Best Suspense Anime of 2013

Centuries ago, humanity was driven nearly to extinction by colossal, humanoid monsters known as Titans, forcing the survivors to cower behind enormous concentric walls. The true horror of these giants lies in their consumption of human flesh, which seems motivated not by hunger but by pleasure. To ensure their survival, the remnants of humanity lived within these defensive barriers, enjoying a hundred years without a single Titan encounter. But that fragile peace is shattered when a Colossal Titan breaches the supposedly impregnable outer wall, reigniting the desperate fight for survival against the man-eating abominations. After suffering a devastating personal loss at the hands of the invading creatures, Eren Yeager dedicates his life to their eradication by joining the Survey Corps, an elite military unit that battles the merciless humanoids beyond the walls. Alongside his adopted sister Mikasa Ackerman and childhood friend Armin Arlert, Eren enters the brutal war against the Titans, racing to find a way to defeat them before the last walls fall.

Makoto Naegi, an ordinary teenager with no special talents, is shocked to discover he has been admitted to Hope's Peak Private Academy, a prestigious school that brings together the most gifted students from every discipline. Even though he believes his acceptance was just luck, Naegi is excited to attend a place famous for guaranteeing success to its graduates. Filled with determination, he steps through the front doors of the elite institution. But after losing consciousness inside, Naegi wakes up in a classroom that looks abandoned. Unable to understand how he got there, he starts searching the building and is surprised to find his classmates gathered in the gym. As everyone tries to make sense of the situation, they are confronted by the principal—Monokuma, a robotic teddy bear. This mysterious creature explains that the students are trapped inside the school, and the only way to escape is to kill a fellow student without getting caught. Anxiety grips Naegi and his classmates as they realize they have only two options: take part in Monokuma's deadly game, or remain trapped together in the school forever.

The young girls of Mitakihara lead cheerful lives, occasionally battling evil but otherwise enjoying their calm, everyday routines. However, Homura Akemi senses that something is off with this unusually pleasant atmosphere—while the others remain unaware, she can't shake the feeling that there is more beneath the surface: someone who shouldn't exist is now present among them. Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Movie 3: Hangyaku no Monogatari follows Homura as she struggles to reveal the painful truth behind the mysterious circumstances, selfishly and desperately fighting for the sake of her undying love in this despair-ridden conclusion to the story of five magical girls.

Takao Kasuga is a high school student with a deep fascination for poetry, admiring Charles Baudelaire so much that he keeps the poet's portrait in his room. One ordinary day, Takao accidentally leaves his copy of The Flowers of Evil in the classroom. When he goes back to retrieve it, he impulsively steals the gym clothes of Nanako Saeki, a model student he considers his muse and a femme fatale. Overwhelmed by shame and aware that his act is seen as both a sin and a crime, Takao is horrified to discover that his classmate Sawa Nakamura, a social outcast, witnessed the theft. Sawa blackmails him, forcing Takao to participate in her disturbing fantasies under the threat of exposing his secret to everyone. Trapped in a downward spiral of increasingly traumatic experiences, Takao must find a way to break free from Sawa's grip and seek redemption for his wrongdoing.

On a Sunday, the countdown to humanity's extinction begins as the Septentriones, invaders from another world, appear with the goal of wiping out all life. Hibiki Kuze and his companions find themselves caught in this conflict and make contracts with demons to become "Devil Summoners," joining the fight for survival. Their newfound abilities soon catch the eye of JP's, a secret organization led by Yamato Houtsuin. After being recruited, Hibiki and his friends fight alongside other ordinary civilians who have also become Devil Summoners, forming bonds through battle. But each new day brings another Septentrione to unleash destruction across Japan. Even when many lives are lost, the young summoners must defeat the invaders before nightfall, no matter the cost.

Kiri Haimura has an unusual fascination with beautiful hair—specifically, cutting it. This odd compulsion drives him to search for a rumored long-haired ghost said to haunt an abandoned house on a hill. Instead of a spirit, he discovers Iwai Mushanokouji, a lovely girl with flowing locks known as the "Hair Queen," whose hair cannot be cut because of a family curse. Iwai reveals that a death game revolves around her: if someone kills her with a cursed object called a "Killing Good," that wielder's wish will be granted. After defending Iwai from "Authors"—users of Killing Goods—Kiri learns that his own family possesses a Killing Good: a pair of scissors once used by his ancestor to commit murders. Dubbing the scissors "The Severing Crime Edge," he realizes they can cut Iwai's cursed hair, freeing her to live a normal life. Yet many Authors still seek to slay the Hair Queen, and Kiri must protect her in this lethal game of fate.

"Do puzzles truly hold any necessity in this world?" To help recover Jin's memories, Kaito and his companions travel to England for a puzzle-related expedition. While navigating the underground labyrinth beneath a church—the very site where young Kaito and Rook originally encountered Jin—a mysterious girl materializes before them. Jin addresses her as Raetsel, indicating a prior connection. Yet she vanishes abruptly, taking Jin along with her. To make matters worse, the traps within the subterranean maze trigger, turning hostile toward Kaito and his friends.

The story is a comedy following the protagonist, Koroshiya-san, who considers himself—and is considered by others—to be Japan's greatest hit man. His personal motto is, "If I have an assignment, I will kill anything." However, the scope of his "killing" jobs has expanded to cover everything from summer vacation homework to housekeeping. As the tagline states, "The hit man never fails to kill the target. Though he does not aim to, he also never misses the laughter."