Horror is an extremely popular genre in entertainment and media. Some of the most famous movies are horror movies, and attractions like haunted houses are always popular. The idea of horrific, supernatural creatures beyond human calculation is a thought that is both terrifying and enticing.
Techno-horror is a subgenre of horror that revolves around science fiction concepts. While technology and scientific advancements are beneficial to both our daily lives and civilization as a whole, it can also be extremely terrifying, especially when things get out of hand. Here are the best anime that fall under the techno horror category.
8 Terra Formars
In an effort to terraform Mars to make it habitable for humans, scientists are sending various organisms, including cockroaches, to the planet to make it habitable for life. 500 years later, several attempts to reach Mars have ended with the deaths of the crew members. It is eventually discovered that the cockroaches have mutated into giant humanoid monsters called “terraformars” that rampage not only on Mars but also on planet Earth.
Terra Formars is another example of scientific efforts that end badly. The terraformars are horrifying in countenance and strength. While the humans come up with their own ways to fight against them, they are still terrifying to encounter.
7 Vampire Hunter D
In a world where nuclear war has destroyed much of civilization, vampires reign supreme in a world full of gruesome monsters and cyber-creations. Doris Lang, a human woman, is attacked by the vampire Count Magnus Lee, so she hires the mysterious D to kill him before becoming a vampire herself.
While Vampire Hunter D may seem like a gothic supernatural series, it’s actually a science fiction saga about killing vampires in which bio-engineered monsters stand side by side with mythological monsters. This movie is a great watch for fans of both science fiction and horror, and should not be missed.
6 Serial experiments Lain
Lain Iwakura is a rather quiet young girl living a normal life when she receives an email from a supposedly deceased classmate named Chisa Yomoda. Chisa claims she didn’t die, just donated her body to be part of the virtual world called Wired. Lain soon becomes entangled in the world of the Wired itself, leading to a series of events between a number of separate characters.
Serial Experiments Lain is one of the more outlandish and avant-garde anime series out there, and it’s truly unique. The series is highly philosophical and asks questions about life and reality in the technological world.
5 Psycho-Pass
In the distant future, Japan is ruled by the Sybil system, a computer network that scans the brains of all living people to check their potential for committing crimes. Akane Tsunemori is a novice inspector who tries to arrest criminals according to the rulings of the Sybil system, while searching for a criminal mastermind invisible to the calculations of the system.
Psycho-Pass is set in a dystopian world where technology has too great a reach in the lives of ordinary people. While the series isn’t technically categorized as horror, the way technology is used in this anime is definitely terrifying.
4 Gantz
While trying to save a homeless man, Kei Kurono and Masaru Kato are hit by a train. However, instead of dying, they are teleported to a mysterious place where they are tasked with killing horrific monsters and aliens in exchange for points.
Gantz is both a thrilling action and a terrifying horror series. The monstrous aliens that Kei, Masaru and their allies have to fight every mission are truly terrifying and there are sure to be deaths when a battle takes place. While the anime has its flaws, there is no denying its ability to create terrifying and terrifying situations.
3 Ghost in the shell
In a world where most of humanity has traded their flesh-and-blood bodies for cybernetic ones, Major Motoko Kusanagi leads the investigation into a case involving the “Puppet Master,” an enigmatic creature with an unknown purpose.
While Ghost in the Shell isn’t a conventional horror story, its philosophy towards technology is certainly one of cautious fear. The major’s fear of whether she will remain human despite having replaced most of her body taints the psychological horror, and the way the Puppet Master affects the memories of those who hack them is also nerve-wracking.
2 Paprika
In the future, a device called the “DC Mini” will allow others to watch people’s dreams. Doctors Atsuko Chiba and Kosaku Tokita plan to use the DC Mini to help people overcome their psychological traumas and disorders by exploring their dreams. However, the theft of such a device causes a wave of people behaving strangely, forcing Chiba and Tokita to desperately search for the thief.
Paprika is one of Satoshi Kon’s most famous films, and it deftly explores the horror of invasive technology without any kind of limitations. The DC Mini can both benefit and harm society, showing the double-edged sword of technology in the modern era.
1 Akira
After World War III destroyed the city of Tokyo, Neo-Tokyo is now a lawless city full of corruption and gang violence. Kaneda and Tetsuo are young biker gang leaders when they encounter a strange, older-looking child along the way. The event sets in motion a series of events involving a secret experiment being kept hidden.
Akira is the most iconic cyberpunk anime film of all time, with a focus on the horrors of human experimentation. The progress of Tetsuo’s transformation into a vicious monster that abuses his new-found psychic powers is horrifying, and the fear of facing a man-made monster is a truly terrifying thought.
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