Horror anime focusing on a main character being haunted by a ghost and dealing with terror aren't actually that common. However, more lighthearted anime about characters living happily with ghosts are quite abundant.

Maybe it's some kind of coping mechanism for a country so steeped in supernatural knowledge to turn scary things into comedy, or perhaps the creators think no one would actually stay in a house with a scary ghost in a believable way. Regardless, if you're looking for anime recommendations about living with ghosts, follow along below.

Anime about living with ghosts

Nanana's Buried Treasure

Nanana's Buried Treasure is one of those underrated anime series that will forever remain underrated because it laid the foundation for an epic story, but needed more than one season to take off.

This series follows a guy who moves into his new school dorm only to discover a girl already living there. He also discovers that it's not her squatting there, but rather a ghost haunting the room after her unsolved murder a decade earlier.

This cute ghost tells him that before her death, she, an avid adventurer, hid items of magnificent power throughout the city, and it's believed this treasure hunt led to her death. He sets this otherwise ordinary student on an epic treasure hunt filled with danger, betrayal, and intrigue.

Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs

Hot springs and ghosts—two things that seem so diametrically opposed to each other, yet both are things harem anime love to play with. Although Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs is the only one that does both at once.

Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs follows a psychic who takes a job exorcising a haunted boarding house and hot springs in hopes of finding a cheap place to stay. However, what he finds there isn't a scary, malicious ghost, but a cute, adorable one. What's more, the other residents, all supernatural in their own ways, seem to know about her.

Anohana – The flower we saw that day

Anohana is one of the rarest ghost-based anime to deal with real tragedy. While it has its moments, there aren't many laughs in this one. Save the barrel, though; you might fill it with tears.

Anohana tells the story of a group of childhood friends who lost one of their friends in a tragic accident. Destroyed by the event in one way or another, the group of friends split up as teenagers. It's not until their dead friend appears as a ghost that they unite to try to fulfill their wish.

Keep your tissues handy as the characters deal with their various emotional issues while unraveling the mystery of what exactly this friendly ghost child really wants.

Rokujyoma Invaders

When it comes to hauntings, Invaders of the Rokujyoma truly puts them all on a par. It's not just one spirit haunting a room, but a whole pack of them. That's okay, though. This is a harem anime.

The Invaders of the Rokujyoma puts as much effort into its plot as most harem anime series. It follows a guy who rents a cheap room, but ends up being cheap because the large amount of spiritual energy surrounding the room attracts tons of spirits.

From then on, he's bombarded not only by ghosts, but by all sorts of supernatural beings who happen to be beautiful girls. They, too, end up feeling at home.

Natsuyuki's meeting

When it comes to anime about living with ghosts, they tend to be quite impersonal. The characters didn't know the ghosts in life, so they don't have much of an emotional attachment to them after death. Natsuyuki Rendezvous tells a story of emotional attachment.

This series follows a man who falls in love with a woman who owns a flower shop, so much so that he gets a job there. He discovers that she's not only a grieving widow but also haunted by the ghost of her dead husband, who constantly blocks his efforts to get closer to her.

While there is some comedy in someone being constantly turned off in romantic endeavors by a ghost, this series is a rather touching romance about letting go and moving on.

Elegant Yokai Life Apartment

The premise of Elegant Yokai Apartment Life is familiar at this point on the list. It follows a guy who, not wanting to be a burden, gets the cheapest dorm room he can find. It turns out the dorm is cheap because it's home to ghosts and all sorts of supernatural beings.

Unlike other series where the main character learns to coexist happily with everyone, Elegant Yokai Apartment Life features the main character meeting another resident who knows a number of techniques for removing particularly frightening or troublesome spirits and ghosts.

Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost

While the concept of an overworked office lady being haunted by a childlike ghost is naturally sad when you think about it, Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost doesn't usually acknowledge it. Instead, it becomes more like a cute iyashikei anime, where the young ghost tries to scare Shachiku out of the office so the lady can get some rest.

While the series begins with the couple meeting in the office and the ghost child taking care of the office lady, the ghost eventually leaves the building and moves in with her. It's a cute iyashikei like Meddlesome Kitsune Senko-san, but for overworked women.

Mieruko-chan

Mieruko-chan is probably the closest thing you can get to a horror anime on this list.

This series follows a girl who manifests the ability to see ghosts, and she sees them everywhere—at home, at school, in the bathroom—everywhere. Unlike the ghosts in all the aforementioned anime, the ghosts in Mieruko-chan are often genuinely creepy, and the main character actively pretends not to see them so they don't become more aggressive toward her.

While the ghosts in Mieruko-chan are creepy, the horror is often offset by comedy or, surprisingly, lewdness. The ecchi isn't graphic, but it's there, etched between the obvious panty lines and the camera's lingering gazes.

Do you have any more anime recommendations about living with ghosts? Let your fans know in the comments below.