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Horror Manga Worth Reading
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items There are quite a few horror manga out there that have been translated into English. These have ranged from more comedic series' like DanDaDan to iconic ones like Junji Ito's work and others that embrace a lighter approach to horror like xxxholic. In...
Sections
3
Horror Series
Single Volumes and Collections
Horror for the Squeamish
Horror Series
These are manga series that are at least two volumes in length.
The Ring (and Sadako) is infamous in and outside of horror circles. Orginally a novel that evolved into a series, and later adapted into movies, it was also adapted into a pretty good manga series. I've read this first volume and subsequential volume...
This book follows a divorced couple and their child as they encounter the curse after watching a VHS and try to solve the mystery surrounding it and avoid death.
This book follows a divorced couple and their child as they encounter the curse after watching a VHS and try to solve the mystery surrounding it and avoid death.
The Ring - Hiroshi Takahashi & Misao Inagaki
Berserk follows the mercenary Guts, a lone swordsman cursed with a demonic brand that draws monsters to him, as he wages a brutal struggle against fate, betrayal, and the horrors of both men and demons. Once a loyal warrior in the Band of the Hawk, h...
Berserk has been widely popular among manga fans for years thanks to its incredible storytelling and art. The manga has been collected in several collections over the last few years.
Berserk has been widely popular among manga fans for years thanks to its incredible storytelling and art. The manga has been collected in several collections over the last few years.
Berserk - Kentaro Miura
Orochi is a four volume horror manga series by one of the most prolific horror manga-ka – Kazou Umezz. It follows a mysterious girl who involves herself in strange, supernatural events. The stories centering on her involvement in them are interesting...
Orochi - Kazou Umezz
Happiness follows a teenage boy, Makoto Ozaki, in his first year of high school. He has several misgivings in his life including low-grades, lackluster freinds and bullies. This changes one night when a girl knocks him to the ground and offers him a ...
Shuzo Oshimi is known for telling compelling stories drenched in horror in a variety of ways, particularly psychologically. Two of his other well-known works are Flowers of Evil and Blood on the Tracks. While I didn't like Flowers of Evil and haven't...
Shuzo Oshimi is known for telling compelling stories drenched in horror in a variety of ways, particularly psychologically. Two of his other well-known works are Flowers of Evil and Blood on the Tracks. While I didn't like Flowers of Evil and haven't...
Happiness - Shuzo Oshimi
The Drifting Classroom originally came out in the 70s and has become a mainstay in horror manga circles. It is an engaging read and a must-read for fans of horror. The English release
Following a massive earthquake, a Japanese elementary school is transported into a strange and dangerous world where the students and teachers are attacked by terrifying creatures and people lose their minds. While parents and authorities investigate...
Following a massive earthquake, a Japanese elementary school is transported into a strange and dangerous world where the students and teachers are attacked by terrifying creatures and people lose their minds. While parents and authorities investigate...
Drifting Classroom - Kazuo Umezz
Gantz is a shocking and gruesome horror tale that has also been adapted into an anime.
It follows two teenagers, Kei and Masaru, who are killed by a subway train but awaken in a room with an ominous black orb. This orb gives them weapons, suits and orders to participate in a strange, alien game. If you win, you get your freedom and lif...
It follows two teenagers, Kei and Masaru, who are killed by a subway train but awaken in a room with an ominous black orb. This orb gives them weapons, suits and orders to participate in a strange, alien game. If you win, you get your freedom and lif...
Gantz - Hiroya Oku
Dragon Head is a series that has only recently been licensed in the United States (as of this writing, only the first has been released) but it well known in horror circles for good reason.
Dragon Head follows Teru Aoki, one of the few survivors after his train crashes inside a tunnel, leaving him trapped in darkness with mounting dread and unstable companions. As he struggles to escape, he discovers the outside world has collapsed into...
Dragon Head follows Teru Aoki, one of the few survivors after his train crashes inside a tunnel, leaving him trapped in darkness with mounting dread and unstable companions. As he struggles to escape, he discovers the outside world has collapsed into...
Dragon Head - Minetaro Mochizuki
In Deadman Wonderland, Ganta Igarashi is wrongly convicted of murdering his classmates and sent to a twisted prison that doubles as a theme park. There he discovers the ability to weaponize his blood and must fight in deadly games while uncovering th...
This is a fun series that runs 13 volumes long (and all have been released in English).
This is a fun series that runs 13 volumes long (and all have been released in English).
Deadman Wonderland - Jinsei Kataoka
PTSD Radio focuses on a being known as Ogushi, who haunts and tortures human beings. His curse is unique in that it resides in human hair and the series intermixes storying about this curse.
This is a series that Junji Ito fans will enjoy for its unexpected stories and narrative styles. It has been collected into three omnibus volumes in English (which collects two volumes, as originally published, each).
This is a series that Junji Ito fans will enjoy for its unexpected stories and narrative styles. It has been collected into three omnibus volumes in English (which collects two volumes, as originally published, each).
PTSD Radio - Masaaki Nakayama
Single Volumes and Collections
These are horror manga that span a single volume or are a collection of short stories.
Lovesickness is a collection of ten interconnected short stories that center on a purported “beautiful boy”. This is one of my personal favorite collections of the many that have been published.
Lovesickness - Junji Ito
Shiver was my first Junji Ito book and even years after reading it several of the stories sit with me because of how well constructed they are. As such, this is an excellent entry into Junji It's style.
Shiver - Junji Ito
Another centers on Koichi Sakakibara, a transfer student who arrives at a quiet town’s middle school only to discover his class is haunted by a mysterious curse. Each year, students and their relatives die in gruesome accidents, seemingly triggered b...
If you enjoy the story of “Another” there are also spin-off novels.
If you enjoy the story of “Another” there are also spin-off novels.
Another - by Yukito Ayatsuji (Author) and Hiro Kiyohara (Artist)
Uzumaki is one of Junji It's most famous works and for good reason. It features an engaging, horrifying story that is complimented by his incredible artwork. Originally released in three separate volumes, it was later compiled into a single omnibus c...
Uzumaki tells the story of a seaside town slowly consumed by an unnatural obsession with spirals, warping reality and driving its residents into madness and grotesque transformations. Through the eyes of Kirie Goshima and her boyfriend Shuichi, the t...
Uzumaki tells the story of a seaside town slowly consumed by an unnatural obsession with spirals, warping reality and driving its residents into madness and grotesque transformations. Through the eyes of Kirie Goshima and her boyfriend Shuichi, the t...
Uzumaki - Junji Ito
This is a groundbreaking horror manga series that originally came out in 1993 and is credited with introducing the concept of “stalking” in Japan.
The story follows Hiroshi Mori, an ordinary college student. Hiroshi leads a quiet life until one day the doorbell ring and then everything changes.
The story follows Hiroshi Mori, an ordinary college student. Hiroshi leads a quiet life until one day the doorbell ring and then everything changes.
Hauntress - Minetaro Mochizuki
Brain Damage is a collection of several horrifying and disturbing short stories by Shintaro Kago. If you're looking for something that will give you the creeps this is a must-read collection.
Brain Damage - Shintaro Kago
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Horror for the Squeamish
These lack the gruesome elements of other horror manga and instead feature comedy or a focus on folklore, and are for the more faint of heart.
This is one of the first horror manga I ever read. It's been out of print in the United States for a while but was picked up and republished as a collector's edition in the last two years. I really enjoy this one and its narrative. There's also an OV...
Pet Shop of Horrors follows the mysterious Count D, who runs a Chinatown pet shop that offers rare and fantastical creatures, each accompanied by strict rules for their care. When customers inevitably break these rules, their desires twist into tragi...
Pet Shop of Horrors follows the mysterious Count D, who runs a Chinatown pet shop that offers rare and fantastical creatures, each accompanied by strict rules for their care. When customers inevitably break these rules, their desires twist into tragi...
Pet Shop of Horrors - Matsuri Akino
Ghost Hunt is one of my favorite manga series. It follows the story of Mai who begins working part-time for Kazuya Shibuya, the handsome young owner of Shibuya Psychic Research after breaking some expensive equipment to pay off her debt. Along the way they explore possible hauntings, possession and murder.
Sadly the manga is out of print and never completed stateside. It is easy to read in its entirety online however, as well as the original novel series (translated) with a quick google search.
The anime series is also quite good.
Sadly the manga is out of print and never completed stateside. It is easy to read in its entirety online however, as well as the original novel series (translated) with a quick google search.
The anime series is also quite good.
Ghost Hunt - Shiho Inada, Story by Fuyumi Ono
Dandadan is an ongoing comedic horror series. It has also received a well-done anime series. It offers plenty of humor and integrates folklore in some unique and at times distributing ways.
Dandadan follows Momo Ayase, a girl who believes in ghosts but not aliens, and Ken Takakura, a boy who believes in aliens but not ghosts, as they stumble into a world where both are real. Thrown together against bizarre supernatural and extraterrestr...
Dandadan follows Momo Ayase, a girl who believes in ghosts but not aliens, and Ken Takakura, a boy who believes in aliens but not ghosts, as they stumble into a world where both are real. Thrown together against bizarre supernatural and extraterrestr...
Dandadan - Yukinobu Tatsu
xxxholic is a well-known manga series by Clamp that features folklore, mystery and plenty of horror themes. It packs a lot of punch too with an engaging narrative and even years after reading it, some of the stories still sit with me. This is a longe...
xxxHOLiC - Clamp
In Yokai Rental Shop, a mysterious young man named Karasu runs a shop where customers can rent yokai to help them solve their personal problems. As strange requests come in, each story reveals eerie truths about human nature and the hidden connection...
Yokai Rental Shop - Shin Mashiba