Best Supernatural Anime of 2008

Young Ciel Phantomhive holds the title "the Queen's Guard Dog," handling the various unsettling incidents that arise in Victorian England on behalf of Her Majesty. With the help of Sebastian Michaelis, his faithful butler who possesses seemingly superhuman abilities, Ciel employs whatever methods are required to accomplish his tasks. Yet, there may be more hidden behind this black-clad butler than initially appears. Ciel's past conceals a tragic secret that plunged him into perpetual darkness—in one of his most desperate moments, he forged a contract with Sebastian, a demon, trading his soul for retribution against those who harmed him. Nowadays, Sebastian is not only one hell of a butler but also the ideal servant to execute his master's commands—all while eagerly anticipating the delicious meal he will eventually make of Ciel's soul. As the pair works to solve the mystery behind Ciel's series of misfortunes, a connection develops between them that neither heaven nor hell can break.

In the small village of Pasloe, Holo, a mighty wolf god, is honored for blessing the yearly harvest. Over time, however, the townspeople grow more self-reliant, and Holo fades into nothing more than a legend. When the wandering merchant Kraft Lawrence stops in the village, Holo suggests a business arrangement: she will help him if he brings her to her northern homeland, Yoitsu. The shrewd trader realizes Holo has a special talent for reading people's true natures and agrees to her offer. Armed with keen deal-making skills and a persuasive companion, Lawrence moves closer to his dream of owning his own store. But as he journeys across the countryside with Holo, searching for profitable ventures, he starts to realize that his ambitions are gradually changing into something unforeseen.

Yuuki Cross and the stern Zero Kiryuu serve on the disciplinary committee at Cross Academy, an institution divided into the Day Class and the Night Class. Their duty involves maintaining order during the transition between these groups. However, the Day Class remains oblivious to the reality that the students of the Night Class are actually vampires. A decade prior, Yuuki was rescued from a vampire assault by Kaname Kuran, a Pureblood. Kaname now leads the Night Class, and Yuuki’s role allows her to encounter him frequently, deepening her complicated emotions. In contrast, Zero harbors intense hatred for vampires, convinced that humans and vampires cannot coexist peacefully. Yet, a hidden aspect of Zero’s history soon jeopardizes the delicate balance at the academy, promising to change everything forever.

Takashi Natsume has always felt like an outsider due to his unique ability to see youkai. Shuttled between various foster homes, he grew up isolated and lonely, eventually shutting himself off from his caretakers and classmates after realizing no one would believe his experiences. His solitude is interrupted when he accidentally shatters a spiritual barrier, releasing Madara, a powerful spirit disguised as a lucky cat. Madara recognizes Natsume’s striking resemblance to his late grandmother, Reiko Natsume, a pariah who earned infamy in the youkai world by creating the Book of Friends. Natsume now possesses this book, which holds the power to summon youkai whose names Reiko had conquered. Uninterested in wielding such power, Natsume keeps the book to honor his grandmother’s memory and safeguard it from malicious youkai. He strikes a deal with Madara: upon the expiration of his time, Madara will receive the book, and in exchange, the spirit will serve as Natsume’s unofficial bodyguard under the guise of Nyanko-sensei. Guided by his new objective of releasing the youkai Reiko had sealed, Natsume’s connections with both the human and youkai worlds gradually begin to strengthen.

After Zero Kiryuu comes back to Cross Academy, Yuuki Cross is deeply relieved that he's safe, but she can see he has changed drastically. Tormented by visions linked to his past choices, Zero tries to figure out where they come from, unaware that the answers are closer than he thinks. At the same time, Yuuki experiences troubling hallucinations and goes to Kaname Kuran, the Pureblood vampire she feels closest to, for help in understanding her hidden past. The story moves toward a crucial moment, asking what will happen once the truth is finally revealed.

In Shibuya, a string of murders known as the "New Generation Madness" has become a major topic of conversation among locals as the crimes grow in notoriety. However, these "New Gen" killings fail to interest Takumi Nishijou, a high school otaku prone to delusions who feels like he is always being watched. With no concern for the real world, Takumi spends his days playing online games and watching anime. But his mundane life is shattered when he receives a gruesome image of a man impaled on a wall from a user named Shogun. After calming down at an internet cafe, Takumi witnesses the exact murder scene from the image unfold right before his eyes, alongside a pink-haired girl covered in blood calling his name. Struggling with the nature of reality, Takumi finds it hard to decide where to place his trust as he becomes entangled in the "New Gen" murders, convinced that the killer is after him.

Kouta is dealing with supernatural romantic troubles. For reasons he can't explain, he keeps drawing the interest—and affection—of animal spirits. After growing up in the countryside, Kouta feels understandably anxious about moving in with his grandmother to attend a high school in the city. He wanted to make a good first impression, but having Chizuru, a beautiful fox spirit, clinging to his arm isn't exactly the image he had in mind. She isn't the only one vying for Kouta's affection, either. Nozomu, a wolf spirit, along with other youkai, have their eyes on the hapless boy from the country.

Within Japan, a government organization called the Supernatural Disaster Countermeasures Division (SDCD) exists to safeguard citizens from invisible threats. They eliminate these monsters swiftly without alerting the public. However, a new problem emerges when one of their own betrays them. After losing her mother years ago, Kagura Tsuchimiya is taken in by the Isayama family and develops a close, sisterly bond with their daughter Yomi. The two become inseparable and serve the SDCD as talented exorcists. Yet as the pressure and repercussions of their sacred mission mount, and family conflicts arise, Kagura and Yomi begin to grow apart. One matures wholeheartedly into her role as an exorcist, while the other descends down a dark path from which escape may be impossible.

Immortality is something many people might wish for. But would they still desire it if they knew it would subject them to endless attacks? That is the reality for Rin Asougi, an immortal private investigator—there is no shortage of individuals who want her dead. Over the centuries, she has met countless gruesome ends, only to return to life each time as if nothing happened. In 1990, while searching for a lost cat, Rin encounters Kouki Maeno, a man who believes his memories are faulty. Agreeing to assist him, Rin soon discovers that Kouki is not what he appears to be, all while moving closer to her true enemy. This foe knows Rin and her kind all too well, and if she dies by his hand, she may stay dead forever.

As a child while catching bugs, Jin Mikuriya had a fateful encounter with a deity, which later inspired his latest artwork: The Tree Spirit. Thinking about how to bring the wooden statue to school, Jin assumes he will spend the rest of the day admiring his handiwork. However, before he can even lift it, the sculpture absorbs the surrounding earth and bursts into a cute girl! Nagi, who introduces herself as an earth guardian, declares that Jin must assist her in eliminating the "impurities" tainting the land. Unfortunately, because her tree was cut down and her powers are completely depleted, she can only purify impurities using a magical wand! With their fates now linked, Jin and Nagi navigate their growing understanding of each other through countless everyday antics.

Silent, indifferent, but with a playful streak, 14-year-old Rokujou Miharu holds the secret technique "Shinrabanshou," a coveted ability that numerous ninja clans seek to claim in order to become the ruler of Nabari. His classmate Kouichi Aizawa and English teacher Thobari Durandal Kumohira are secretly members of the Banten ninja clan, sworn to protect Miharu from the many assailants targeting him. Maintaining his apathetic demeanor, Miharu tries to decline their offer to join their ninja "club." Yet, after facing repeated attacks, he realizes he has no choice but to join their group to ensure his survival. Gradually, Miharu edges closer to becoming the ruler of Nabari.

Years earlier, Himura Yuu is a hardworking and dedicated student focused only on keeping his top rank at Otowa Academy. One day, he encounters a mysterious girl named Amamiya Yuuko, who surprisingly recognizes him. This brings back memories of a distant childhood, ones better left forgotten... Meeting Yuuko again forces Yuu to face the regrets and sorrows from both their pasts and presents. In the current timeline, Kuze Shuuichi appears to be a playboy, but a closer look reveals he prefers to be left alone. However, Hayama Mizuki is not the kind of girl who will let him be, especially after hearing the beautiful sound of his violin playing. As Mizuki tries to get closer to him, Kuze attempts to push her away—the story of their developing relationship is overshadowed by hints of an approaching tragedy.

Kimihiro Watanuki has always had an unusual existence. In addition to his power to perceive spirits, this continuation of xxxHOLiC shows him still working tirelessly for Yuuko, the eccentric owner of a peculiar shop, who vowed to take away this ability. Yet, this supernatural woman can only fulfill that promise once he has labored sufficiently to earn his desire. Such is the rule for anyone who enters the shop to have their wish fulfilled: a price equal to the wish must be paid. In this strange establishment that exists between the realm of the living and the dead, Watanuki spends his days performing household tasks for the seemingly indolent Yuuko and her associates, while also assisting customers. Alongside his classmates—his supposed romantic rival Shizuka Doumeki and his crush Himawari Kunogi—Watanuki confronts the numerous calamities that befall Yuuko's clients, as well as those that persistently haunt him and his companions.

In nineteenth-century Scotland, Lydia Carlton earns her living as a fairy doctor, possessing the rare ability to see and converse with fairies. Her claims are met with widespread disbelief. Edgar, however, seeks someone deeply knowledgeable about fairy lore, and Lydia fits the bill perfectly. After saving her, he takes her on as his employee, but Edgar, who asserts he is the Earl of the Blue Knight, is trailed by numerous secrets and complex feelings.

Ouri Kagami lives at a shrine with other orphans, so corpses are nothing new to him. Yet when he sees the shrine's patron, Keisei Tagami, apparently bring the scarred body of schoolgirl Makina Hoshimura back to life, he is left utterly stunned. Drawn to the strange circumstances surrounding Makina, he discovers that she is a Shikabane Hime—an undead being whose duty is to destroy others like her that endanger society. As Ouri continues his everyday routine, his inexplicable encounters with her grow increasingly abnormal. But with each meeting becoming more intense, the two are pulled closer, and their intertwined fates may ultimately reveal the hidden truths of the Shikabane world.

After the events of Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori, Ai Enma, the Hell Girl, has vanished. Her former companions attempt to return to ordinary lives, until their absent mistress reappears to them with a new ally, and in a manner none of them foresaw. Yuzuki Mikage is an ordinary schoolgirl who soon comes to know the Hell Girl on a deeply personal level. While in a dreamlike trance in the bath, Ai kisses Yuzuki and takes possession of her. So when Yuzuki's friend decides to enter their teacher's name on the Hell Correspondence website, Ai uses Yuzuki's body to carry out her own duty of sending the teacher's soul to hell. Yuzuki is unsettled by her new situation and questions why she was chosen to continue Ai's work. Unfortunately for her, the Hell Girl and her assistants resume operations of Hell Correspondence, and she is pulled along for the ride toward hell itself.

Takuma Hirose, a male high school student, has lost his sight due to an unknown cause. To treat his condition, he moves to a village to stay with his uncle. There, he encounters several girls, with three standing out in particular: Hayami Kohinata, Hinata Kangura, and Otoha. Otoha temporarily restores his vision, and Hirose uses his regained sight to assist others. He discovers that Hayami Kohinata is inexplicably despised by the villagers, and he does everything he can to support her. Meanwhile, numerous sorrowful secrets begin to surface in the village...

In Ayanagi City, a seaside metropolis built to facilitate recovery from the "Apathy Syndrome" disaster a decade earlier, high school student Shin Kanzato and his younger brother Jun reunite with their elder brother Ryou, the chief of the Ayanagi City Police, after ten years apart. Around this time, a series of bizarre incidents plague the city: a submarine crew vanishes without a trace inside their vessel, a listless symptom resembling the Apathy Syndrome resurfaces, and a student is found gruesomely mutilated in an "inside-out corpse" case. As Ryou investigates the organization behind these events, Shin becomes entangled in the incidents and awakens his "Persona."

Manji, a legendary swordsman from Japan's feudal era, is infamous as the "Hundred Man Killer" for slaying a hundred innocent men. Yet, even more terrifying than his dark reputation is the fact that he cannot die. This is due to the actions of Yaobikuni, an eight-hundred-year-old nun, who implanted bloodworms in his body that can heal nearly any injury. Seeking to make amends for his past sins, Manji vows to kill one thousand evil men. Yaobikuni accepts this plan, promising to lift his immortality curse if he succeeds. Shortly after, Manji encounters Rin Asano, a sixteen-year-old girl who asks for his help in avenging her parents' murder. At first, Manji turns down Rin's desperate request. But seeing her clear lack of strength, he changes his mind and agrees to guard her for four years. With this pact sealed, the pair sets out on a dangerous journey filled with bloodshed, revenge, and redemption, each pursuing their own personal mission.

Clumsy high school student Yoriko Kusumoto is completely infatuated with Kanako Yuzuki. Just as they finalize plans for a summer getaway, their trip is cut short in a horrific accident: Kanako is discovered in critical condition on the railway tracks while Yoriko breaks down in tears on the platform. Shuutarou Kiba, a detective who was aboard the train that struck Kanako, assumes responsibility for solving the case. He quickly uncovers that the incident is linked to a complex web of lies centered on the Yuzuki family, particularly Youko Yuzuki, a renowned actress and Kanako’s sister. Despite surviving surgery, Kanako’s fragile health leads Youko to place her under the care of Dr. Koushirou Mimasaka at a strange, box-like facility hidden in the woods for experimental therapy. The situation takes a dark turn when Kanako disappears overnight during a visit from Kiba and Yoriko. Kiba’s investigation becomes increasingly desperate as he uncovers more disturbing evidence, including the severed limbs of young girls packed in boxes. A colleague hints that these gruesome discoveries are tied to both Kanako’s vanishing and the secrets surrounding her sister. With assistance from partners Tatsumi Sekiguchi and Akihiko Chuuzenji, Kiba must unravel this string of atrocities to locate Kanako and expose the truth.

High school student Akira Nikaido lives a mundane life as a typical slacker until the mysterious Shirogane appears, declaring that the two share a destined bond. Akira is skeptical and dismisses the claim. Later, while helping his friend Aya retrieve a forgotten item at school, Akira is attacked by a shadow monster. Shirogane reveals that the equilibrium between the human and shadow worlds is broken, explaining that Akira must become a shin, a creature from the shadow realm, to restore balance. Unlike the manga, the anime adaptation incorporates shonen-ai themes.

Tokidoki Rikugou is a student who despises history and fails his Japanese History class. To make up for his poor grade, his high school mandates that he attend a special lecture at a museum. The exhibit features a massive recreation of the Edo Period, designed to help struggling students like Tokidoki improve their grades through an immersive simulation of the Tokugawa Shogunate known as the Edo Bakumatsu Walking Tour and Exhibition. Unfamiliar with samurai culture or the era he has entered, Tokidoki is initially shocked by the superstitions prevalent in 1600s Japan. He quickly dismisses the existence of gods and demons, but his skepticism is shattered when a demon attacks him on a bridge. He is rescued by a mysterious swordsman named Kuchiha, only to realize that he cannot leave the museum’s simulation. There, he meets another swordsman, Kon Shinonome, who reveals that he was trapped in the simulation before Tokidoki. As Tokidoki adapts to his new surroundings, he must help defend the village from demons while trying to uncover the secrets behind the simulation and the corporation responsible for creating it.

The Mizuchi bloodline has been targeted by Yokai, or monsters, for ages. Toru and Noboru Takagami are descendants of this line and, under their grandmother's judgment, are granted a covert weapon to fight these creatures. It is Tenko Kugen, a fox deity who can shift between male and female form at will. This mischievous god is joined by a shrine maiden named Ko, and both will come to live with the Takagami brothers in their home. Life suddenly becomes much more turbulent.

Ryouko Yakushiji is a 27-year-old polyglot investigator who graduated from Tokyo University's prestigious Department of Law. She handles strange and otherworldly cases as a member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. In addition to confronting supernatural entities in her job, Yakushiji must also contend with her rival Yukiko Muromachi, another equally skilled and beautiful police detective.

Kitarou is a youkai child who was born in a graveyard, and apart from his partly decomposed father, he is the final surviving member of the Ghost tribe. His left eye is absent, but his hair normally conceals the vacant eye socket. His mission is to maintain harmony between humans and youkai, typically meaning safeguarding people from the tricks of supernatural beings. This iteration of Kitarou's tale is derived from the original Hakaba Kitarou manga, the comic that gave rise to the well-known Gegege no Kitarou series in the late 1960s.