[TV Shows] Occult Theme Anime You Like

[Phillian]

I had explored this section of the Tavern and saw there wasn't any post focused on this media, so I would like to open the door for a talk about some of the anime you like that fit the occult theme. Here are some anime that I like, and I personally feel they embrace this theme:

• Saint Seiya (1986)
• Sailor Moon (1992)
• Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995)
• Cardcaptor Sakura (1998)
• Serial Experiments Lain (1998)
• Chrono Crusade (2003)
• Hell Girl (2005)
• Trinity Blood (2005)
• Ergo Proxy (2006)
• xxxHolic (2006)
• Black Butler (2008)
• Hakushaku to Yōsei (2008)
• Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009)
• Umineko: When They Cry (2009)
• Gosick (2011)
• Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2011)
• Land of the Lustrous (2017)
• The Ancient Magus' Bride (2017)
• Vatican Miracle Examiner (2017)
• Ascendance of a Bookworm (2019)
• Witch Hat Atelier (2026)

 

[Aeternus]

Those are some great mentions, some of which I watched as well (e.g. Sailor Moon).

I would like to add the honorable mention IMO, that being:

• Howard's Moving Castle (2004)

This one is also very occult as it is deeply rooted in magic and folklore. It contains a binding pact with the fire demon, hexes as well as shape-shifting.

Calcifer is bound to the castle by a literal heart-and-falling-star contract which empowers the entire castles (what would also be known as soul bounding). Furthermore, the consequences of misusing magic are shown there like Howl transforms into a monstrous bird after having misused magic.

 

[Phillian]

You mean «Howl's Moving Castle»? I have seen it, is one of my favourite Studio Ghibli movies, along with «Kiki's Delivery Service».

I also recall a few other anime series that have occult themes:

• Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play (1995)
• Vampire Princess Miyu (1997)
• Princess Tutu (2002)
• Elfen Lied (2004)
• Rozen Maiden (2004)
• Higurashi When They Cry (2006)
• Mononoke (2007)
• Natsume's Book of Friends (2008)
• Another (2012)
• Hozuki's Coolheadedness (2014)
• Death Parade (2015)
• Izetta: The Last Witch (2016)
• Little Witch Academia (2017)
• Made in Abyss (2017)
• Devilman Crybaby (2018)
• Somali and the Forest Spirit (2020)
• The Case Study of Vanitas (2021)
• The Saint's Magic Power Is Omnipotent (2021)
• Raven of the Inner Palace (2022)
• The Girl From the Other Side: Siuil, a Run (2022)
• Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (2023)
• Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence (2023)
• The Apothecary Diaries (2023)
• Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (2024)
• The Witch and the Beast (2024)

 

[TransGothGirl]

My absolute favorite is Cardcaptor Sakura. I love it so much that I have adapted the Clow Cards to a real-world magic system. I am of course not the only person to do this, and much of how I work with the system was inspired by how others do so as well.

 

[Phillian]

My absolute favorite is Cardcaptor Sakura. I love it so much that I have adapted the Clow Cards to a real-world magic system. I am of course not the only person to do this, and much of how I work with the system was inspired by how others do so as well.

Same, they work pretty well as Oracle Cards. I have a set of Sakura Cards that I now and then draw a card for myself. Speaking of cards, I recall a few other anime:

• Yu Yu Hakusho (1992)
• The Vision of Escaflowne (1996)
• Witch Hunter Robin (2002)
• Kaleido Star (2003)
• Kobato (2009)
• Mob Psycho (2016)
• Fruits Basket (2019)

 

[Witch Cat]

You should also check out Doomed Megapolis (1991), one of the best occult-related shows (anime or other) that I have ever seen. It is a partial adaptation of the historical fantasy novel 'Teito Monogatari', by Hiroshi Aramata; the anime has a totally killer spiritual war in early 20th century Japan!