Ghost or desert towns have a certain charm and they are known for being creepy but interesting at the same time. We present some anime making good use of this setting, even if in some cases it’s less relevant to the plot.
The beauty of this theme lies in the possibility to create darker and scarier scenarios that trick the human mind.
This listing is highly subjective and the shows are ranked according to how much they fit within the ghost town theme.
Table of Contents
5. When they Cry
When they cry is an anime based on the sound novel of the same name published in 2002 by 07th Expansion.
The plot chronicles the lives of Keiichi Maebara and his friends who live in Hinamizawa, a small country town plagued by a macabre curse linked to the worship of a local god Oyashiro.
After the protagonists begin to investigate the mysteries surrounding the quiet town, the situation will begin to escalate, with various characters committing terrible acts as the truth is revealed.
The strength of the anime is the increasing level of tension that comes as the plot continues, accentuated by the contrast between quiet, anxious desolate village life and scenes of great violence.
Recommended for lovers of psychological horror series and if you’re looking for one of the best thriller anime out there.
4. Nagi no AsuKara
If you’ve ever wondered what a hypothetical world might be like where mankind has colonized the sea, living in it, then this anime has the answer for you.
Nagi no Asukara, an anime released between 2013 and 2014, is based on just such a premise.
We follow the vicissitudes of four fourteen-year-old boys from the submarine village Shioshishio.
After their underwater school closes due to the depopulation of the seas, they find themselves having to attend Mihama Middle School on the surface, where they will meet a boy named Tsumugu Kihara.
But life on land is completely new to them, and they have yet to discover customs and manners.
An anime that makes originality and the strangeness and beauty of the marine and non-marine environments in which it’s set its strong point, with a soundtrack and graphic style certainly up to the mark.
This anime is ideal if you are looking for something special and unusual.
3. Ghost Hound
We move on to something slightly older now with Ghost Hound, an anime released between 2007 and 2008 consisting of 22 episodes that we consider one of the best cosmic horror anime.
In the small town of Suiten located in a remote mountainous region of Kyushu Island, paranormal phenomena take place due to the encounter between the real world and the spirit world.
These events are mostly perceived by Taro, Makoto, and Masayuki, three boys who had traumatic experiences in their childhood.
Although no other human can do so, these three students will repeatedly succeed in entering the spirit world, thus having a way to come to terms with their traumas and solve the mystery of the increasingly deserted city.
A thriller, at times horror, full of psychology and psychoanalysis, through scientific, pseudo-scientific, and religious themes that do not disdain heavy and disturbing scenes.
Not a light watching without commitment, requiring a good deal of attention and an analytical eye.
2. The Sky Crawlers
The Sky Crawlers is one of the masterpieces released in 2008 and directed by Mamoru Oshii, a genius anime director.
In an alternate timeline to ours, humanity has achieved peace and the story is set in an empty Krakow, dark and lit by some lights. This is purely for stylistic reasons but it’s worth noting that it’s ideal if you are looking for a creepy and hollow setting.
The very concept of war has now faded away, becoming mere television entertainment run by two private companies.
Every light, however, casts equally large shadows, and these simulated wars aimed at the viewers’ pleasure are fought among the Kildren, eternal children.
They are nothing more than human beings who as a result of brutal experiments are destined to remain forever small, without the possibility of aging.
The protagonist Yuiichi Kannami is one of them, newly transferred to Area 262 to serve as an artificial soldier.
It’s this dark, dystopian scenario that makes this movie unique and worth watching.
A very stark show that answers the question we have all asked ourselves at least once: “What would the world be like without wars?”.
The answer perhaps could not be what we all imagine…
1. Blast of Tempest
Blast of Tempest is a 2012 anime consisting of 24 episodes. It’s a mystery fantasy series featuring a lot of Shakespearean quotes that you will appreciate if you are a fan of the author.
The plot follows two friends, Yoshino Takigawa and Mahiro Fuwa, as they search for the unknown murderer who caused the death of Aika, Mahiro’s beloved sister.
The latter, to achieve his goal, will be willing to learn magic, becoming an assistant to a powerful sorceress, Hakaze Kusaribe.
In the background of the story, there is a strange epidemic of a magical nature that turns living beings into metal, leaving the city desolate and deserted.
An anime that entertains more than admirably, which will surely succeed in getting you hooked on the excellent and well-characterized characters, also well recognizable thanks to the excellent character design.
