Best Psychedelic Anime

Anime is full of unique themes and characters that help make them stand out and be different from one another. But there are some shows out there that are unique and even downright strange for various reasons. Some of them have dark themes that play tricks on the mind and some have such wacky themes that they seem like something from a children’s cartoon show.

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Whether fans are looking for something hilarious with out-there comedy, or something dark and deep, these psychedelic anime are some of the best. They range from strangely funny to dark and horrific. Regardless of what viewers choose to watch, these anime feel like a fever dream.

Updated December 21, 2024 by Mark Sammut: This article covering the best psychedelic anime has been expanded to include more specifications for each show, along with the introduction of a 2008 classic created by Masaaki Yuasa.

19 Redline

Race Car Action With A Psychedelic Twist

The Redline is a race that’s held every five years and it’s a race where anything goes i.e. There are no rules. Racer JP has qualified for the race and is eager to prove his skills against other drivers, especially the beautiful newcomer, Sonoshee. However, this year’s race is taking place in Roboworld where its trigger-happy military and deadliest criminals are looking to make this race more difficult than usual.

For fans who are looking for a great sci-fi race car movie, look no further. Redline is jampacked with action and has everything fans want. From intense action, a pretty good story, and insane characters, it’s going to be hard to look away from the screen.

18 Pop Team Epic

Two High Schoolers Living Life With Dark Humor and Foul Mouths

This anime follows the misadventures of two high school students, the short and short-tempered Popuko, and the tall and calm Pipimi. The two of them are just living their everyday lives, but their lives are full of crudeness, insanity, and absurdity. These girls are ready to take on life with foul mouths and pop culture knowledge.

Pop Team Epic doesn’t have a storyline to it and is a great choice for viewers who just want a show to laugh at. This anime is reminiscent of the longtime American sitcom South Park because of the number of pop culture references, dark and gag humor, and Popuko and Pipimi are usually cursing regularly.

17 Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi

A Trippy Coming-Of-Age Comedy Story

Satoshi “Sasshi” Imamiya is a 12-year-old boy who feels like his world is coming to an end. He’s lost his card collection and his best friend, Arumi, is going to move away soon. After an accident, the two of them find themselves in an alternate world built on pop culture references, sci-fi, and fantasy. Finding a way back to their home world is going to take some out-there knowledge and guts.

While it’s not as psychedelic as some other animes, this show still has some pretty crazy visuals. Not only is it a great comedy, but it’s also a good coming-of-age story and deals with some realistic issues.

16 Excel Saga

Two Ladies Who Hilariously Fail Completing Their Missions

Excel and Hyatt are two ladies who work as officers for the secret organization Across. Across has plans to conquer the world by targeting one city at a time. However, Excel and Hyatt’s missions tend to end in disaster, with the two of them being responsible for damage to the city or some other catastrophe.

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This anime is full of dark humor and gags that will leave viewers wanting to look away due to how graphic some scenes are, or laugh at how over-the-top everything is. Between Excel and Hyatt failing at their missions, and their interactions with their neighbors, there’s no shortage of laughs in this anime.

15 Welcome to Irabu's Office

An Eccentric Psychiatrist’s Interactions With His Patients

Dr. Ichiro Irabu is a psychiatrist at Irabu General Hospital. However, it’s a bit questionable if he does any good for patients and helps cure their health issues. He doesn’t have any sympathy for them and has drastic and unorthodox ways of helping them instead of counseling them. There are times he even forgets he’s a doctor and gives them some pretty out-there advice that puts them in awkward situations.

This anime follows Dr. Irabu, but it also spends a lot of time focusing on his patients and their different journeys of healing. The visuals might make some think this is a comedy, but while it does have funny moments, it’s mostly about the patients overcoming their issues even though their doctor has eccentric ways of helping them.

14 Bobobo-bo Bo-Bobo

A Man Fights Against An Empire With His Nose Hair

The Maruhage Empire is a militant organization that terrorizes the population by invading settlements and shaving people’s heads. When all hope seems lost, Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, a man with a golden afro and nose hair that like steel, rises to fight against the Maruhage. Traveling from settlement to settlement with his allies, Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo’s quest takes him far as he battles the Empire’s tyranny and gains new allies to help him.

Using nose hair to fight is certainly a novel combat style, but it’s hilarious to watch. It’s not every day that nose hairs are a weapon of choice and it might make some viewers laugh or scratch their heads in confusion from seeing how effective they are.

13 Kaiba

Kaiba is a bit of an odd recommendation for a psychedelic anime as its animation style and color palette are more simplistic and muted than most other shows that fall within this bracket. However, Masaaki Yuasa's series is nevertheless a must-watch, especially for those interested in experimental sci-fi.

The anime takes place in a world where memories are commodities that can be removed, stolen, and implanted, and the main plot follows Kaiba as he tries to regain his lost past. While there is an overarching storyline, most episodes have an almost standalone quality to them, telling smaller-scale personal stories that inject flavor and depth into this universe.

12 Dead Leaves

Two Prisoners Orchestrate A Prison Break Because They’re Bored

Retro and Pandy are two people who woke on an unknown street with no clothes or memories. They discover that they have superhuman abilities and team up to go on a short crime spree in Tokyo. However, they’re ultimately caught by police and locked up in Dead Leaves, a high-security prison located on the half-destroyed Moon. The two of them learn that the prison doubles up as a human cloning facility and decide to lead a prison break since they have nothing better to do.

This short movie is a pretty wild and nutty adventure for viewers. The visuals might look insane, but this anime is an underrated gem from the early 2000s that’s full of hilarity, action, and violence that’s great entertainment.

11 Flip Flappers

Two Magical Girls Must Learn To Synchronize Their Transformations

Cocona and Papika are two middle school students who are in the organization known as Flip Flap. This organization specializes in gathering wish-granting crystals from other dimensions. After a dangerous creature attacks them, another group of magical girls kills it and takes its crystal. Seeing this group as their rivals, Cocona and Papika make it their goal to have better teamwork so they can transform more effectively.

A magical girl anime with a mix of sci-fi, adventure, and fantasy that has some pretty strange visuals. But this anime also has some coming-of-age elements when Cocona realizes her true feelings for Papika.

10 Space Dandy

An Alien Bounty Hunter’s Adventures With His Vacuum Cleaner Robot And Cat

A space opera that follows the misadventures of Space Dandy and his crew. Space Dandy is an alien bounty hunter whose job is to discover new alien life forms and deal with wacky tasks. With his vacuum cleaner robot, QT, and an alien in the form of a cat, Meow, Dandy’s not-so-simple life is something to behold. It’s even funnier that he doesn’t realize he’s being tracked by the evil scientist Dr. Gel of the Gogol Empire.

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This is a great choice for anyone wanting to watch a comedy anime in space with some pretty out-there adventures. The show references a lot of pop culture, music, and other anime shows with fun little Easter egg moments that’ll leave viewers laughing.