"Kowabon" is a short-form anime series that blends horror and supernatural elements with a unique visual style. The narrative revolves around a series of unsettling incidents tied to modern technology, particularly smartphones and video recordings. Each episode is self-contained, presenting a different story of individuals encountering eerie phenomena through their devices. The common thread is the concept of "Kowabon," a mysterious video that, when viewed, brings forth malevolent spirits or supernatural occurrences.

The series explores how characters inadvertently summon these spirits by interacting with the video or similar digital content. The spirits often manifest in distorted, grotesque forms, reflecting the unsettling nature of the encounters. The protagonists, typically ordinary people, find themselves trapped in increasingly terrifying situations as the spirits invade their reality, often leading to dire consequences. The stories are brief but impactful, emphasizing the pervasive and invasive nature of technology in modern life and its potential to bridge the gap between the living and the supernatural.

The characters are diverse, ranging from students to office workers, each representing a slice of contemporary society. Their experiences with the supernatural are tied to their use of technology, highlighting themes of isolation, vulnerability, and the unintended consequences of digital connectivity. The series does not focus on a central protagonist but instead presents a collection of vignettes, each contributing to the overarching theme of technological horror.

"Kowabon" employs a distinctive rotoscoping animation technique, which adds a layer of realism to the otherwise surreal and horrifying events. This visual approach enhances the unsettling atmosphere, making the supernatural elements feel more immediate and tangible. The series is concise, with episodes running only a few minutes each, but it effectively delivers a sense of dread and unease, leaving a lasting impression despite its brevity.