Best Supernatural Anime of 2006

In a world plagued by brutal murders, petty crimes, and senseless violence, the realm of the Shinigami exists as a monotonous gambling haven. Light Yagami, a brilliant 17-year-old Japanese student, and Ryuk, a bored Shinigami, both perceive flaws in their respective worlds. Seeking amusement, Ryuk drops his Death Note into the human world, where Light discovers it. Although Light initially dismisses the notebook's first rule—that any human whose name is written in it will die—as absurd, he cannot resist the temptation. He writes the name of a criminal, successfully causing that person's death. Awed by this immense power, Light adopts the alias Kira and launches a crusade to eradicate all criminals in the name of justice. His actions attract the attention of L, a meticulous and brilliant detective who begins the hunt for Kira. As Light's intellect rivals L's, the conflict evolves into a deadly battle of wits where the only possible outcome is the death of one of them.

When darkness and evil stalk the night, feeding on anyone in their path, Hellsing serves as humanity's last line of defense against these monstrous foes. Under the command of Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, the organization wields a powerful military force to shield the populace from the undead. However, Integra's most potent asset is Alucard, a vampire who preys on his own kin. Working alongside his newly turned subordinate, Seras Victoria, Alucard confronts supernatural adversaries and any who dare challenge Hellsing's authority, irrespective of their moral standing. As the survival of mankind hangs in the balance, Hellsing Ultimate demonstrates that true strength can arise from the most unforeseen origins, proving that even the most fearsome creatures may become humanity's greatest guardians.

Kimihiro Watanuki is cursed with the ability to see spirits and supernatural beings, a power he despises. While walking home one day and tormented by these entities, he feels an uncontrollable pull to enter a strange building. Inside, he meets Yuuko, an enigmatic woman who offers to free him from his unwanted gift if he works at her wish-granting "shop." By accepting this deal, Watanuki starts a path of strange and extraordinary happenings.

In Bleach the Movie: Memories of Nobody, upon a person's death, their spirit proceeds to the Soul Society. However, lingering too long in the human world can cause a spirit to morph into a destructive Hollow that preys on other souls. Soul Reapers are tasked with protecting humans from Hollows and guiding lost spirits. In Karakura Town, Soul Reapers Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki face a new menace: the Blanks—entities stripped of memory and immune to standard burial rites. The mystery is momentarily resolved when a mysterious Soul Reaper named Senna appears and dispels the Blanks. The puzzle deepens as a spectral duplicate of the human world materializes above the Soul Society. As further strange events unfold, suspicions grow about Senna's connection to them, though she keeps her past hidden.

Aizawa Yuuichi, who frequently visited his cousin in a lively city, abruptly left and remained absent for seven years because of a sudden event. When he comes back to the snowy town, Yuuichi cannot remember that time. He starts connecting with multiple young women, each linked to his forgotten past. As Yuuichi builds relationships with them, his childhood memories gradually return.

In school, Mai Taniyama and her classmates enjoy sharing ghost stories, usually revolving around an abandoned school building on campus. Their conversation is interrupted by a mysterious young man named Kazuya Shibuya, who is revealed to be the 17-year-old head of the Shibuya Psychic Research Firm. Called in by the principal, he is assigned to investigate the rumors surrounding the dilapidated structure. The next day on her way to school, Mai discovers the same building and inspects a strange camera she finds inside. When she is startled by Kazuya's assistant, she disrupts their investigation, causing damage to the camera and injuring the assistant. Kazuya then demands that Mai pay for the camera and serve as a replacement for his injured assistant. As a result, Mai begins to explore the supernatural world and the field of ghost hunting.

High schooler Kazuki Muto dies one night while shielding a mysterious girl from a monster, only to awaken in his school dormitory convinced it was merely a dream. This illusion shatters when a colossal serpentine beast assaults him and his sister. Tokiko Tsumura, the girl he rescued, reveals the creature is a homunculus and admits she killed Kazuki with it while he was saving her. Guilt-ridden, she revived him by inserting a Kakugane medallion into his chest to serve as a replacement heart. Tokiko explains that this alchemical device, when activated, manifests into a unique weapon called a Buso Renkin based on the user's nature, which is the sole method to destroy homunculi. Kazuki forges his own Buso Renkin, the "Sunlight Heart," a massive lance. Teaming up with Tokiko and her "Valkyrie Skirt," an execution scythe, Kazuki joins the battle against the homunculi and their master.

Ai Enma and her companions continue their grim duty, offering a means of vengeance to those wronged, but at a steep cost—both the victim who summons Hell and the target are condemned to eternal damnation. While they carry on with their unending work, a mysterious young girl named Kikuri observes them from the shadows. During her missions, Ai encounters Takuma Kurebayashi, a boy known as the "Devil's Child" because of the tragic incidents that follow him. His feared reputation leads the villagers to blame him for sending people to hell. As the situation spirals into violence, Ai must step in to halt the senseless cruelty, a move that puts her own existence at risk.

In this arc of Bleach, a Shinigami called Baishin, who was sealed away by Soul Society in the past, breaks free and arrives on Earth. When Ichigo meets Baishin, he loses nearly half of his reiatsu. To halt Baishin's rampage, Ichigo and Soul Society must join forces.

In Treasure Town, a pair known as "The Cats" are said to know everything that happens in the city, and nobody dares cause trouble without facing them. The Cats are actually two orphaned boys, Black and White, who are completely fearless. Their hold over the town is threatened when the Yakuza show up and begin changing the city. Relying only on each other, the unpredictable Black and the easygoing White fight to take back their beloved Treasure Town. But their bond is tested as they come to understand that bringing back the past may no longer be possible.

In the series Kekkaishi, Yoshimura Sumimura carries on the tradition of a "Kekkaishi"—someone granted supernatural powers to fight evil beings known as Ayakashi that invade the human world. These Ayakashi are drawn to the spiritual energy rising from Karasumori, the site of Yoshimura's high school. Though he would rather bake cakes than battle these eerie creatures, he feels driven to defend his beloved school and hometown. Yoshimura does not face this alone; his childhood friend and neighbor, Tokine Yukimura, joins him despite the long-standing rivalry between their families. Together, they create a strong team. As the Ayakashi keep attacking the land, aiming to claim it, a secret organization watches from the shadows, waiting for the right moment to act. Cooperation proves essential in their ongoing fight against the relentless enemies.

Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales presents three distinct traditional Japanese ghost stories. "Yotsuya Kaidan" follows a betrayed wife who pursues retribution against her disloyal husband, persisting beyond death. "Tenshu Monogatari" centers on a sacred romance between a goddess and a mortal man, constrained by a love that cannot be fulfilled. "Bakeneko" concludes with the myth of a malevolent cat yokai that stalks a specific family, bringing its vengeful spirit upon them.

For generations, beings known as Shokujinki have coexisted with humans, appearing identical to them except for their ability to transform into monstrous creatures with enormous claws and their compulsion to feed on people. The Kifuuken dojo, a secret organization dedicated to eradicating Shokujinki by severing their arms, stands as the sole barrier preventing these beings from taking over. Toshihiko Momota, whose father leads the Kifuuken, finds himself deeply drawn to Yuka Kamitsuki, a woman shrouded in mystery. Unbeknownst to both, Yuka is a Shokujinki, while Toshihiko is bound by duty to end her life. Simultaneously, the Kifuuken faces internal strife as Toshihiko's brother, Kazuma, challenges the dojo's traditions and seeks to modernize its methods. As tensions escalate and hidden truths from both past and present emerge, the question remains: who will survive and who will fall prey to the Shokujinki's hunger?

Keita Kawahira, born into a family of Inukami tamers, was rejected by his relatives because he lacked natural talent. His luck shifted when Youko, an Inukami who appeared elegant, obedient, and strikingly beautiful, offered herself to him. Keita quickly formed a contract with her, gaining her loyalty. Yet, Youko turned out to be a notoriously wild Inukami who defied all expectations. "Inukami!" is a comedic story centered on Keita, an Inukami tamer whose passions are money and women, and Youko, an Inukami driven by destruction and fierce jealousy. The narrative follows these two as they manage their chaotic bond through a series of funny situations.

The song may say "thank heaven for little girls", but who is college student Keiichi Morisato supposed to thank when three honest to goodness Goddesses move in and take over his life? After all, according to most mythologies, relationships between mortals and immortals usually leads to mortifying complications, so we're already talking about an extremely mixed blessing!

Set in 18th-century Paris, the story begins when Lia de Beaumont, a noblewoman and spy for King Louis XV, is found dead in the Seine. Her brother, the newly knighted D'Eon, grows suspicious of the recent disappearances around the city and links them to Lia's death. Joining the secret police, he sets out to find her killers. The investigation uncovers a conspiracy involving members of both French and Russian nobility, orchestrated by a cult. D'Eon begins to believe that Lia was murdered after discovering the truth during one of her missions. The intrigue deepens when an attempt to arrest the Duke of Orléans leads to a secret police member transforming into a demonic creature called a Gargoyle and slaughtering the team. D'Eon tries to save the sole survivor, who has also transformed. During the confrontation, D'Eon is overtaken by Lia’s vengeful spirit, which takes control to destroy the Gargoyle. After these events, D'Eon must gather allies to fully unravel the supernatural conspiracy at hand.

In the midst of the Rozen Maiden conflicts, where the life-like dolls battle each other, Jun Sakurada takes a brief respite to hear a tale. After buying a brooch intended as a gift for Shinku, the fifth doll, her refusal to accept it prompts Souseiseki, the fourth doll, to recount the backstory of Shinku and Suigintou, the first doll. The story reveals the sorrowful beginnings of Suigintou's creation and the series of misunderstandings that led to the intense rivalry between her and Shinku, fueled by Suigintou's relentless animosity. Set against the backdrop of 19th century London, Rozen Maiden: Ouvertüre uncovers the hidden truths behind these once-close companions.

In "Shonen Onmyoji," Masahiro is the grandson of the legendary onmyouji Abe no Seimei, yet he lacks his sixth sense, the essential ability to perceive supernatural beings, which hinders his intended path. Forced to consider an alternate future, his life changes when he meets a unique mononoke named Mokkun. After Masahiro achieves an unexpected victory over a demon, Mokkun helps unlock his latent powers, guiding him toward becoming the most powerful onmyouji.

In this sequel, Kazusano Kazuki, a girl, joins the group of six trainee priestesses and Ikko. With Kazuki around, Ikko finds herself in increasingly awkward situations with her fellow trainees.

Samatarou is no ordinary high school student; he is the son of a god with a mother who is a goddess and sisters who are candidates for goddesshood. Residing in the human world, his divine family aims to teach him human customs and the habits of the beings they protect so that he may grow into a worthy god. Tenko, an angel assigned to watch over him, shares his birthday and has been his close friend since birth. Although life appears routine, everything shifts with the arrival of a transfer student named Kumiko. Samatarou falls in love with her, and his determination to make her reciprocate his feelings without relying on his powers soon lands him in trouble, drastically altering his existence.

Momo, dressed in white, carries a scythe that is both sharp and dull. A winged black cat named Daniel stays by her side. Her duty is to carry human souls, which gives her the name "Death God" or "Shinigami." When this pale Shinigami touches human hearts, the world becomes full of kindness and sorrow.

In New York, a series of mysterious suicides is occurring. One morning, four high school girls wake up feeling confused and tired, unable to remember the night before. At school, they find out a classmate has died by suicide, causing classes to be canceled. Instead of going home, the girls are strangely drawn to a park by butterflies only they can see. There, they meet a man and a woman who tell them that all four girls had died the previous night.

Shindou Ranmaru has just completed his training at the police academy and is assigned to the Tokko Special Mobile Investigation Force. On the day of his graduation, he encounters a half-naked girl he had been seeing in his dreams. She is Rokujo Sakura, a member of a secret unit within Tokki known as the Tokko Special Public Safety Task Force. Shindou eventually joins Tokko to seek revenge for his parents' death and to solve the mysterious mass murder of residents in his hometown of Machida. At the same time, bottomless pits are appearing across Japan, and strange creatures emerge from them. These events may be connected to the Machida Massacre.

Karada Iokawa, a lively and dependable girl on the cusp of junior high, detests being seen as immature. Following the loss of her parents, her overseas-studying elder brother Hiro comes back to look after her. Accompanying Hiro is his former girlfriend, the poised yet sporadically childlike and headstrong Shouko Nogami, who seeks to understand why he left her. Tensions rise between the two young women, leading to a confrontation where Shouko labels Karada as childish. In a bid to mature, Karada makes a wish at a shrine, unknowingly activating the shrine’s magical wishing stone. As Karada grows older, Shouko, who was coincidentally close by, regresses into a child. Now with their ages reversed, Shouko and Karada must navigate their new roles and work towards mutual understanding and personal growth.

Enma, a creation of the legendary manga artist Go Nagai, stars in a chilling horror anime designed for mature audiences. This erotic suspense thriller follows Enma as he tackles twisted and gruesome cases instigated by demons hiding in the shadows. While humanity has illuminated the night with neon, creating a city that never sleeps, demons have retreated into the "darkness of the human heart." It is within the realms of unfulfilled desires, suppressed emotions, and despair that these creatures now dwell. As the Demon Prince of the Underworld and a demon "Born of Fire," Enma's duty is to retrieve or eliminate any demons that have escaped from the Underworld into the human realm. Teaming up with Princess Yukihime, who is "Born of Ice," and the monster Kapaeru, he establishes "Enma's Detective Agency." Each night, they patrol the insomniac city, confronting horrific events that defy human explanation. The scent of evil hangs heavy at every crime scene, but Enma's flames are ready to tear through the darkness!

All things possess a name by which they are defined. Among these named entities are the many long-forgotten gods that inhabit the world, born from humanity's prayers, fears, and desires. In the famine-stricken and riot-plagued city of Edo, alarming events befall the populace at the hands of these otherworldly beasts. Descending from mountain peaks or rising from the earth, these old gods are known as the Youi. For nearly twenty-five years, Yukiatsu Ryuudou has wandered the Japanese countryside posing as a bodyguard while living the life of a gambler and thief, all the while denying his own name. Through a chance encounter with a Youi and members of the Office of Barbarian Knowledge Enforcement, Yukiatsu is forced to confront the life he has been running from and rediscover his long-hidden power of Ayagami—the ability to find true names and wield them as weapons to exorcise these beasts plaguing the material world.

A behind-the-scenes special featuring all the main characters from Amaenaide yo!! Katsu!!, in which they share their personal thoughts on their past experiences with the series and their professional interactions with their fellow cast members.

Following the release of the Playstation port for Resident Evil 4, Capcom later put out a 97-minute DVD that aimed to recap the entire narrative of Resident Evil 4. The disc features English voice acting with Japanese subtitles. Alongside the video, a small booklet details life in El Pueblo prior to Osmund Saddler's arrival. The DVD also addresses certain plot gaps, such as what became of the children. It incorporates numerous scenes from the original Resident Evil 4 game.

Three Naze Nani Shana episodes that were DVD magazine exclusives of the Shakugan no Shana no Subete magazine.

The story centers on three youkai—Bem, Bera, and Barro—who travel to a major coastal city and sense a sinister atmosphere born from human immorality and the mischief of monsters and youkai. They choose to remain in the city to battle other monsters and youkai that threaten humans, forming friendships along the way. Despite frequently suffering abuse from humans because of their appearance, the trio continues to protect the city's populace from various monsters, harboring the hope that their good deeds will one day allow them to become human.

In the stillness of the night, a young girl walks through empty streets, feeling an unsettling dread hanging in the air. Out of nowhere, a violent crimson beast appears and gives chase. Fleeing in terror, she comes across an elderly homeless man in a back alley, then later a police officer holding a gun—each attempts to protect her. Can either of these courageous souls succeed in saving the girl from the relentless monster hunting her?

In ancient Japan, a princess flees with her lover from those chasing them. When capture became certain, they promised to take their own lives rather than let the princess return to her previous existence. Both drew their blades to end their lives, but something misfired. Now one of them searches for vengeance after being left behind. Hana no Kage was initially created as a 17-minute and 6-second version and later issued as a 15-minute version online. The 17-minute and 6-second version received the fine art award at the 18th DoGA CG animation contest and was subsequently shown in theaters; the uncut edition is also featured on the DVD collection of selected works from the 18th DoGA CG animation contest. The 15-minute version earned the excellent award at the 2nd Kichijoji animation film festival.

Fifteen years have passed since the downfall of the evil warlord Oda Nobunaga. In the late sixteenth century, dark times loom as his successor, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, summons the Genma forces to cast Japan once more under their demonic shadow. Soki, a formidable warrior wielding the dark power of the Oni, discovers Hideyoshi's treacherous plot. He embarks on a quest to destroy the Genma trees and vanquish the Genma that have run rampant across the land. Shin Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams the Story is a compilation of cut-scenes from the game of the same title, released separately on DVD.

Lily went to an amusement park with her parents that had a frog-themed mascot. Inside the park's Frog Castle, she found and pulled out a sword. According to legend, anyone who defeats the giant serpent with this sword will have their wish granted by the Frog King. After succeeding, Lily was transported to Frog Land and met the Frog King. He told her that she would turn into a frog if she did not open the Gate of Hope before the eggs in front of her hatched. Suddenly, a man named Knodo appeared and declared that his destiny was to be her little brother. Confused by this claim, Lily tried to escape, but Knodo followed her. During the chase, they both fell headfirst into the water.

Daijuuji Kurou, Al, Master Therion, and Etheldreda carry on their timeless conflict across various timelines, locked in a never-ending battle against the infinite, akin to the Ouroboros.