‘Tis the season…SPOOKY season that is! With the weather becoming crisper and Halloween on the horizon, it always gets me in the mood to read some horror (despite my aversion to all things scary the rest of the year). My favorite way to consumer horror by far is through manga. The intense, suspenseful plot lines with the incredibly detailed artwork just makes it so much more impactful for me. Here are some horror manga that I either recommend or have my eye on to read this season that might pique your interest as well! All descriptions are provided by the publisher.
Frankenstein: Junji Ito Story Collection – Junji Ito
The master of horror manga brings the world’s greatest horror novel—Frankenstein—back to life. Junji Ito meets Mary Shelley! The master of horror manga bends all his skill into bringing the anguished and solitary monster—and the fouler beast who created him—to life with the brilliantly detailed chiaroscuro he is known for. Also included are six tales of Oshikiri—a high school student who lives in a decaying mansion connected to a haunted parallel world. Uncanny doppelgangers, unfortunately murdered friends, and a whole lot more are in store for him. Bonus: The Ito family dog! Thrill to the adventures of Non-non Ito, an adorable Maltese! – Viz Media
Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku – Yuji Kaku
Gabimaru the Hollow is one of the most vicious assassins ever to come out of the ninja village of Iwagakure. He’s ruthlessly efficient, but a betrayal results in him being handed a death sentence. He has only one hope–in order to earn his freedom, he must travel to a long-hidden island and recover an elixir that will make the shogun immortal. Failure is not an option. On this island, heaven and hell are just a hair’s breadth away. – Viz Media
Stitches – Hirokatsu Kihara, art by Junji Ito
Horror manga giant Junji Ito teams up with spooky story writer Hirokatsu Kihara for the ultimate collection of fright-filled ghost tales!
A tumor shaped like a man’s face slowly moves across a woman’s body. The sea shoots glowing balls into the sky, much to the distress of beachgoers. And a girl dressed up for a holiday has no eyes, no nose, nothing—her face is a total blank.
Hirokatsu Kihara pens true stories of unsolved mysteries, stitched together with page after page of Junji Ito’s original illustrations in this collection of nine eerie tales and a bonus manga story. – Viz Media
H.P. Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness – adaptation and artwork by Gou Tanabe
January 25, 1931: an expedition team arrives at a campsite in Antarctica . . . to find its crew of men and sled dogs strewn and dead. But a still more horrific sight is the star-shaped mound of snow nearby . . . for under its five points is a grave–and what lies beneath is not human!
At the Mountains of Madness is a journey into the core of Lovecraft’s mythos–the deep caverns and even deeper time of the inhospitable continent where the secret history of our planet is preserved–amidst the ruins of its first civilization, built by the alien Elder Things with the help of their bioengineered monstrosities, the shoggoths.
Since it was first published in Astounding Stories during the classic pulp era, At the Mountains of Madness has influenced both horror and science fiction worldwide! – Dark Horse
The Summer Hikaru Died – Mokumokuren
It has Hikaru’s face. It has Hikaru’s voice. It even has Hikaru’s memories. But whatever came down from the mountains six months ago isn’t Yoshiki’s best friend. Whatever it is, it’s dangerous. Carrying on at school and hanging out as if nothing has changed—as if Hikaru isn’t gone—would be crazy…but when it looks so very like Hikaru…and acts so very like Hikaru… – Yen Press
Blood on the Tracks – Shuzo Oshimi
From the creator who brought you notable works such as The Flowers of Evil, Happiness, and Inside Mari, comes a new suspense drama centering on the theme of a toxic parent.
Dive into this latest thriller by master storyteller, Shuzo Oshimi.
Seiichi’s mother loves him very much, and his days pass with placid regularity. School, friends, even the attention of his attractive classmate Fukiishi. Until one terrible summer day, that all changes… – Kodansha
We also have a new blog post about what new horror novels recently got added to our collection! Check it out here.
What’s your favorite way to consume horror? Let us know in the comments!