A good horror anime waits until exactly the right moment to scare its audience, but a great horror anime will use a comedic character to lighten the mood. Comedic characters in horror anime give audiences a break before performing the next scare.
As far as horror goes, humor is a great technique to put the viewer at ease so they don't get overwhelmed by non-stop scares. Whether it's a perverted character grasping at the straws of romance or a sarcastic character who doesn't seem to care that they're in a suspenseful scenario, a little laughter goes a long way in horror.
10 Kohta Hirano Is A Source Of Comedic Relief (Highschool Of The Dead)
Highschool of the Dead contains far more fanservice than nightmare fuel, so a character like Kohta Hirano fits right in regardless of whether he's the butt of the joke or the joker himself. Though Kohta can be shy, he occasionally provides comic relief. Typically, Kohta adds comedy by taking down enemies with sadistic glee or when paired with one of the group's ladies. Easily distracted by a pretty face, he's bound to make the viewer laugh more than once with a few cheap jokes.
9 The Shibuya Psychic Research Team Adds Group Dynamic Humor (Ghost Hunt)
The Shibuya Psychic Research team tends to feed off each other's emotions. When tensions are riding high, it's usually Monk who pitches in with jokes, allowing other members of the team to join in. It doesn't matter if they're just relaxing in their office together before a case or if they're on the move searching for psychic anomalies, they do their best to help one another out. Ghost Hunt ensures that nobody is too scared to contribute a few easy jokes about life, dating, and the friendship the Research Team shares.
8 Yuki Takeya's Delusions Give Viewers Space From A Frightening Apocalypse (School-Live!)
Through Yuki's regular delusions that allow her to escape the apocalyptic reality surrounding her in School-Live!, viewers are presented with a light-hearted slice-of-life anime that disguises the horror that the show is.
Yuki often resorts to teasing her friends over manga, food, and the paranormal. These moments give audiences a chance to smile among the horror. Though Yuki isn't a constant joker or comedian, she does tend to make the audience laugh with her cute little sister personality.
7 Rena Ryuugu's "Cute Mode" Gives Much-Needed Comedic Relief (Higurashi: When They Cry)
Despite the dark themes surrounding this anime, Rena brings a sense of blithe joy to Higurashi: When They Cry. Throughout the series, Rena enters what her friends call her "cute mode," during which she will try to adopt or steal anything that fits her perception of what is adorable. This usually means that she's determined to take her friends home with her, as she finds them exceedingly cute. Some might call this gimmick overplayed whereas others might call it hilarious. Either way, this unique personality trait really lightens the mood of this anime.
6 Yasuhiro Hagakure Spends His Time Trying To Lighten The Mood (Danganronpa: The Animation)
Despite finding himself among fifteen other high school students who each have to kill or be killed, Yasuhiro is very laid back and generally the first to resort to jokes in times of crisis during Danganronpa. Although he's rather cowardly, Yasuhiro takes pride that his screaming has saved the lives of his fellow classmates and optimistically tries to turn a negative situation into a positive one. Despite knowing that his classmates don't particularly like him, Yasuhiro spends the majority of the show attempting to alleviate tension with his goofy nature.
5 Souichi Tsujii's Petty Pranks Are A Source Of Humor (Junji Ito Collection)
Despite his attempts to be menacing, Souichi Tsujii is quite possibly the least harrowing character in Junji Ito Collection. Petty in nature, Souichi often tries to come up with twisted pranks that will make his classmates and family suffer. Hilariously, these often backfire and make him the butt of his own jokes. When Souichi tries to scare his sister with a dead spider he found in the attic, for example, the tables are quickly turned when his older brother throws it back at him. In trying to instill terror, Souichi ironically becomes the funniest part of the series.
4 Dean Winchester Is Always Ready With Some Sarcasm & Wit (Supernatural: The Anime Series)
Much like his live-action counterpart, Dean Winchester is still the wisecracking jokester he's always been. Between hunting for demons and searching for his father with his brother Sam, Dean never forgets to make a light-hearted joke.
Whether he's playing the role of a flirtatious womanizer, sarcastic older brother, or fraudulent detective, this demon hunter does it all with a smile on his face and a pun at hand. Dean is eager to remind audiences that Supernatural is more than a horror and covers multiple genres.
3 Ryuk's Flippant Attitude Is Amusing For Viewers (Death Note)
When Ryuk first comes to observe Light in Death Note, he's mostly quiet and only volunteers what little information he wants. Yet, as the anime goes on, he soon becomes more chatty and energetic while he enjoys his time away from the shinigami realm. Most of Ryuk's lines are delivered with a dry wit that only lends to his charm. Whether he's bothering Light for attention, making a fool of himself for apples, or having a bashful conversation with Misa, Ryuk adds some much-needed levity to Death Note.
2 Juuzou Suzuya's Dramatic Flair Combats Darkness (Tokyo Ghoul)
Carefree, wild, and completely fearless, Juuzou Suzuya enjoys making scenes that are as theatrical and loud as he is. Everything that he does is performed with a charismatic childlike glee, whether it's stealing motorbikes, inappropriately interrupting important meetings, claiming new weaponry, or fighting ghouls to the bitter end. Keen to make an entrance, Juuzou has made Tokyo Ghoul history with his dramatic flair. Despite the show's heavy themes, he proves that no scenario is too serious or dark and breathes life into the series.
1 Sasha Braus' Animalistic Appetite Delights Fans (Attack On Titan)
Attack on Titan's Sasha Braus earned the spotlight for comic relief the moment she ate a stolen potato in front of her commanding officer during her first day of training. An eccentric airhead, Sasha will do anything for food, since food is the biggest motivation in life. Her potato antics earned her the nickname "Potato Girl" from her friends. Between boosting the morale of her squad, posing for fights with her teammates, or just blatantly stealing food rations during even the tensest of scenarios, Sasha has earned her place as a beloved fan favorite of the show.
