Most Iconic Ghosts In Anime

As a seasoned anime enthusiast with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the characters from these iconic series have left an indelible mark on my heart and mind. Among the plethora of ghostly beings, there are some who stand out like beacons in the night sky.

As a fervent admirer, I can tell you that these intriguing entities I refer to as “ghosts” are believed to be the ethereal remnants of departed souls. Some individuals claim to catch glimpses of them. These spirits are often linked with unresolved emotions like anger and aggression, stemming from their inability to transition into the afterlife. In the realm of Anime, ghosts can take on various forms – from protagonists who hunt and banish these restless beings to characters who form friendships with them, utilizing their unique abilities for aid. Regardless of the storyline, ghosts are a common theme in media. They captivate us with their extraordinary powers and offer a tantalizing peek into the enigmatic world of the departed.

There are various entities resembling ghosts that aren’t found in the traditional sense. While spirits may not be aggressive like some ghosts, they exhibit different behaviors such as ghouls consuming corpses or Yōkai being demon-like, albeit with a different connotation compared to Western demons. Consequently, certain anime series like “Bakemonogatari,” “Blue Exorcist,” and “Death Note” should not be included in lists of ghost-themed anime because they feature entities that are more accurately described as spirits, ghouls, or demons rather than ghosts.

13 Dimple

Mob Psycho 100

Most Iconic Ghosts In Anime

Studios: Bones
Status: Finished Airing
Genres: Action, Comedy, Supernatural

In my gaming world, Mob Psycho 100 is fundamentally a series about my character’s ghost-hunting adventures. It’s packed with various spectral beings, but one in particular, Dimple, initially emerges as the head of the “(LOL)” cult. Interestingly, even after his exorcism, he continues to be part of the storyline, much to everyone else’s annoyance.

In a spectral shape, he manifests as a delicate mist of green vapor, or, as described by Teru, an unappealing floating orb of energy. A distinctive mark of his is the vivid red circles that emerge on the cheeks of any person he inhabits.

12 Shadi

Yu-Gi-Oh!

Studios: Toei Animation
Status: Finished Airing
Genres: Action, Comedy, Fantasy

In the original “Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters” anime, multiple spirits are present, some of which might not fit conventional definitions. However, only one spirit adheres to traditional ghostly norms – Shadi, a cryptic character who frequently shows up at the conclusion of storylines, offering valuable explanations.

From my gaming perspective, I’m not just Yugi Muto, I’m also host to Yami Yugi, another version of myself, who dwells within the Millennium Puzzle I wear. I don’t remember being an Egyptian pharaoh, but he does, and he takes over when the puzzle is solved. Similarly, Ryou Bakura frequently becomes a vessel for a malevolent spirit that resides in his Millennium Ring, making him act quite differently from who I know him to be.

11 Yukine

Noragami

Studios: Bones
Status: Finished Airing
Genres: Action, Supernatural

As a devoted fan, here’s my take:

In his human appearance, Yukine takes the shape of a petite, golden-haired adolescent. He’s straightforward, honest, has a firm commitment to justice, and is an unwavering friend. It appears that he thrives more in his spectral form compared to his past circumstances.

10 Reimi Sugimoto

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable

Studios: David Production
Status: Finished Airing
Genres: Action, Adventure

In the “Diamond Is Unbreakable” segment of the distinctive anime series “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure,” which chronicles the genealogy of the Joestar family and their preordained battles against supernatural adversaries using innate powers, Reimi Sugimoto makes her appearance. She is often seen haunting a secluded alleyway, known as Ghost Girl’s Alley, which functions like a sort of limbo.

Gentle, cheerful, and compassionate, Reimi deviates significantly from the common image of a terrifying ghost. Instead, her unresolved task revolves around apprehending the serial killer who took her life. Despite the grim nature of this mission, Reimi maintains her upbeat demeanor and vibrant personality reminiscent of her living self.

9 Ghosts From The Unseen World

Ghost Hound

Studios: Production I.G
Status: Finished Airing
Genres: Mystery, Supernatural, Suspense

In the small town of Suiten, the boundary between the human world and the spirit realm becomes blurred. Strange apparitions begin appearing throughout the town, leaving its residents puzzled. However, it’s not just any group of individuals who take up the task of investigating these phenomena; it’s three high school boys – Tarō, Makoto, and Masayuki – who are uniquely gifted to perceive such occurrences due to their shared past traumas.

In a realm believed to be off-limits to humans, these individuals can venture into the Hidden Realm, inhabited by spirits. Once inside, they confront their deepest traumas directly. The local Shinto priest and his daughter, Miyako, step in to guide the boys through this frightening experience.

8 Mei Misaki

Another

Studios: P.A. Works
Status: Finished Airing
Genres: Horror, Mystery

Kouichi Sakakibara joins Class 3-3 at Yomiyama North Junior High School as a new student. He takes a liking to one of his fellow classmates, Mei Misaki, whom he encounters during hospitalization. She wears an eyepatch and maintains a quiet demeanor. Strangely, it seems that none of the other pupils recognize or interact with her, as though she’s invisible to them.

A story spreads among peers concerning an ex-classmate and a disturbing occurrence. Yet, Kouichi’s fellow students are reluctant to reveal specifics. Kouichi needs to uncover how this incident links to his new companion. As they attend the enigmatic class, both face multiple calamities. They must join forces to decipher the mystery shrouding them, though it might involve a substantial cost.

7 Naho Saenoki

Corpse Party: Tortured Souls

Studios: asread.
Status: Finished Airing
Genres: Horror, Mystery

Heavenly Host Elementary School was closed after several serial kidnappings and murders in the area. Years later, another school is built on top of the old one. Students tell scary tales based on true stories. In the new school, nine high schoolers conduct a seemingly harmless ritual to be friends forever.

In a different dimension, transportation results in tragic outcomes, as it was once the location for grisly murders at a school. The vengeful spirit of a small girl and her malevolent companions, ghosts from that previous tragedy, continue to slay students in gruesome fashions. Desperate to avoid meeting the same fate as their peers, the remaining students race against time to find a way out. Naho Saenoki, the spirit of a renowned blogger, serves as their guide in performing a ritual to rectify this dire predicament.

6 Amanojaku

Ghost Stories

Studios: Pierrot
Status: Finished Airing
Genres: Horror, Mystery, Supernatural

In a new town where she lost her mom, Satsuki Miyanoshita finds herself; on her first school day, she explores an old, deserted structure alongside her sibling Keiichiro, neighbor Hajime Aoyama, and classmates Momoko Koigakubo and Leo Kakinoki. Unbeknownst to them, this building is inhabited by spirits, and it’s revealed that Satsuki’s mother had confined the town’s ghosts here.

It turns out that the ghosts are inadvertently being freed as the town undergoes renovation. The team needs to employ the book Satsuki’s mother left them to banish the ghosts and demons permanently to save their home from being overtaken by monstrous creatures.

5 Hanako

Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun

Studios: Lerche
Status: Finished Airing
Genres: Supernatural

At Kamome Academy, where strange supernatural events are common, Nene Yashiro studies – she’s particularly captivated by the occult and dreams of finding a boyfriend. There’s a local tale about a ghostly girl who supposedly haunts the school bathroom, capable of fulfilling wishes if a price is offered. Eager to test this legend, Nene attempts to make contact, but instead encounters Hanako-san, who turns out to be a spirit in male form.

Nene discovers a spiritual connection to this man, working alongside him to vanquish malevolent beings and uphold harmony in both the mortal and ethereal realms. However, as their bond deepens, she uncovers hints of his enigmatic, ominous past.

4 Menma Honma

Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

Studios: A-1 Pictures
Status: Finished Airing
Genres: Drama, Supernatural

After the passing of his childhood companion Menma Honma, Jinta Yadomi chooses to remain indoors and distances himself from his old friends. But one sweltering summer day, Menma appears before him in a seemingly misleading vision due to the heat. Yet, her frequent reappearances prompt him to acknowledge that she is indeed present.

As a gamer, I’m called upon by Menma to fulfill her last wish, to aid her in moving on to the next stage of existence. To accomplish this, I need to reconnect with my old friends and join forces to grant her request. However, this task isn’t easy, as it requires us to confront once again the sorrow, remorse, and heartache that surrounded Menma’s departure from our world.

3 Perona

One Piece

Studios: Toei Animation
Status: Currently Airing
Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

After successfully rescuing Robin from Enies Lobby and outsmarting the Marines once more, Luffy and his Straw Hat gang encounter Thriller Bark, home of the feared Sea Warlord, Gecko Moria. Mostly inhabited by zombies controlled by Moria’s Devil Fruit powers, there is an exception: Perona, one of Moria’s commanders. This is due to her consumption of the Hollow Hollow Fruit, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that grants her the ability to control spirits and transform into one herself.

Perona, a character from One Piece, possesses unique abilities that allow her to phase through attacks by transforming into an ethereal spirit, making her completely intangible. She also summons small spectral entities to attack her adversaries’ spiritual essence. Furthermore, she can set up a basic surveillance system using invisible spirits. Her powers are elusive and challenging to counter, but she has a notable vulnerability – she must always safeguard her physical form. Throughout various story arcs, Perona frequently assists the Straw Hats.

2 Gengar

Pokemon

Studios: OLM
Status: Finished Airing
Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy

In the world of Pokémon, Ghost is one of the primary categories with more than 80 unique Pokémon claiming membership. However, none have achieved such iconic status as Gengar, a member of the original 151 Pokémon first introduced in Pokémon Red and Blue. Over the years, Gengar has become synonymous with Pokémon, demonstrated by it being bestowed every alternate form created by GameFreak, including mega evolution and gigantamaxing.

Gengar is exceptionally powerful and also well-known in the world of Pokémon. Not only does it rank among the top ghost Pokémon across the entire franchise, but it’s one of the strongest overall, whether we’re talking about the games or the anime. In the competitive battling scene, Gengar is a consistent presence, regardless of format. Among ghost-type Pokémon, only Mimikyu and Rotom come close to its popularity.

1 No-Face

Spirited Away

Studios: Studio Ghibli
Status: Finished Airing
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy

One day, Chihiro and her parents unintentionally discover a deserted amusement park. Believing they could get away with eating some food without paying since there are no workers around, they do so. However, their actions have unexpected consequences: they transform into pigs. As dusk settles, the park undergoes a transformation, revealing itself as a town inhabited by gods and spirits. The wicked witch Yubaba, proprietor of a bathhouse, enslaves anyone who ventures there against her will, using them as laborers.

In the hotel, Chihiro’s parents are unwillingly confined in a place meant for slaughter, while Chihiro is compelled into labor. Accompanied by her new companion, Haku, Chihiro endeavors to lift the enchantment on her parents and make their escape back home.

2024-11-11 15:55