They're popular because they offer a different kind of horror experience. Animation can create unique and surreal worlds that live - action might not be able to achieve as easily. For example, in 'Paranoia Agent', the distorted and dream - like animation enhances the sense of unease and horror.
Well, 'Higurashi no Naku Koro ni' can be considered a creepy animated horror story. It has a rural setting which at first seems peaceful but then turns into a nightmare full of paranoia and brutal murders. The art style and the way the characters' expressions change to show their horror add to the overall creepiness. There's also 'School - Live!', which has a unique take on horror as it starts off like a normal school anime but then reveals a post - apocalyptic and very disturbing scenario.
The visual aspect. Animated horror can create really unique and disturbing visuals that live - action might not be able to achieve as easily. For example, the way they can distort characters or create otherworldly landscapes.
One well - known creepy animated horror story is 'Another'. It has a really eerie atmosphere and the animation style adds to the overall sense of dread. The story involves a mystery surrounding a class that has been haunted by a curse for years.
The stories usually play with fear of the unknown. They might introduce a mystery that the characters have to solve, like in some stories where there is an unexplained phenomenon in a small town. The animation enhances this fear as it can show things in a more vivid and sometimes distorted way. Also, they can use sound effects in the animation very effectively to create a spooky atmosphere, like creaking doors or howling winds.
Creepy animated stories often make the audience more aware of the darker side of creativity. They can expand the viewer's imagination in a different way compared to more positive or light - hearted animations. The disturbing visuals or themes might stay in the viewer's mind, making them think about things like mortality or the unknown. In 'The Nightmare Before Christmas', Jack's search for something new outside of his normal world makes the audience consider the idea of being bored with one's own existence and the consequences of trying to change too much.
Some creepy animated stories include 'Over the Garden Wall'. It has a very strange and slightly disturbing setting. The woods and the various characters they meet along the way give off an overall creepy vibe. Then there's 'Paranorman'. It deals with zombies and ghosts in a way that is both funny but also has its creepy moments, especially when the ghosts start to swarm. 'Frankenweenie' is also creepy in a way. It's a take on the Frankenstein story but in an animated form, with the re - animated dog being a rather odd and slightly spooky sight.
One popular creepy Halloween animated story is 'Corpse Bride'. It tells the tale of a young man who accidentally marries a dead woman in the land of the dead. Another is 'The Nightmare Before Christmas', which combines Halloween and Christmas elements in a spooky yet fascinating story. And 'ParaNorman' is also great, it's about a boy who can see ghosts and has to save his town from a witch's curse.
You can find creepy Halloween animated stories on streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu. They often have a selection of spooky animated movies during the Halloween season. Amazon Prime Video is also a good place to look.
There might be a story about a haunted forest in '14 animated horror stories'. The animation could show the trees as menacing figures and strange noises coming from the depth of the forest. The main character might be lost in this forest and encounter all sorts of terrifying things like shadowy creatures.