plague responsible for the demise of countless people. 

Despite trying to stay away from this matter, Jubei is forced into it, leading him to adventures full of threat, action, and mystery.

2. Jujutsu Kaisen 0

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total
10/10	10/10	10/10	30/30

How can you think that our list of dark fantasy anime movies would be complete without JJK? Though it might not be as dark, it’s very close to what you are in search of. In this movie, our favorite and handsome Gojo Satoru, finds an impressive boy, Yuuta, with surprising powers. 

Yuuta is usually a victim of bullying, but he also hides a shadow in the form of Rika Orimoto, who is actually his curse. Whenever someone bullies him, his shadow form takeovers and fights against the bullies. 

Gojo takes him in as his student and trains him to use his powers for the good. However, the plot twist begins when Geto Suguru also finds interest in Yuuta and decides to use his powers for his own motives. Now, the team of heroes must do everything from stopping Geto to getting his plan into action. 

Spoiler: Beware, it’s one of the best anime movies with handsome characters. You might find yourself unconscious after watching the heavenly-gorgeous characters! 😉

1. Demon Slayer Mugen Train

Animation	Characters	Plot	Total
10/10	10/10	10/10	30/30

It’s impossible that you haven’t heard of this all-time blockbuster movie. Dude, if you haven’t heard about it, then I am afraid that you might be living under a rock. In this movie, we learn about the horrors caused by demons in the Mugen Train. 

To solve this mystery and to prevent the demon from wreaking havoc, Rengoku, along with Tanjiro and the team, set out on this mission. However, when they reach there, things begin to go out of expectations as Enmu, the lower-rank demon, traps them in their dreams. 

Not only that, double trouble knocks on their door when the higher-rank demon Akaza enters the scene as a threat. Rengoku fights with him alone while Tanjiro and the team deal with the demon on the train. Unfortunately, this movie will make you cry until you are dehydrated and can’t get misty eyes. 

Our very own Rengoku loses his life against Akaza. Believe me, this movie is worth being on the top of our list of dark fantasy anime movies. 

Final Notes

Phew! What a thrilling list of dark fantasy anime movies. Listing these movies had me recalling my experience watching these gems. I am sure that if you watch anime movies frequently, you will be able to relate to me. Anyhow, I am confident these gems of film will meet your expectations. So, give them a try and update me about your watching experience. Lastly, if you are looking for some more anime movie recommendations, stay connected to Anime Fleek!

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