Most of the time, it is fair to assume that cartoons are supposed to be child-friendly; bright, colorful, uplifting, and most importantly, not at all scary.
As counterintuitive as it may seem, it turns out that not every animated series or movie is all rainbows and butterflies.
Sometimes, they can be creepier than live-action horror films. I said what I said!
*The Nightmare Before Christmas*
If you’re ever trying to think of a scary cartoon, this may be one of the first ones to spring to mind — understandably so! It’s a classic.
If you haven’t seen it, here’s what makes it so intense: First of all, the animation is eerie af. Second of all, Santa Claus gets abducted. A literal nightmare before Christmas.
*The Secret of NIMH*
Let me start out by saying, this movie is amazing , and while it might be meant for children, the themes are actually quite bleak.
The film is about a field mouse on a mission to find medicine for her sick son. Along the way, she fraternizing with some rather scary looking characters (villains and otherwise), and nearly becomes a victim of animal testing.
*Alice in Wonderland.*
There are plenty of creepy moments in Disney movies. But Alice in Wonderland is the only one that is reminiscent of a fever dream. Furthermore, the film has been said to actually be about taking psychedelic drugs which explains A LOT .
*The Last Unicorn*
The Last Unicorn sounds like the least scary title for any movie, ever. But the underlying dark themes and old-school animation definitely make it a bit ominous.
It’s about — as the title suggests — the last unicorn, fighting for her life and to prevent the extinction of her species.
*ParaNorman*
ParaNorman isn’t “scary” per se. But it has a lot of creepy elements to it — especially considering it’s a movie suitable for most age groups.
The story is about Norman Babcock, a boy who lives in a town that has been under a deadly curse. With his ability to speak to the dead, however, and with a few pals, he is able to save the town and lift the curse.
*Tales From The Cryptkeeper*
This is a cult-favorite, you might say! It only went on for three seasons, but in later years, it was transformed into something far more well-known to the younger generations.
*Courage The Cowardly Dog*
This 1996 series that aired on the Cartoon Network , was about a pink dog named Courage who was, essentially, always on the run from monsters. While there were a lot more sci-fi themes to this one, it definitely kept viewers on their toes similar to how a horror movie would.
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*The Black Cauldron*
This dark, Disney film centers around the evil (and terrifying) Horned King who’s mission is to conquer the world with the help of the mythical cauldron. But to say the least, he does not hold back. There are witches, an undead army, and plenty of other nightmare-esque themes.
*Castlevania*
Castlevania is a much newer series. In fact, it’s on Netflix right now. If you’re a fan of anime, this one is definitely something worth checking out.
It’s a modern-day take on Count Dracula and his mission to avenge the death of his wife.
*The Plague Dogs*
Similarly to The Secret of NIMH , Plague Dogs is about two pups trying to escape from an animal testing laboratory. Once they make it into the wild, it’s a struggle to simply survive!
This film will keep you on the edge of your seat, no doubt!
Todd McFarlane’s *Spawn*
This film is about a trained government-hired assassin, who was betrayed and killed in battle, but returns to life in a rotting body to avenge his own death.
Yes, it’s as scary as it sounds.
*Perfect Blue*
Perfect Blue is an anime film about a singer who quits her band to become an actress and sheds her “good girl” persona to further her career. However, she ends up becoming the object of one fans’ obsession — someone from her past, who ends up stalking her.
*Coraline.*
Coraline is about an 11-year-old girl who stumbles into an alternate, idealized alternate version of her life while trying to escape the frustrations of her home-life. But this alternate world isn’t quite what she thought it was…
Yikes!
*Watership Down*
If you thought The Secret of NIMH was scary, then you’d probably find this one mortifying.
Based on a novel, this film is about a rabbit who experiences bizarre prophetic visions, on the run from predators and in search of a new home. While that may not sound that scary, this photo from the movie sure as hell is!
*Monster House*
Monster House is about a crabby old man who looks after an old, rundown house, until he, unfortunately, passes away. What’s left behind is essentially a haunted house that terrorizes the town. A group of kids risk their lives to explore the abandoned home and the terrifying secrets it holds inside.
While there is some comedy to this one at times, it’s definitely still chilling!
