From the slightly spooky tales of Muhyo and Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation to the extremely disturbing Mr. Arashi's Amazing Freak Show, our list of horror manga offers a chilling array of paranormal delights, ghostly lore and gruesome gore. Our list starts off with a few scary shonen and shojo stories, then delves deeper into the disturbing and twisted depths of horror as only these macabre manga masters can deliver.
Leave the lights on and turn the page…
11. Uzumaki
© 1998 Junji ITO / Shogakukan Inc.
Author & Artist: Junji Ito
Publisher: VIZ Signature / VIZ Media
See VIZ Media's Uzumaki page
What is the shape of madness? According to Junji Ito, it is the spiral, hands down. Uzumaki is the tale of a town's descent into insanity, one person at a time. It all starts with a man's obsession with spirals. He collects spirals in all their forms and just stares at them in rapt fascination, losing interest in anything else. Sound harmless enough? Guess again, as Ito spins a story that is so surprising at every turn, you'll almost get vertigo.
While there are some quirky episodes, Uzumaki is essentially a skin-crawling classic from one of the true masters of the horror manga genre.
12. Panorama of Hell
© Hideshi Hino
Author & Artist: Hideshi Hino
Publisher: Amok Press / Blast Books
See Blast Book's Panorama of Hell page
Quite possibly one of the most gory and surreal horror manga titles out there (or not out there, this book is largely out of print), Hideshi Hino's Panorama of Hell draws from Hino-sensei's experiences as a child growing up in post-war Hiroshima.
The cover pretty much explains what you'll find inside: Lots of jaw-dropping, blood and guts imagery, plus graphic depictions of unheard of violence. It's so over-the-top, it's almost absurd. Definitely not for the weak of stomach and definitely not a book to read while eating.
13. Mr. Arashi's Amazing Freak Show
© Maruo Suehiro
Author & Artist: Maruo Suehiro
Publisher: Blast Books
Visit Blast Book's Mr. Arashi's Amazing Freak Show page
Why is Mr. Arashi's Amazing Freak Show in the 13th place on this list? It's not his best work, but it is one of his few titles available in English. And maybe there's a good reason for this. Suehiro's artwork is drop-dead gorgeous, but at his best (or worst), his stories are extremely twisted and disturbing.
Rape, bondage, underage sex, dismemberment – nothing is taboo in Suehiro's world and he pushes the boundaries of taste as far as he possibly can. The visceral, gut-wrenching power of his visual storytelling is undeniable. I admire his artwork, but can't stomach much of it.
