10 More Spooky and Hilarious Shows To Watch!
Ghost Stories is an intriguing anime. It was slightly enjoyable to folks in Japan, but many argue its English Dub is the best way to experience it. Rather than following the plot to a tea, the vocal talent had its way with the anime. It went from a subpar horror mystery series to becoming and well-loved horror comedy with hysterical dialogue. It’s one of those hidden gems you must see to believe and will probably stay that for years to come.
Fear not if you’re having trouble finding anime similar to Ghost Stories! We’ve discovered 10 alternate shows that’ll give you a similar experience as Ghost Stories.
Additionally, for each anime we’ve reviewed, we’ve included a link that allows you to view our full thoughts about the series to see if it’s worth your time.
So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet your appetite when you’ve finished streaming Ghost Stories!
Ghost Hunt
Similarities – Supernatural & The Occult
Ghost Hunt is a wonderful mystery series with great story beats, likable characters, and an intense atmosphere. Its premise revolves around students hunting down supernatural entities. Where Ghost Stories feels goofier and childlike, this series feels more grim and serious. It tackles numerous topics ranging from religious practices to heartbreaking tragedies.
This anime’s pacing isn’t as stellar. The show can feel like a slog to sit through, especially if you’re trying to binge through it. Ghost Hunt takes a while to get to its more entertaining bits. Sometimes the wait can feel dreadful while in other instances it can feel satisfying. The characters in this show also feel more developed and rounded than anyone in Ghost Stories.
If you’re looking for a mature ghosting-hunting anime with an eerie atmosphere, check this out.
Natsume’s Book of Friends
Similarities – Plot, Slice of Life, Supernatural
Natsume’s Book of Friends examines the rough life of Natsume. All his life he’s been transferred to different foster homes. His foster families find his ability to see youkai strange. Unlike them, Natsume’s learned to cope with his gift, choosing to isolate himself from the world. One day, he frees a spirit named Madara who takes on a cat form.
Natsume connects Madara with his late grandmother and he happens to have his paws on his grandmother’s mystical book. To retrieve it from Madara, Natsume promises to act as his bodyguard. Therefore, we follow Natsume and Madara’s quest to keep the Book of Friends safe from evil youkai.
Both anime revolve around strange books the protagonist must protect. The protagonists encounter numerous spirits who aren’t afraid to cause them severe harm or trouble. They’re accompanied by spiritual felines who’ll assist them with their mission. Ghost Stories learns about the horror aspects more than Natsume’s Book of Friends. However, fans who enjoyed Ghost Stories English dub’s slice-of-life approach to the story will adore Natsume’s Book of Friend’s atmosphere.
Hell Girl
Similarities – Story Structure & Mystery
Hell Girl is a wonderful mystery series. It contains a creepy atmosphere, and dark side stories, giving the viewer a taste of what goes in a corrupt human’s mind. This anime includes multiple storylines that intertwine to form a well-executed final act. It contains strong horror elements than Ghost Stories and lacks comedic intent.
This anime highlights Ai Enma and her associates’ lives. They work for a well-acclaimed website that offers customers a chance to send their enemy’s souls to hell. They must cough up their own lives as payment, though. You’ll be bewildered by the lengths people go to seek revenge in this show.
It portrays humans in a realistic light. The deaths and murders in this show contain enough emotional weight to entice an emotional response from fans. This is a mind-boggling work that excels at making viewers feel creeped out and horrible. If you’re looking for a show with multiple mysteries and horrid imagery, check out Hell Girl.
Crayon Shin-chan
Similarities – Characters & Comedy
Crayon Shin-chan is another show that doesn’t take itself seriously. Those who watched Ghost Stories English dub can expect similar dialogue, scenery, and characters in this work. It features comical slapstick, one-liners, jokes, and gags that are too amusing to ignore. The anime’s art style may not be for everyone, though. However, it adds more weight to the show’s absurdist tone.
In Crayon Shin-chan, we follow kindergartener Shin-chan. He’s a troublesome perverted boy who gets into all types of mischief. From flirting with college girls to revealing sensual organs in public, the boy enjoys being his town’s goofball. As one can expect, the anime’s an episodic bundle of humor that never ceases.
Although Shin-chan’s actions are mean-spirited, the adults in the show can’t get enough of the little guy. His actions will make the most grown individuals chuckle and question what they’re watching. If you’re looking for a show that’ll tickle your funny bone nonstop, Crayon Shin-chan’s the way to go.
Kaidan Restaurant
Similarities – Ghost Stories & Children
Kaidan Restaurant is a casual ghost-hunting anime. This anime doesn’t have an overarching premise and feels akin to an anthology series. It revolves around a sixth grader and her friends solving mysteries. They wind up in creepy predicaments but nothing too chilling or grotesque to where you’ll be crying out in fear at night.
Each episode feels like a three-part special and delivers a slightly satisfying wrap-up for each mystery. It evokes similar vibes to Ghost Stories but doesn’t contain as much spooky imagery as it does. Some tales can feel unnerving at times, but these narratives won’t instill any feeling of fear within you.
Its horror is akin to what you’d find in Goosebumps. If you enjoyed reading R.L. Stine’s series as a child and enjoyed the spooky situations our cast winds up in regarding Ghost Stories, you’ll enjoy this show.
Mieruko-Chan
Similarities – Supernatural & Comedy
Mieruko-chan is an incredible slice-of-life series. It balances its supernatural and comedy aspects well. It contains colorful characters, a compelling plot, and brilliantly written and executed humor. Like the kids in Ghost Stories, Mieruko-chan’s protagonist, Miki Yotsuya will be working hand-in-hand with Japanese monsters.
These monsters span nightmarish designs but humorous personalities. Miki’s partnership with the monsters will keep viewers engaged with its material as some of the antics they get roped into are full of charm. Miki comes from a terrible upbringing, so sympathizing with her character won’t be too difficult for folks.
Despite her terrible upbringing, they display joyous personalities and often get involved in comedic banter. The banter isn’t on par with the ridiculousness of Ghost Stories’ English Dub, but it will surely get a laugh from you. If you’re looking for a genuine horror comedy with great jokes and characters, check out Mieruko-chan.
Sgt. Frog
Similarities – Comedy
Sgt. Frog is a cutesy anime with lovable characters and great humor. It features other-worldly organisms living peacefully among human companions. Sgt. Frog’s world feels entirely surreal and colorful. The anime’s cartoon-like art style will elevate those exact feelings tenfold, making you question whether or not you’re watching an anime or cartoon.
In it, we follow Sgt. Keroro. He’s an alien frog who invades a 12-year-old boy named Fuyuki’s household. He captures Fuyuki and his sister and vows to repair a device to help in his invasion. Unfortunately, he receives intel that his higher-ups have abandoned him and his allies on their mission.
Stuck on Earth, Keroro and his friends plot various destructive schemes thwarted by unexpected circumstances. Over time, Keroro and his friends will undergo humanization. They’ll grow fond of Fuyuki and the other humans they stumble upon in the show. This anime feels more lighthearted than Ghost Stories. If you’re looking for another goofy anime with childish antics, give Sgt. Frog a shot.
Cardcaptor Sakura
Similarities – Story
Cardcaptor Sakura is a fun anime. It’s up there with Sailor Moon as being a gateway magical girl show for those unfamiliar with the concept. It features children embarking on dangerous quests to quell evil spirits. Cardcaptor Sakura features a great mix of action, comedy, and romance. The show features some dark storylines, but nothing too complex or heinous.
It’s a show people adore for its characters and humor. The characters have fabulous personalities and get roped into amusing scenarios. Sakura established great chemistry with her pals and undergoes great development over time. This anime features the traditional villain of the week structure, so those looking for something less formulaic may be disappointed.
If you’re looking for a show with a cutesy atmosphere, great action, and lighthearted humor, check out Cardcaptor Sakura.
Hell Teacher Nube
Similarities – Ghost Hunting
Hell Teacher Nube is about a clumsy, kind-hearted teacher named Nube. Nube has incredible supernatural powers, which he uses to vanquish evil spirits and sense ghosts. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect his students from harm and that shines through in his likable personality.
Like Ghost Stories, this anime takes place in a school setting and involves ghosting hunting. The characters in this show will make you laugh with the number of amusing situations they get involved in. This anime has decent art and animation. It’s nothing too grandiose like shows you’d watch today, but it gets the job done.
If you’re looking for an anime with a simplistic narrative involving fun characters, check out Hell Teacher Nube.
Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories
Similarities – Episodic Horror
Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories is a unique horror anime. It’s a show whose quality dwindles after its first two seasons but is extremely easy to get into for first-time viewers. It’s an anthology series featuring several creepy Japanese-themed horror tales. Each story offers something refreshing for its audience.
The anime’s art style is handled in a paper theater-like aesthetic. Each story is jammed with nightmarish visuals that’ll send shivers down your spine. From creepy facial animations to terrifying monster designs, this series offers genuine scares and concepts many will find exciting and refreshing. This is an episodic horror experience you don’t want to miss.
So there we have it, our 10 anime/TV show alternatives to watch when you’ve caught up with Ghost Stories!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!