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Spookiest (and Silliest) Ghosts and Zombies Manga

Horror Manga Featuring the Deceased, the Almost-Dead and the Undead

By , About.com Guide

Ghosts, spirits, poltergeists and zombies -- the dead, the almost dead and the undead haunt the pages of these horror manga picks. Some are spooky, some are creepy, some are silly and some are even romantic -- but all are supernaturally entertaining reads.

1. Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service

Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Volume 1© Eiji Ohtsuka / Housui Yamazaki

Author: Eiji Ohtsuka
Artist: Housui Yamazaki
Publisher: Dark Horse
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A monk, a mortician, a dowser, a computer whiz and a guy who talks to a sock puppet on his hand find it hard to find 'normal' jobs after graduating from a Buddhist seminary college. But a twist of fate introduces this rag-tag group to an unusual calling: As specialists in "corpse delivery" who help the recently deceased tie up loose ends from beyond the grave.

2. Grand Guignol Orchestra

Grand Guignol Orchestra Volume 1 by Kaori Yuki, from Shojo Beat Manga / VIZ MediaGUIGNOL KYUTEI GAKUDAN © Kaori Yuki 2010 / HAKUSENSHA,Inc.

Author / Artist: Kaori Yuki
Publisher: Shojo Beat / VIZ Media
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If you've ever thought to yourself, "I like shojo manga and all, but it would be so much better if it had more zombies," your wishes have come true in the pages of Grand Guignol Orchestra... well, kinda.

Shojo manga's mistress of horror delivers a story about a traveling troupe of entertainers/zombie hunters with lots of dysfunctional family drama, flesh-eating zombies and gender-bending heroes/heroines. Full of Goth-y thrills and Rococo frills to entertain fans of Godchild and The Cain Saga.

3. Ghost Talker's Daydream

Ghost Talker's Daydream Volume 1 by Sankichi Meguro and Saki Okuse, from Dark Horse Manga© Sankichi Meguro and Saki Okuse

Author: Saki Okuse
Artist: Sankichi Meguro
Publisher: Dark Horse
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Almost everything you need to know about Ghost Talker's Daydream can be summed up in a few words: It's a mystery / suspense / sex comedy series about a 19-year old albino dominatrix who can talk to ghosts.

Saiki Misaki's "day job" involves tormenting grown men for money, but her truly unusual talent lies in her ability to help tormented souls who crave release and sometimes revenge from the afterlife.

4. Zombie Loan

Cover artwork for Zombie-Loan Volume 1 by Peach-Pit, published by Yen Press© Peach-Pit/SQUARE ENIX

Author and Artist: Peach-Pit
Publisher: Yen Press
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Mousy Michiru can tell when someone will die, so she's puzzled when she meets Shito and Chika. Her instincts say that her two handsome classmates should be dead.

It turns out both boys are undead, and are only walking the earth today because they took out a zombie loan, a deal with a supernatural 'money lender' to extend their lives. Chika and Shito recruit Michiru to help them find, fight and kill flesh-eating zombies in order to pay off their debts.

5. Tokyo Zombie

Tokyo Zombie by Yusaku Hanakuma, published by Last Gasp© Yusaku Hanakuma

Author and Artist: Yusaku Hanakuma
Publisher: Last Gasp
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Mitsuo and Fujio are two working stiffs who would rather wrestle than work. But when they kill and bury their annoying supervisor at the Dark Fuji dump, they set in motion an invasion of the undead. In zombie-infested Tokyo, the rich start exploiting the poor for entertainment, and the two buddies are reunited in a fateful martial arts match.

Drawn in the heta-uma (bad but good) style, Tokyo Zombie is a manic, manly horror comedy where the undead rampage with relish and wrestling is the only honorable sport in a corrupt and dishonest world gone mad.

6. Yurara

Author and Artist: Chika Shiomi
Publisher: Shojo Beat Manga / VIZ Media
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High school student Yurara has two handsome classmates who would love to be her boyfriend. But the trouble is, one of her suitors is in love with the guardian spirit who lives inside of her. To make matters even more complicated, Yurara's guardian spirit has a habit of taking over Yurara's body (and transforming her appearance) at most inconvenient times.

For even more spooks, check out Rasetsu, the sequel to Yurara, featuring a pretty ghost-hunter who has a hardcore sweet-tooth and a demon who wants to make her his bride.

7. Muhyo and Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation

Muhyo and Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation Volume 1© Yoshiyuki Nishi / Shueisha Inc.

Author and Artist: Yoshiyuki Nishi
Publisher: Shonen Jump Manga / VIZ Media
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Toru Muhyo is a pint-sized specialist in supernatural law, which essentially means that he battles and prosecutes vengeful ghosts and restless spirits who dare to break the rules governing the world of the living.

Meanwhile, his partner and intern Jiro (a.k.a. Roji) tries his best to keep up, but fighting the angry and resentful dead is harder than it looks.

8. Kieli

Kieli Volume 1 by Yukako Kabei, Shiori Teshirogi, published by Yen Press© Yukako Kabei/MEDIA WORKS © Shiori Teshirogi/AKITA SHOTEN

Author: Yukako Kabei
Artist: Shiori Teshirogi
Publisher: Yen Press
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Kieli is a 14-year old teen who spends her days surrounded by sad and lonely spirits who can't seem to pass on to the other side. Seeing spirits isn't as cool as it sounds.

Then Kieli meets Harvey, a cynical veteran of a forgotten war who looks strangely youthful. But that's not the only strange thing about Harvey: he can see ghosts too. In fact, he carries one around with him: The Corporal, a disembodied spirit who talks through a portable radio.

9. Portus

Portus by Jun ABE, published by VIZ Media / Shogakukan© 2006 Jun ABE / Shogakukan Inc.

Author and Artist:Jun Abe
Publisher: VIZ Media
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Asami's best friend Chiharu is obsessed with a video game, to the point that she stops going to school and cuts off contact with almost everyone.

After Chiharu kills herself under mysterious circumstances, Asami searches her room and finds a video game called Portus. Determined to find some answers, Asami enlists the help of two teachers, and embarks on a journey into the game that took her friend's life and finds an angry spirit hiding inside the code.

10. Mail

Mail Volume 1 from Dark Horse© Housui Yamazaki

Author and Artist: Housui Yamazaki
Publisher: Dark Horse
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Private detective Reiji Akiba has a gun and he knows how to use it. But his gun and its bullets can't harm the living. Instead, he uses it to send vengeful spirits and powerful poltergeists to the afterlife.

From a lonely ghost who lives in an apartment's walls to a macabre wine collector, Reiji is called in when the authorities are at their wit's end. But once he's on the case, the ghosts are headed for a one-way trip to the afterlife.

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