Horror Digest: Who said reading can’t be scary? (NSFW)
What’s better than being scared out of your mind?
NSFW due to horror, gore, mutilation, and partial nudity.
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Hey everyone!~ Since watching my first horror flick when I was a kid I’ve always loved the genre and that’s since carried over into my taste in manga. For some reason I enjoy being scared, I like hiding my face behind a pillow and screaming as loud as I can when the killer appears in the reflection of a mirror. I guess I’m a bit of a scaredy cat, but I still watch anyway! xD I love searching around the interwebz for new series to read, so I’ve put together a post for you all about some of the more recent series on my list. Enjoy, and I’d love to hear some recommendations from you as well! |
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Mouryou no Yurikago
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| What do you get when you cross Titanic and Dawn of the Dead? Gore, lots and lots of gore is what you get. Trapped inside a capsized boat a group of teenage students are forced to fight for survival against the increasing water level, tenacious zombies, and even themselves. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, right?
Mouryou no Yurikago is neither groundbreaking or original, you’ve probably seen a lot of these themes and plot devices in western zombie flicks, but nevertheless the manga is wholeheartedly entertaining. (If you’re into gross-out horror, that is.) For me, the story has always been about the characters and not so much the setting. It’s hard to say whether or not the portrayal of “disaster-teens” here is realistic or not, since I’m sure this has never happened before in real life, but I like to think it’s pretty accurate. You really get a sense of the turmoil within the group, as trust and disposability become important factors between the different “factions” of the ship. The overarching plotline involves the remaining humans trying to escape the ship, but like any good story there are always villains along the way. There are three major “groups” on the ship, each with their own moral directions. The first group, our main characters, simply want to get out alive, a basic instinct of course. It’s been quite a ride so far following them because this sinking ship really is unforgiving. |
| The group has changed immensely throughout the manga and that’s all thanks to the struggle for survival, people truly do unexpected things when they’re at their limit and that’s what makes the pacing feel so natural, but still exciting. The second group is made up of the more “rebellious” students and I’m sure you can imagine how that goes. The final group, though only one person, if a mysterious character who hasn’t been too developed as of now.
The “zombies” in Mouryou no Yurikago are as I said before, incredibly persistent. They run, they’re powerful, they’re resourceful and they’ll stop at nothing to kill you. If you have a weak stomach you’ll probably want to avoid this manga because at one point they even take off half a person’s face! Even so, most of the time they take a backseat in the story so that we can get a better understanding of those still alive. The emotional and psychological sides of the story have always been one of my favorite parts to read. We’re dealing with teenagers here! A lot of interesting topics are raised if you like to take all that in when you read, such as individual usefulness, trust, and power. I would definitely recommend this manga to anyone into the gore side of horror. There’s a lot to take from it and I guarantee you’ll cringe at least once while you’re reading. Chapters are being released on a regular basis, and there’s even one I’ve yet to read! |
| 5 Volumes (On-Going) // Kei Sanbe // Mature (Blood, Nudity, No Sharks) |
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Kamisama no Iutoori
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| Looking for a manga that turns jump rope, basketball, and red light/green light into games of death? LOOK NO FURTHER! Kamisama no Iutoori is an outrageously intense horror manga from the mind of a relatively unknown artist, and it has quickly become one of myfavorites. (Not to be confused with the similarly named romance manga. Really. This is better.)
The manga is VERY fast paced and within chapters you’ll go from one scenario to the next, but it’s the pacing that makes this so exciting to read. The story follows a bored high school student who one morning during class watches as his teacher’s head explodes and on his desk appears a creepy daruma. What follows is a gruesome game that pits friends against each other for survival and eventually leads to more and more of these similar “games”. It’s hard to express to you in words how profound this manga is, it’s something you have to see for yourself. It’s not overly gore-y, but there’s no shortage of characters being introduced and promptly killed. Seriously, NOBODY is safe. Every time I started a chapter I’d be at the edge of my seat wondering what craziness would occur and I was never disappointed. The characters here are not very developed, but their behaviors are very interesting to follow. There’s one character in particular who is hilariously insane. |
| So yes, it does sort of cross between dark comedy and shock. It’s a great mixture because it never becomes overly serious and depressing. At the heart of this bizarre manga there is a plot, believe it or not. To be honest, I’ve been too busy obsessing over the action that I’ve been disregarding the story, but it’s pretty much about some force searching for the strongest humans.
I’m happy that I managed to find this manga since it was pretty obscure at the time and I was looking for something new and exciting. If you’re a horror fan you should really give this a chance, I can honestly say you won’t be disappointed. Seriously though, when there’s a giant murderous cat involved there’s a guarantee you’ll be entertained to some degree. |
| 2 Volumes (On-Going) // Akeji Fujimura // Mature (Blood, Violence, NYAA~ OF DEATH) |
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Hellstar Remina
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| The king of horror manga? Eh, I love some of his works, like Uzumaki and Gyo, but I have to think twice about that after reading Hellstar Remina. It’s an entertaining read and the art has his usual artistic style (and by that I mean eerily grotesque), but the manga as whole is just somewhat … dull.
For one, the manga is SHORT. From the very beginning it seems Junji Ito had lots of ideas, but with only 6 chapters (the seventh being a bonus story) it feels rushed. The plot is about a scientist who one day finds an extremely distant planet and names it after his daughter Remina. When the planet turns out to be a planet-eating monster the population turns against Remina, thinking the monster will leave if it gets Remina. A rushed story also means rushed characters, and if you’re like me than you probably won’t form any connections with any of them. (They’re all pretty unlikable anyway!) They provide some unintentionally funny moments, there’s one obvious one you’ll notice later on. Aside from those negatives Hellstar Remina, like other Junji manga, excels in its use of atmosphere portrayed through the detailed panels on every page. I’ve always loved the way he draws characters because they feel so realistic, which is probably why it’s so creepy when we see them being torn apart by space monsters. |
| Overall I suppose the reason I liked the manga was because of it’s themes on humans. How far people will go to survive and all that stuff. If you’re a physics major you’ll probably want to avoid this because from what little knowledge I have of gravity, it doesn’t work that way! (You’ll know what I mean when you read it. Hey! I just gave you a good reason to check it out!)
Another positive side to the manga is the bonus seventh chapter. It was actually much creepier, and way more interesting, than it’s parent story. I really don’t want to say too much because it’s a bit of a shocker, so I’ll leave that one as a surprise. ;D |
| 1 Volume (Completed) // Junji Ito // Mature-ish (Supernatural, Violence, Mature Themes) |
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BioMeat: Nectar
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| It’s been a while since I finished BioMeat, but I felt like it deserved a mention in my post. Lengthy horror manga are pretty difficult to find, and though I wouldn’t really say BioMeat is “terrifying” (or even remotely as creepy as the previous manga), it does have a classic horror feel to it. The manga has two major parts separated by a time skip, however the post time skip is much more lengthy.
BioMeat’s story has a lot of political undertones and I’m sure you’ll see why. BioMeat (or BM) are bio-engineered creatures that are able to digest almost anything, including garbage, tires, and … well, as you’d probably expect, humans. The BM were being raised to destroy trash, and in the process become food for humans. Gross, no? Well it turns out these BM are pretty much indestructible and when one escapes and manages to eat a human we learn they’re also able to multiply! Throughout the manga we follow a group of four young students who have to fight for survival. The first half of the manga, for me at least, was far more enjoyable. The second half was by no means bad, but a lot of things happened that annoyed me, such as the introduction of some new irritating characters. Nevertheless! Thanks to the length of the manga we get plenty of time to connect with the characters. |
| Even as adults they feel somewhat immature, mainly speaking of the protagonist, but they’re well developed enough to look past that. The manga has plenty of action, BM vs human and human vs human, so if you’re looking for that aspect you’ll enjoy this. Like I said, there are lots of political undertones here and even a bit of romance.
I’d recommend this to anyone with a lot of time on their hands looking for an enjoyable break. There are very few “boring” moments thanks to the pacing, so you’ll always have something to look forward to. Plus, the BM make a great “villain”. So, give it a shot, maybe? |
| 12 Volumes (Completed) // Yuki Fujisawa // Mature-ish (Violence, Creepy Bug Things, yadayada) |
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Classmate, Kamimura Yuuka wa Kou Itta.
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| I decided that before I did this digest post I’d also randomly pick a new manga, read up to current chapter, and then write my thoughts on it. This isn’t necessarily a horror manga (though I suppose there are some creepy moments), but anyway, here it is.
My immediate thoughts when first seeing Classmate was curiosity. I’ve never heard of it, never heard of the artist/writer behind it, and was genuinely interested. There’s only five chapters translated as of now, but they’re pretty lengthy. The first three chapters are loopy and confusing, but I never lost interest. Two more chapters in and I understand it more now. Basically, Shuushi, a student, forms a relationship with his classmate Yuuka and craziness ensues. You see, it turns out he and everyone around him aren’t what they seem to be. (I don’t want to give too much away as it’s a bit of a surprise.) Overall I’ve enjoyed it. It’s very humorous and much more interesting than your typical school manga, which it plays at being in the start but slowly develops into something totally different. Shuushi is a very refreshing character as he’s far from your generic male lead. He’s quirky and his own curiosity plays well with the curiosity of the reader. Yukka is very hard to read, sometimes I feel as if she’s a borderline Yandere and other times a playful tsundere. |
| I’m not one to really talk about the art of a manga as I like pretty much everything as long as it doesn’t look like my crappy drawings, but I have to say I really enjoy this mangas style. The character designs are especially nice.
I’m happy to say this random manga was a successful pick. I’m eagerly awaiting the next chapter. I’d compare to Haruhi in the sense that it’s a “school manga with a twist”. If I do another Horror digest hopefully I’ll get something a tad longer so that I’ll have more to talk about! xD |
| 1 Volume (On-Going) // Tsutsushi Sakurai and Masaki Kawakami // Teen+ (Supernatural, Violence) |
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Well that’s all for now! I hope at least one of these have caught your eye! And if you’ve already read one I’d love to hear your thoughts on them. |
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Yay, horror!!! I remember reading Mouryou no Yurikago, though I don’t think I’ve gotten past the chapter where the meeting area gets filled with water… As for Ito’s stuff I usually find myself laughing more than anything. That guy writes some pretty messed up things xD.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
It gets really good, you should keep going! And ah I’m the same with Ito’s works. Sometimes it just gets so crazy that I can’t help but laugh for some reason. xD
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Oh look, it is my new favourite post on Metanorn. I’m literally going to read every single one and tell you what I think of them later. The rest of my reading week shall be an eventful one~
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Thanks overcooled! x3 I hope you enjoy them and I’d love to hear your thoughts when you’re finished!
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I started reading them all except for BioMeat since I’ve had my fill of those sort of weird, squirmy monsters after watching the Gyo OVA. :3
Mouryou no Yurikago is pretty typical, like you said, although I do find the whole boat setting to be really interesting. It’s constantly sinking and that’s…creepy. The story itself seems a little weak though and I don’t like the characters so I don’t know if I’ll continue it or not.
I love Kamisama no Iutoori! I’m definitely going to keep up with it. I also quite liked Remina. You’re right that the bonus story was even creepier than the original story though XD
Classmate is…what the hell is it? lol. The art sure is nice and sharp, but the first chapter’s dialogue was nothing but nonsenical garbage o__o Does that get better later on?
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
I just watched Gyo not that long ago too! It was so creepy, though it felt really short. >_<
If you're iffy on Yurikago your opinion probably won't change too much later on as it's about the same tone and pace up until the current chapter. The story never really picks up, but if you liked the action/gore you won't be disappointed.
Ah yay! Another Kamisama no Iutoori fan! XD I'm glad you liked it, it's my favorite from the list. (I get so impatient waiting for new chapters though …) Remina's bonus story gave me nightmares, I cringe just thinking about the ending.
Classmate gets more understandable, though not less nonsensical, around chapter 5. I wouldn't say it gets too much better from the first couple chapters, but I feel like it has some potential to get really good. Hopefully. XD
POWUH: 400-499 with 406 comments
My eyes are twitching after looking at these. I can’t take horror at all, oh no.
Classmate, Kamimura Yuuka wa Kou Itta looks interesting though, I’ll give it a read.
POWUH: Meta Resident and Yōko Fanboy with 1246 comments
I know how you feel about horror… OTL
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
I tried to find some of the creepiest/goriest without spoilers, so I guess I succeeded! ;D
Classmate isn’t really horror so you don’t have to worry, but there are some scenes in there that creeped me out a little.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 207 comments
God I just love horror! Especially with anime! I haven’t heard most of these, but they do look interesting!!! Most of my horror experiences are with Junji Ito with Uzumaki and Tomie, but mostly Uzumaki. God that manga 0-0. But wow, I’ve never heard of Hellstar Remina, but it looks like it will give chills down my spine like his other works 83
Totally awesome post Hawthorne! I enjoy post like these XD
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Me too! *high five* Uzumaki is one of my favorites, I loved the creepy spirals. (It sort of inspired my image choice for the banner. >_<) Thanks Samantha, I hope you enjoy any of the manga that caught your eye!
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Awesome post, Hawt! Props for table coding. :3
My favourite genre and woo, the art looks awesome. I’ll be definitely checking all of them out soon.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Thanks Kyo! Those tables were headache inducing. xD I hope you enjoy whichever you decide to pick up!
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 323 comments
hahaha ~~ i like the series ” Kamisama no Iutoori ”
maybe cause the blood look fantastic
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
That’s one of the reasons I thought it was so creepy, it’s like … blood everywhere. >_<
POWUH: 400-499 with 489 comments
every horror anime and/or manga makes me think of Higurashi for some reason
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Well it’s very popular and well known, I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of people feel that way, though there’s no risk in expanding your interests. (=
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 338 comments
I’m not so much a horror person. However my ultimate favorite Managka is Kaori Yuki and some of her stuff is horror like. I also loved Higurashi if that counts for some strange reason. And I’m loving Another and Mirai Nikki. Couldn’t stomach Umineko….. Maybe these are consisted soft core horror? If so that’s what I like. But great post! I love seeing what the Meta-team’s interests are and its great recommendations if someone does like that genre.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 243 comments
Higurashi, Umineko and Another are less horror than supernatural mysteries with some horror elements here and there. Mirai Nikki is a silly action series, so I’m not really sure why you’ve mentioned it.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Thanks Kitty! I’m loving Another as well, I love the atmosphere. The death scenes are pretty brutal too. xD (I’m glad I don’t own a spiked umbrella …) I haven’t read any Kaori Yuki works, but maybe I’ll give them a try when I get some free time.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Oh man Junji Ito hahaha. Wait, I can’t laugh at his works, they’re pretty disgusting. Hellstar Remina (that’s the name, right?) wasn’t that bad though, the story is fast compared to his other works.
I’ll pass on all of them except the last one. I prefer my sliced up characters handsome and pretty before they’re torn to pieces. Somehow it’s more satisfying that way. “You’re hot… NO MORE!”
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
It’s hard not to laugh sometimes at his stuff. Like Show ▼
in Remina, that made me laugh for some reason. >_<
Classmate? I hope you like it! It's not really horror, though there are some horror-ish moments. It definitely has the best look characters of the list too. xD
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
It’s hard not to laugh sometimes at his stuff. Like Show ▼
in Remina, that made me laugh for some reason. >_<
Classmate? I hope you like it! It's not really horror, though there are some horror-ish moments. It definitely has the best look characters of the list too. xD
POWUH: iLurker with 5 comments
I’ve been waiting for someone to talk about kami-sama iutoori! I picked it up when the first chapter came out translated and fell in love with the craziness. Some others I think that are pretty good but uncertain if they would be classified as horror but more like survival because of the setting, are Eden no ori, Gantz (I think everyone has read this at some point), and Battle Royale.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
I fell in love with it right away as well! XD It’s nice to see more fans! I’ve read/am reading all three of the ones you mentioned and I really like all of them as well. Battle Royale is one of my favorite manga, I loved the survival aspect of it. Eden no Ori is also really awesome, I feel like the current chapters have been a bit boring though. I was really obsessed with Gantz for a while, but recently I’ve been less of a fan, I’m not really liking the current arc.
I think I’d consider them sort of horror. I mean, they all have some aspects of horror. Survival, gore, etc. 😀
POWUH: iLurker with 3 comments
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POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
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