“A cursed encyclopedia reveals surreal, gruesome supernatural tales where nothing is as it seems.”
The World YAMIZUKAN
世界の闇図鑑
Would You Love or Hate This?
AI-powered analysis tailored to your taste
Based on your preference for character-driven stories with layered emotional arcs, this title's exploration of identity and belonging would deeply resonate. The pacing mirrors series you've rated highly, and its thematic depth aligns with your appreciation for nuanced storytelling...
However, the slow initial episodes might test your patience given your history of dropping shows that don't hook you early. The art style shift in the middle arc could also be a concern...
Synopsis
A cursed encyclopedia reveals surreal, gruesome supernatural tales where nothing is as it seems.
Tucked away in the darkest depths of this world, tales of the bizarre and the supernatural quietly unfold. These inexplicable stories are chronicled throughout the pages of a certain strange encyclopedia, sheltered within a crumbling, decrepit building. Do you dare to open its cover and experience the horrors firsthand? Each of the macabre tales held within the book's pages details some unusual, surreal experiences that often come to a gruesome end. A man searches for his adulterous wife, only to find himself at the mercy of otherworldly visitors; a boy befriends a snowman who harbors a sinister secret; crop circles suddenly form on a family farm, created by some unexpected visitors; hidden in plain sight, menacing mechanical beings continue on undetected. In all of these horrifying stories, nothing is as simple as it seems, revealing a terrifying darkness that perhaps might have been best left alone.
What people say
Community consensus
Derived from 7 sampled reviews
What 7 viewers settled on.
Mostly aligned
σ 1.18 · some divergence
4.0 pts
Recommenders 7.0 · others 3.0
↓ 1.43
Running avg · Jun 2017 → Aug 2025
- 7 “If you're looking for a horror anime, Sekai no Yami Zukan is not the one you're looking for. It's more like a documentary than a thriller. Am I literally the only one who gets that? According to...”
- 5 “I'm on the search for good horror in all format, and this one was on the list... As many others have said - it's not necessarily bad - it's obviously achieved what it was aiming for: short stories...”
- 3 “I was really in the mood for some non-sequitur, anthology horror anime like I had enjoyed in "Pet Shop of Horrors" but in this bizarre presentation, I watched 13 episodes of what can't even be...”
Watch Order & Related
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See all credits →Production slate
- Format 13 × 4′ eps × min
- Total runtime 0h 52m all episodes
- Aired Apr 2017 – Jun 2017 Spring 2017
- Source Tv media type
- Rated R 17+ (violence & profanity)
- Ref. BS-12410 catalog
Produced by
- TV Tokyo Producer