10 best thriller anime movies that you should watch

When it comes to psychological thrillers and suspense, anime films have proven masters of the genre. Through ethically gray experiments, serial killers, subconscious horrors, and twisted timelines, top thriller anime movies plunge viewers into disturbed minds to reveal deep truths about the human condition.

If you're looking for animated movies that offer mature, nuanced storytelling far beyond children's entertainment, this list is for you. These top 10 thriller anime movies promise to intrigue and electrify your senses with dark themes, ominous tension, and paradigm-shifting plot twists.

From the dream-diving sci-fi of Paprika to the stone creatures stalking humans in King of Thorn, here are our top thriller anime movie recommendations that demonstrate Japanese animation's storytelling in a genius way.

10 must-watch thriller anime movies that will keep you on the edge of your seat

1) Perfect Blue

Well-known director Satoshi Kon's first major anime psychodrama, Perfect Blue delves deep into the fracturing sense of self and blurred realities experienced by Mima, a Japanese pop-star attempting to pivot her performance career into serious TV crime drama acting despite immense fan disapproval over her mature roles.

As Mima plays an erotic crime drama character involving a sexual assault scene, she descends into a spiral of dissociation, unstable identity and terrifying hallucinations that distort the line between fantasy and reality.

Raising thought-provoking questions on trauma's effects on self-perception and mental fragmentation through its avant-garde visual storytelling, Perfect Blue cemented Kon as a master of psychologically-complex thrillers daring enough to explore the darkness dwelling within an unhinged mind.

2) Paprika

Another one of the best psychological thriller anime movies from acclaimed director Satoshi Kon, Paprika envisions a machine that enables scientists to infiltrate people's dreams to analyze their subconscious.

When the DC Mini prototype is stolen, it has dangerous implications for human minds, so a team must track down the thief by navigating absurd dream worlds reflective of the boundless human psyche.

Dazzling with colorful surrealism while provoking philosophical questions on dreams' relation to reality, it envelopes viewers through stunning visual artistry and cerebral narratives dancing around thought-provoking themes. It stands as a thriller classic melding riveting entertainment with psychological depth.

3) Ghost in the Shell

Ghost in the Shell (Image via Production I.G)

A seminal cyberpunk work that pioneered several sci-fi anime and Hollywood films since Ghost in the Shell envisions a technologically advanced future challenged by increasingly dangerous cyber-hacking threatening digital civilization's interconnected infrastructure.

The complex narrative centers around Public Security Section 9's cybernetic operative with a human brain, Major Motoko Kusanagi, on a manhunt for an elusive hacker able to manipulate a person's consciousness or "ghost" through their cybernetic implants.

With elegant artwork combined with kinetic action sequences, Ghost in the Shell grounds its cyberpunk concepts in deeper meditations on technology's ethical pitfalls. Its iconic scenes and pioneering concepts cemented its visionary influence across sci-fi entertainment mediums.

4) The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (Image via Madhouse)

More time-traveling coming-of-age drama than thriller, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time still intrigues through speculative "what-if" scenarios and thought experiments.

The film focuses on ordinary teenager Makoto gaining the power to jump back in time, which she starts abusing for trivial personal interests until noticing how her tampering with past events sets cataclysmic consequences in motion, harming loved ones.

Elegantly animated with affectionate characters, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time utilizes clever sci-fi ideas towards a resonant message of not taking one's present relationships for granted — a poignant theme elevated by strong scriptwriting rather than thriller shock factors.

5) Akira

One of the most revolutionary thriller anime movies, Akira takes place in a dystopian Neo Tokyo years after Tokyo's destruction from a mysterious supernaturally-powered explosion.

When a biker gang member, Tetsuo, is detained by the government and gains dangerous telekinetic abilities after secret experiments, his supernatural powers threaten the unstable city.

With incredibly detailed animation, violent action sequences involving mutated monstrosities, and philosophical themes on power and corruption, Akira set the bar for epic animated storytelling with live-action scope when it was released in 1988. It remains one of the most influential and mind-blowing anime thrillers decades later.

6) The Empire of Corpses

The Empire of Corpses (Image via Wit Studio)

A steampunk sci-fi thriller, The Empire of Corpses takes place in an alternate historical timeline where humans have pioneered the technology to resurrect the dead and place them into an eternal laboring "corpse" class.

When a young medical researcher named Watson discovers the resurrected lost souls, he goes rogue to investigate how to restore humanity to the undead, particularly his friend Friday.

In his quest that evokes 19th-century adventure epics, Watson encounters legendary literary figures like Victor Frankenstein and stumbles upon conspiracies holding dark implications for civilization. With rich historical detail and reflections on life and death, it offers a fresh twist for fans of thriller anime movies.

7) King of Thorn

As one of the most popular thriller anime movies, King of Thorn envisions survivors awakening from suspended animation to find a world threatened by a catastrophic "Medusa" virus that petrifies humans into stone.

While aware of why they entered suspension, the group discovers themselves inside a massive research laboratory stalked by terrifying bio-organic creatures and vines. Facing infected environments and deadly threats, the survivors must band together.

They work to uncover the mysteries behind what happened during their suspension, their awakening, and their facility's unknown purpose before it's too late. With relentless suspense ratcheting up the stakes towards an explosive conclusion, it executes survival thriller tropes against visually stunning backdrops.

8) The Sky Crawlers

The Sky Crawlers (Image via Production I.G)

A haunting meditation on war packaged as an aviation thriller, The Sky Crawlers is set in an alternate reality with genetically engineered fighter pilots called Kildren. They are perpetually stuck in adolescence, forced to battle endlessly in daily aerial missions.

When ace pilot Yuichi arrives at the base, he develops a complex relationship with base commander Suito, who may be tied to his identity as a clone of a former pilot. Its tragic romanticism stays with you long after the credits roll.

With its melancholy tone and anti-war message portrayed through relentless dogfights rendered in smooth CGI animation, The Sky Crawlers envelop viewers in an otherworldly yet elegiac atmosphere.

9) Metropolis

Metropolis (Image via Madhouse and Tezuka Productions)

Based loosely on Osamu Tezuka's manga inspired by the landmark 1927 sci-fi film, the 2001 anime Metropolis is a visually captivating thriller embracing themes still relevant today. In the sprawling megacity of Metropolis, humans and robots uneasily coexist amid anxieties over AI domination.

When a detective and his nephew trace the footsteps of a missing scientist to the city's underground, they uncover elite plans to use a powerful robot girl named Tima to control the Ziggurat, a monumental tower housing a super weapon.

With thought-provoking commentary on widening class divides wrapped in retro-futuristic Art Deco visuals, Metropolis continues to enter new anime fans seeking substance with style. Its plot, full of action, intrigue, and philosophical questions, remains timelessly compelling.

10) Redline

For anime action and adrenaline at full-throttle, look no further than Redline. Set around the galaxy's deadliest and illegal hovercar racing tournament, REDLINE, the film follows daredevil driver JP, determined to win despite the race's history of participant deaths.

He finds a rival in Sonoshee McLaren, an independent racer competing for glory. During the non-stop carnage across dangerous race tracks on alien worlds, love slowly blossoms between cars roaring past in a blur of combustion and gunfire.

Over seven years in the making, every frame in Redline is entirely hand-drawn, showcasing Studio Madhouse's incredible animation talent through hyper-dynamic racing/battle scenes of racers pushing vehicles beyond physical limits in a feast for the eyes.

Conclusion

These are tire-screeching, pulse-pounding recommendations for the top 10 thriller anime movies worth adding to a watchlist. With game-changing sci-fi, psychological horror, and high-octane action, these selections promise to get your heart racing and brain pumping long after the credits roll.

Their breathtaking animation, layered themes, complex worlds and unpredictable plots that twist expectations with masterful storytelling demonstrate why Japanese animation continues breaking creative boundaries for mature entertainment. So grab your popcorn and get ready for a thrilling ride!

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About the author

I am an expert article writer and data analyst with two years of experience in the field. In my free time, I enjoy watching a lot of anime, movies, and web series. Currently, my favorite anime is Naruto.

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Edited by Toshali Kritika