10 Anime Series All Horror Fans Need To Watch
4. Elfen Lied
Released in 2004, Elfen Lied follows the story of Lucy, a Diclonius who escapes a laboratory facility. Diclonius are a mutated species similar to humans, except they possess small horn-like protrusions and have powerful telekinetic abilities.
As she was close to escaping, she was injured, fell into the ocean and washed up on a beach where she was found by cousins Kouta and Yuka. Due to her injuries, she develops an alter ego named Nyu and she's soon hunted by the researchers she escaped from.
Technically, the tale is meant to be one of love and atonement (between Lucy and Kouta). However, the sheer brutality and unsettling events often overshadow these happier themes, similar to Tokyo Ghoul and Deadman Wonderland. Lucy shows no remorse for the lives she takes, slaughtering a defenseless assistant during her escape and needlessly torturing a fellow Diclonius who's weaker than her.
Additionally, other characters in the story have tragic or disturbing backgrounds, such as a homeless girl who ran away because her stepfather abused her.