The 7 Best Psychological Horror Anime to Watch If You Liked Death Note

Death Note set a gold standard in the industry. It didn't rely on explosions or screaming to generate excitement; it relied on tension, strategy, and the mental collapse of its characters. If you are looking for series that replicate that feeling of intellectual dueling and psychological horror, this list is for you.

Below, we present 7 series that explore morality, crime, and human psychology with the same intensity as Tsugumi Ohba's masterpiece.

1. Monster

• Studio: Madhouse

• Episodes: 74

• Why it's similar: It is the definitive recommendation. If Death Note is a fast duel, Monster is a slow, terrifying chess match.

• The Plot: Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a brilliant neurosurgeon, decides to save the life of an injured child instead of the town's mayor. Years later, he discovers that the child has grown up to be a sociopathic serial killer named Johan Liebert. Tenma must leave medicine to hunt down the monster he himself "revived." Johan is considered one of the best villains in anime history, rivaling and even surpassing Light Yagami in psychological manipulation.

2. Psycho-Pass

• Studio: Production I.G

• Episodes: 22 (Season 1)

• Why it's similar: It shares the debate on justice and morality.

• The Plot: In a dystopian future, a computer system called "Sibyl" measures the mental state of every citizen and calculates their likelihood of committing a crime (their "Psycho-Pass"). The series follows Inspector Akane Tsunemori and Enforcer Shinya Kogami as they hunt Makishima Shogo, an intellectually gifted criminal who, like Light, challenges the very foundations of society and law.

3. The Promised Neverland (Yakusoku no Neverland) - Season 1 Only

• Studio: CloverWorks

• Episodes: 12 (Season 1)

• Why it's similar: It is a high-tension cat-and-mouse game in a confined setting.

• The Plot: Emma, Norman, and Ray are three gifted children living in an idyllic orphanage. One day they discover the terrifying truth: the orphanage is a farm, and they are livestock raised to be food for demons. The children must plan an impossible escape using only their wits to outsmart their caretaker, "Mother," who watches their every move.

4. Terror in Resonance (Zankyou no Terror)

• Studio: MAPPA

• Episodes: 11

• Why it's similar: Features anti-hero teenage protagonists running from the police and a brilliant detective.

• The Plot: Two teenagers calling themselves "Sphinx" begin planting bombs across Tokyo, uploading videos to the internet with riddles before each explosion. A retired detective named Shibazaki must solve the riddles to stop them. The dynamic between the terrorists and the detective is very reminiscent of the dynamic between L and Light.

5. Parasyte: The Maxim (Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu)

• Studio: Madhouse

• Episodes: 24

• Why it's similar: It explores merging with the supernatural and the loss of humanity.

• The Plot: Shinichi Izumi is a normal student until an alien parasite tries to take over his brain and fails, maturing in his right hand ("Migi"). Like Light with Ryuk, Shinichi must co-exist with this dangerous and amoral entity. The series is a psychological thriller that questions what it means to be human when you are surrounded by monsters that look like us.

6. Death Parade

• Studio: Madhouse

• Episodes: 12

• Why it's similar: It focuses entirely on moral judgment and human psychology under extreme pressure.

• The Plot: When two people die at the same time, they arrive at "Quindecim," a bar in limbo tended by a bartender named Decim. There, they must participate in death games (darts, billiards) that bring out their true nature. Decim acts as a judge to decide who reincarnates and who goes to the void. It is a dark examination of human nature.

7. Future Diary (Mirai Nikki)

• Studio: Asread

• Episodes: 26

• Why it's similar: A supernatural object (a diary on a phone) that predicts the future and a survival game to become God.

• The Plot: Yukiteru Amano receives a diary on his cell phone that tells him what will happen in the future. He discovers he is part of a survival game with 11 other participants, each with a different diary. The last one standing will become the God of time and space. It is more chaotic and bloody than Death Note, but shares the premise of "divine power in human hands."

Is It Worth Watching? 

If what you loved about Death Note was the strategy, watch Monster or Terror in Resonance. If you liked the supernatural element and horror, watch Parasyte or The Promised Neverland. All of these series are considered modern classics of the psychological thriller genre.

FAQ: Anime Similar to Death Note

What anime is most like Death Note? Code Geass is often cited as the most similar in terms of the protagonist (Lelouch) and strategy, but Monster is the closest in terms of dark tone, psychological thriller elements, and the cat-and-mouse game.

Is Monster better than Death Note? Many critics consider the writing in Monster to be superior and more mature than Death Note, although it has a much slower pace. Death Note is faster and supernatural; Monster is a realistic crime drama.

Is there an anime where the villain wins? Without going into specific spoilers, anime like Overlord or Saga of Tanya the Evil focus on villainous protagonists who triumph. In the thriller genre, the ending of Terror in Resonance offers a complex moral victory.