Kara Dennison
January 17, 2023 
There’s a wide variety of anime monsters out there. Some are surprisingly friendly, while others will fill you with terror. And it just so happens that lots of anime this season are packed with paranormal beasties!
Here are three shows you can watch right now where yokai play a pivotal role. From the friendly to the downright deadly, which ones are your favorites?
Malevolent Spirits: Mononogatari
Despite the title, the anime monsters of Malevolent Spirits: Mononogatari are surprisingly friendly. The main ones, at least. In the world of the series, tsukumogami roam the streets. These yokai inhabit discarded items. Some go rogue, while others just love the vibe of the human world. The Saenome clan specializes in sending them home peacefully—except for Hyouma Kunato, who forcefully traps all of them.
To calm him down, his grandfather sends him to live with a girl named Botan for a year. The catch? She lives with six tsukumogami who have special dispensation to live among humans in exchange for doing Saenome clan jobs. If he’s sent home early, he’s out of the family. How will he fare?
Ayakashi Triangle
This ecchi series features more anime monsters—the ayakashi of the title—and yet another hot-blooded exorcist. Matsuri is an exorcist ninja who took on the family job a few years ago. His reason? His childhood crush Suzu is a rare ayakashi miko, meaning she has a special affinity for these beings. But her life energy might also make a tasty meal for the stronger ones.
When Matsuri gets on the ayakashi king’s bad side, the monster gets his revenge. To ensure that Matsuri and Suzu will never be able to get it on, he transforms Matsuri into a girl. We’re not sure this logic is exactly sound, and something tells us that isn’t about to stop Suzu or Matsuri.
In/Spectre Season 2
Where there are anime monsters, there’s Kotoko! Everyone’s favorite little goddess has returned for a second season of In/Spectre, and she’s bringing Kuro with her. Whether he likes it or not.
The continuation of the popular series will see the duo solving more paranormal problems. As the show returns, they’ll be delving into the case of a Yuki-Onna—a snow woman yokai—who contacts Kotoko to help her solve a murder. Love is in the air yet again, it seems, and not just between our protagonists!
Keep the paranormal energy going—check out these fantasy anime that run on non-magical skills.
