Best Supernatural Anime of 2021

Sixteen-year-old Yuuta Okkotsu is a timid student frequently targeted by bullies, plagued by violent outbursts from his monstrous curse, Rika Orimoto. Born from a traumatic past, this curse poses a lethal danger to anyone who provokes him. Yuuta's unique predicament draws the attention of Satoru Gojou, a formidable sorcerer and instructor at Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School. Seeing potential in the boy, Gojou intends to guide Yuuta in harnessing his curse for the greater good. However, Yuuta finds it difficult to integrate with his talented classmates, including the selectively silent Toge Inumaki, weapons expert Maki Zenin, and the enigmatic Panda. While undertaking missions with his peers, Yuuta clumsily wields Rika's overwhelming power, often resulting in disastrous consequences. These incidents catch the eye of Suguru Getou, a cunning curse user plotting to exploit Rika's strength to wipe out all non-jujutsu practitioners. Standing alongside his friends, Yuuta battles to thwart Getou's genocidal scheme.

In To Your Eternity, a nameless entity arrives on Earth for observation, possessing the ability to assume the forms of various creatures. Initially appearing as a stone and later transforming into moss due to temperature shifts, it remains motionless until a dying wolf approaches. By taking on the wolf's form, it gains awareness and begins to wander. It encounters the wolf's owner, a lonely child left behind when his tribe heads south in search of abundant food. Despite his isolation, the boy clings to the belief that his family will return for him. Seeking adventure, he sets out with the entity, following his tribe's path toward what they perceive as a better future. As the boy's health deteriorates from his wounds and the absence of his companions, his fate remains uncertain. The narrative follows this eternal being through its varied experiences and interactions with people across different times and places.

The Demon Slayer Corps investigates a series of unexplained disappearances connected to a specific train, sending their elite Flame Hashira, Kyoujurou Rengoku, to confront the suspected demon. Before boarding the Mugen Train, the group encounters a lesser demon attacking the staff and targeting an old woman and her granddaughter, a threat Rengoku eliminates first. Tanjirou Kamado, Inosuke Hashibira, and Zenitsu Agatsuma then join Rengoku to face the main adversary. Once aboard the train, they confront a formidable opponent who intends to exploit the passengers' deepest fears. By delving into their psyches, the demon aims to demonstrate the Twelve Kizuki's capabilities through a horrifying assault on everyone on board.

Following the suicide of her close friend Koito Nagase, Ai Ooto feels adrift and desperately seeks meaning. When a mysterious voice guides her to a Wonder Egg, she cracks it open to find herself in a bizarre dream realm. There, Ai begins aiding individuals trapped in their personal struggles, believing that rescuing them might somehow lead to saving her friend. This perilous yet mesmerizing journey forces Ai to confront not only the shadows haunting others but also her own inner darkness. As she delves deeper into the enigmatic world of Wonder Egg Priority, Ai uncovers buried traumas, lingering regrets, and concealed fears. Gradually, she comes to understand the internal battles that torment people and works to liberate them from their most profound terrors.

As Tooru strives to perfect her role as the ideal maid and Kanna Kamui adjusts to elementary school, the Kobayashi household remains filled with lighthearted antics. A massive landslide near the location where Kobayashi first encountered Tooru uncovers immense draconic power. With no known dragon claiming responsibility, Ilulu, a formidable Chaos Dragon, descends from the heavens. Possessing strength comparable to Tooru's, she initially condemns Tooru's bond with humanity and challenges her to a fatal duel. Yet, intrigued by Kobayashi's unique capacity to befriend dragons, Ilulu decides to remain, seeking to understand what sets Kobayashi apart. The arrival of this new troublemaker injects even more excitement into Kobayashi's already bustling life with her dragon maid.

Centuries past, the spirits of the Chinese zodiac and their deity swore an eternal vow to remain united. This oath dictates that the Souma family members, each inhabited by a zodiac animal, are destined to reunite at any cost. Yet, these ties often transform into a heavy burden, denying them normal lives. Akito, the clan head, obsessively maintains that he holds a unique bond with the other Soumas, while the rest of the family endures isolation and the terror of punishment. Tooru Honda, having grown deeply attached to the Soumas, is resolved to shatter the curse binding them. Bolstered by her friends and her new family, she finds the strength to challenge the curse. However, shocking revelations threaten to undermine her determination. As time dwindles, Tooru must steer through an uncertain future, hoping to discover peace beyond the chaos.

In the series Kemono Jihen, Kohachi Inugami, a private detective who handles cases involving the supernatural, is summoned to a remote farming village by an innkeeper to investigate strange incidents where livestock are found either rotting or torn apart. When he arrives, Inugami notices an unusual boy working in the fields, a child the villagers avoid and call "Dorotabou" because of his strong smell. Surprised by the attention from an adult, Dorotabou is caught off guard. Intrigued, Inugami decides to involve Dorotabou in the investigation despite the villagers' objections. As they work together, Dorotabou discovers a hidden world where Kemono—beast-like beings—live alongside humans, a finding that gives his otherwise empty existence a new sense of purpose.

After his family died in an explosion, Mirai Kakehashi lived a miserable life full of suffering and despair under the care of his indifferent relatives. At his lowest point, about to jump off a cliff to his death, he unexpectedly falls into a trance and meets Nasse, a celestial guardian angel. Nasse gives him two incredible powers and urges him to keep living. Empowered with these new abilities, Mirai finally experiences the freedom he had been missing. Soon, he is pulled into a deadly competition against eleven other participants, where the ultimate prize is becoming the next God. Driven by his desire to hold onto his newfound chance for happiness, Mirai is determined to do whatever it takes to keep this opportunity.

In a world where certain individuals called shamans can see and communicate with ghosts, spirits, and divine beings invisible to ordinary people, a major event occurs every five hundred years. This is the Shaman Fight, a tournament where shamans from around the world compete for dominance. The winner becomes the Shaman King, gaining the power to summon the Great Spirit and reshape the world as they see fit. Manta Oyamada, an ordinary middle school student, is late for class one evening and takes a shortcut through a nearby graveyard. There, he meets a lone youth sitting on a tombstone, who invites Manta to stargaze with "his" group. When Manta realizes the group includes ghosts, he panics and runs away. Later, the youth reveals himself as You Asakura, a novice shaman. To prove his abilities, You teams up with Amidamaru, a six-hundred-year-old samurai spirit, to defend Manta from bullies. Recognizing Manta's rare gift for seeing spirits, You forms a friendship with him. Together with Amidamaru, they set out on You's journey to become the Shaman King.

Once the second most powerful being in the Dark Realm, Jahy now faces hunger, a lack of air conditioning, and the indignity of being shrunk down to a child's size. These hardships are made worse by the destruction of the mana crystal that once supported her lavish and commanding lifestyle. Jahy frequently clashes with her landlady over overdue rent. To keep a roof over her head and food in her stomach, she is forced to take low-paying jobs. Yet her strong pride will not let her endure such miserable conditions for long. With firm resolve, Jahy sets out to restore the Dark Realm to its former glory by gathering the scattered fragments of the mana crystal.

In Zombie Land Saga Revenge, Franchouchou makes a comeback with greater power, only to find themselves drowning in debt. After a failed concert, the zombie members must take on part-time jobs to cover the venue costs, while their typically eccentric manager Koutarou Tatsumi falls into alcoholism. Despite the grim situation, the idols keep going. New rival groups appear, a well-known talk show host decides to step down, and deeper existential questions come up. Meanwhile, Koutarou's hidden past starts to be revealed as a journalist edges closer to the truth. As chaos takes over Saga, Franchouchou may come to realize that being undead is not their biggest worry—though the legendary Tae Yamada continues to build her mystique.

In "Wonder Egg Priority: My Priority," Ai Ooto is on the verge of solving the mystery surrounding her best friend's suicide. By venturing into the surreal realm of the Wonder Egg and rescuing individuals from their struggles, Ai succeeds in bringing her friend back to life. However, with her friend revived, Ai finds herself confused and hurt by the realization that her friend no longer remembers her. This disconnection extends beyond Ai; the other girls involved in these events experience similar estrangement from those they have brought back. As they grapple with their changed realities, the girls must face the emotional wounds left by their "mission" and decide whether to re-enter the Wonder Egg to uncover the full truth behind what happened.

In the belief that fireworks can calm the spirits of the deceased, Tomoya Sugisaki, Aoi Harukawa, and Ryou Kobayashi come face-to-face with the Summer Ghost through a display of pyrotechnics. This spectral figure, rumored to be the soul of a young woman who committed suicide, appears only at a specific site and is seen exclusively by those nearing death. Tomoya, burdened by the stress of gaining entry to a top-tier university, shares this unique vision with Aoi, a shy girl tormented by bullies, and Ryou, a former basketball star whose career was cut short due to a grave health issue. Their shared experience allows them to see the Summer Ghost, who is said to possess answers to questions concerning death—an enigma the trio is eager to unravel. Dissatisfied with their initial meeting, Tomoya takes it upon himself to revisit the Summer Ghost. As he spends more time with her, the mysteries regarding her true identity begin to come to light.

In 1923, Tokyo faces a severe vampire outbreak caused by the unauthorized distribution of "Ascra," an artificial blood substitute that rapidly expands the vampire population. Lieutenant General Sounosuke Nakajima establishes Special Forces Unit 16, recruiting vampires into the military to form a covert vampire-hunting team called Code Zero. Colonel Yoshinobu Maeda commands the unit, tasked with uncovering the source of the Ascra distribution and eliminating the vampire threat. As scrutiny and criticism intensify, the pressure to deliver results grows, threatening the unit's survival. Meanwhile, the vampires of Code Zero struggle to control their powers and identities after abandoning their humanity. Amid this hostility, the members of Code Zero must either overcome the crisis or succumb to their inner monstrosity.

In 1931, during the sixty-fourth year of the Meiji era, the Tokugawa Shogunate retains its authority by regulating a newly discovered resource called the "Dragon Vein," which has ushered Japan into a technologically advanced version of the Edo period. Against this setting, an elite execution unit known as "Nue" is assigned to protect the Shogunate from the rebel faction, the "Kuchinawa." Sawa Yukimura, who manages the Tsuyukasa Bookshop, oversees its daily operations while secretly seeking retribution against the one responsible for wiping out her clan and family. Possessing a unique ability to transform due to her blue blood, Sawa chooses to join the Nue in return for information about Janome, the leader of the Kuchinawa.

The Heike, also referred to as the Taira clan, hold considerable influence over Japan. A young girl who possesses a unique eye capable of foreseeing the future unintentionally offends the clan, leading to her father's death as punishment. Later, she meets Taira no Shigemori, the eldest son of the Heike leader, and adopts the name "Biwa." Biwa warns Shigemori about the Heike's impending downfall. After learning of the injustice she endured because of the clan, Shigemori decides to protect her instead of eliminating her. As military conflicts escalate, the Heike become entangled in a strategic power struggle, with a bloody war looming on the horizon. Shigemori, who can see the spirits of the dead, finds himself caught between fear and hope as he attempts to prevent his clan's collapse. Biwa, however, is reluctant to reveal more about the future and has difficulty adapting to her new life, experiencing both joy and sorrow during this critical period in Japanese history.

Dr. Ramune hardly resembles a conventional doctor—he's known for his brusque demeanor and apparent laziness. However, when patients show up with strange and unexplainable ailments, his genuine skill emerges. He has a supernatural insight that enables him to identify and treat all sorts of odd conditions, like a student whose fingers have become chili peppers or a child whose tears are made of condiments. For all his success, healing each illness demands a steep cost—one that cannot be settled with ordinary money.

A series of short animations that were uploaded to Kyoto Animation's official YouTube channel leading up to the second season's premiere on July 7. Note that this entry's total episode count includes episodes 1–13 as well as the three special episodes that were released during the second season's broadcast.

Kousuke Mikado has possessed the ability to see spirits since childhood, a power that fills him with dread. To suppress this, he wears glasses in hopes of blocking his sight. One day while working at a bookstore, he attracts the attention of Rihito Hiyakawa, an unusual medium who insists their meeting was fated. Hiyakawa's strange behavior draws Mikado into the supernatural world, offering to help him overcome his fears if he stays close. Together, they investigate a series of sinister curses all linked to one person, Erika Hiura. Their search grows more complicated as they try to understand her motives and her connection to both Mikado and Hiyakawa.

In his search for Nyanko-sensei, Takashi Natsume comes across Mitsumi, a timid and small youkai who has been assigned the duty of "Ishi Okoshi" by his master, the powerful ayakashi Gantetsu. The Ishi Okoshi's job is to wake Gantetsu from his deep sleep. Noticing how sincerely Mitsumi wants to carry out his responsibility, Natsume decides to assist him in completing this task. But time is running short, and others are also trying to rouse the divine being. A mysterious stranger starts showing up at the home of Kaname Tanuma, Natsume's friend. Over several days, this person has brief exchanges with Tanuma and then leaves. Natsume finds out that the visitor is actually a youkai in disguise, who claims to have no harmful intentions. Even though Tanuma trusts this youkai, his health begins to worsen, making Natsume suspect the visitor's true intentions. What is the reason behind this sudden appearance, and what connection does the youkai have with Tanuma?

Extra episodes of Mini Dra shorts were released across all five volumes of the Blu-ray/DVD releases of Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S.

For generations, vampires have been governed by the Scarlet Moon, which hosts the annual Visual Prison—a visual kei competition where the performer of the most exquisite song receives vast power from the moon itself. The contest is contested by two rival factions: ECLIPSE, the reigning champions who support the established order, and LOST EDEN, a group pushing for leadership based on strength alone. Ange Yuki, an introverted and self-conscious youth, moves to Harajuku in pursuit of his musical hero. His quest unexpectedly places him at the center of a heated showdown between ECLIPSE and LOST EDEN. Entranced by their mesmerizing performances, Ange suddenly experiences a surge of intense bloodlust and falls unconscious. Upon waking, he discovers that he is a dhampir, a being with both human and vampire lineage, and is tended to by his admired musician, Guiltia "Guil" Brion. Despite gaining entry into the upcoming Visual Prison, Guil informs Ange that they won't be partners. Ange then encounters Robin Laffite, an Englishman impressed by his exceptional singing voice. With the contest looming, Ange must quickly form a strong team to compete in a race against time.

During summer break after her first year of high school, Maise is stuck working at her family's hotel in a quiet seaside town. The boredom breaks when a mysterious young man named Ichirou checks in. Strange apparitions start appearing—sights that only Maise and Ichirou can see: the lobby and guest rooms morphing into an aquarium, a giant tree bursting through the floor, and rowdy monsters taking over the hotel restaurant. Determined to uncover the truth, Maise sets out to discover not only what is causing these bizarre phenomena, but also why Ichirou has come to this remote town in the first place.

Mitsugu Banba, a high school student, finds purpose in donating blood and regularly visits a blood bank despite the staff's rough treatment. One day, she encounters a strikingly beautiful foreign girl who appears deathly pale and near collapse. Rather than fainting, the girl begins causing chaos at the blood bank. After she passes out, Mitsugu takes her home.

In sixth grade, Kanna Hayama once loved running—a passion she shared with her mother, Yayoi. But after Yayoi's death, running became a painful memory. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she learns a hidden truth about her mother. Kanna meets a celestial messenger disguised as her pet rabbit, Shiro, and a demonic boy named Yasha. They reveal that Yayoi was an "Idaten," a divine being blessed with incredible speed, whose duty was to deliver offerings from across Japan to the annual Kamiari Festival in Izumo. As Yayoi's daughter and the new bearer of the Idaten charm, Kanna inherits this mission. Failing could bring disaster to the entire country. Driven by the hope of reuniting with her mother at the divine gathering, Kanna accepts the task and enlists Shiro and Yasha as her companions. Unaware of the full cost, she embarks on a grueling journey that will challenge not only her physical endurance but also her emotional strength.

Again, the mysterious narrator captivates listeners with his dark, unsettling stories—tales that could happen to anyone, regardless of who they are. The chilling narratives explore the experiences of teenagers daring each other in an abandoned house; children struggling with sinister family customs; malicious spirits plaguing the lives of ordinary people; individuals helplessly watching their loved ones gradually lose their sanity; a woman growing more anxious as her partner acts strangely after consuming something odd; and evil snowmen. Each terrifying story is crafted to disturb every listener in deeply frightening ways.

This horror anthology series employs a traditional paper-drama storytelling technique to present some of Japan's most bizarre urban legends in a contemporary anime format.

In the year 2124, Christopher, a member of a Mars research expedition, stumbles upon a commercial vessel from Earth that had gone missing. It has been three years since the ship disappeared, and though the chances of finding anyone alive are slim, Christopher presses on in search of survivors. Inside the vessel, he comes across a girl named Cyane. Note: This is one of four short films featured at Animenotane 2021.

Chizuru Yukimura came to Kyoto searching for her father and has been collaborating with the Shinsengumi ever since they rescued her from a bloodthirsty monster. In June of the first year of the Keio era, the Shinsengumi relocate to Nishi Honganji Temple to continue their patrols of Kyoto and receive reports of "bandits disguising themselves as the Shinsengumi" appearing frequently. Around the same time, the Shinsengumi are ordered to protect Shogun Iemochi during his upcoming visit to Kyoto, prompting Hijikata and the others to rush to resolve the situation. Meanwhile, several rasetsu escape from the Shinsengumi post with help from "a figure resembling Chizuru." Additionally, Chizuru—who had gone into the city with treasurer Sakai—gets caught up in a disturbance and goes missing. The Satsuma domain learns of a plot by Tosa domain ronin to assassinate the Shogun, and Kazama and his group head for Kyoto. Are the various incidents surrounding the Shinsengumi merely coincidental? As chaos mounts and the Shogun's arrival in Kyoto draws near, Hijikata and the Shinsengumi must make a decision... Episodes: Chapter One (第一章), released November 13, 2021. Chapter Two (第二章), released December 11, 2021. Chapter Three (第三章), released January 29, 2022. Note: The episodes were streamed in advance on the U-NEXT service before their official BD/DVD release. These OVAs will be released on Blu-Ray/DVD on December 24, 2021, January 28, 2022, and February 25, 2022, respectively.

The latest series introduces both returning and new Yo-kai. The comedic storyline revolves around the main characters from the original show: fifth-grader Keita (called Nate in the English dub), the ghostly butler Whisper, and popular Yo-kai like Jibanyan and Komasan. The original voice actors for these four characters reprise their roles in this newest installment.

Music video for the song Yoru wa Honoka by Eve. Directed by Zemyata.

AICis is a psychic app that has gained popularity in Geso Ward, a school city located in Tokyo. This application grants special abilities, known as "supernatural powers," to anyone who installs it. Those who acquire these powers increasingly turn to wrongdoing to fulfill their own selfish desires. This narrative follows the "student detectives" who specialize in investigating these psychic incidents.

Grim, a mischievous monster resembling a cat who was admitted to Night Raven College under unusual circumstances, looks back on the notable events and fellow students he encountered during his first year of training to become a great magician.

A spin-off picture drama series featuring characters from Artiswitch, following what became of each character after the main story and exploring incidents that occurred behind the scenes.

A feature film that summarizes key events from the Youkai Watch franchise, incorporating footage from episodes 1 and 25 of the original series, along with 4-Koma-san segments from Youkai Watch♪ and additional original material.

The narrative follows a human girl named Mashiro, who was rescued by the demon chieftain, Shuten Douji. In order to become his meal, she marries him at the age of 17 when she is prepared to be devoured. However, Shuten Douji cherishes her deeply and has no plan to consume her as food. Their mutual misunderstanding arises from loving each other too intensely.