Gothic anime stands out not because of surface-level darkness, but because of the emotional weight it carries, stories that deal with death, grief, trauma, and the unsettling sides of human nature.

Any modern anime series wouldn’t be here, though, without the inspiration and influence from older series that paved the way for the genre or set standards with excellent storytelling and animation.

Sometimes it's the atmosphere, defined by an air of refinement combined with a certain eeriness, like a haunting in a palace.