10 Best Horror Manga That Will Haunt You
Let’s face it—there’s something about horror manga that just hits different. Maybe it’s the unsettling art. Maybe it’s the slow burn of psychological torment. Or maybe it’s the way those terrifying panels stay etched in your brain long after you’ve turned the last page.
If you’re someone who loves to be scared (in a good way), then welcome to the dark side. We’re counting down the 10 best horror manga that will haunt you—from spine-chilling stories to nightmarish artwork, these titles aren’t just scary. They’re unforgettable.
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#10: Uzumaki by Junji Ito
Ah, Uzumaki—or as I like to call it, “the spiral that ruined my sleep.” Junji Ito’s twisted tale of a town cursed by spirals is the perfect example of how something so simple can become deeply disturbing.
The story follows Kirie and her boyfriend as they witness their town fall into madness. People become obsessed with spirals—drawing them, carving them, even twisting themselves into spiral shapes (yep, it’s as messed up as it sounds).
What makes Uzumaki so haunting? It’s not just the grotesque imagery—it’s the way the horror slowly creeps into every aspect of life. There’s no escape, no reason, and no mercy. It’s Ito’s magnum opus for a reason.
#9: Tomie by Junji Ito
Yes, another Junji Ito masterpiece, and no, I’m not sorry.
Tomie is the story of a beautiful girl who drives everyone around her insane. And even when she’s killed—repeatedly—she always comes back. It’s like Mean Girls, but with blood, insanity, and body horror.
Tomie isn’t a ghost or a monster in the traditional sense. She’s more like an idea—an irresistible yet destructive force. The horror comes from watching how people lose their humanity when they’re around her. It’s obsessive, terrifying, and oddly tragic.
#8: I Am a Hero by Kengo Hanazawa
Zombie stories are everywhere, but I Am a Hero hits different.
Meet Hideo Suzuki—an unremarkable, paranoid manga assistant with a gun and a boatload of mental baggage. When the zombie apocalypse hits, we follow Hideo as he stumbles (literally) through the madness.
This manga blends classic zombie horror with psychological depth. Hideo’s unreliable perception of reality makes you question what’s real and what’s not. Plus, the zombies (called ZQN) are horrifying in both design and behavior. It’s not just survival—it’s survival with style and substance.
#7: The Drifting Classroom by Kazuo Umezu
Imagine you’re at school one day and suddenly—boom—your entire school is teleported into a barren wasteland. No adults. No help. Just chaos. That’s the premise of The Drifting Classroom, a cult classic from the godfather of horror manga, Kazuo Umezu.
The story is old-school but still terrifying. The fear here isn’t just about monsters (though there are some). It’s about kids trying to survive, losing their minds, turning on each other. It’s Lord of the Flies meets The Twilight Zone—and it’s brutal.
#6: Homunculus by Hideo Yamamoto
This one’s not your average horror tale. Homunculus is psychological horror at its most raw and unfiltered.
It follows Susumu Nakoshi, a man who undergoes trepanation (drilling a hole in his skull) and starts seeing people’s inner traumas as disturbing visual forms. Like, really disturbing—think melted faces, twisted limbs, and emotional baggage personified.
This manga dives deep into mental illness, trauma, and perception. It’s unsettling not because of jump scares, but because it makes you uncomfortable in the best way possible. A true horror of the mind.
#5: Hellstar Remina by Junji Ito
Back to our horror king—Junji Ito delivers cosmic dread in Hellstar Remina.
A new planet appears in our solar system and is named after the girl who discovered it—Remina. But the planet isn’t just some rock—it’s alive, and it’s heading straight for Earth, devouring everything in its path.
People freak out. Society collapses. And poor Remina becomes the target of a frenzied mob who believe she’s the cause. The horror here is twofold: the monstrous planet and the monstrous people. It’s Lovecraftian terror mixed with mass hysteria, and it’s unforgettable.
#4: Shiki by Fuyumi Ono and Ryu Fujisaki
Shiki takes the classic vampire story and adds a layer of dread that slowly seeps into your bones.
Set in a quiet rural village, people start dying mysteriously. The truth? Vampires—or “Shiki”—are taking over. But instead of going all action-packed, the story focuses on characters, ethics, and the chilling slow realization that you might be next.
This manga makes you question who the real monsters are. Is it the bloodsuckers trying to survive, or the humans driven by fear and rage? It’s slow-burn horror at its finest.
#3: Another by Yukito Ayatsuji
Another is a masterclass in atmosphere and suspense. It starts with a curse: every year, someone in a certain class dies in horrific accidents—unless they follow specific (and creepy) rules.
Enter Koichi, the new transfer student who unknowingly triggers a new wave of deaths. The setting—a gloomy school with eerie vibes—is perfect. Add in a mysterious girl who no one seems to notice, and you’ve got a recipe for nightmare fuel.
Each death is shocking, brutal, and completely unpredictable. You’ll be double-checking your own classroom by the time you’re done.
#2: Berserk by Kentaro Miura
Yes, Berserk is a dark fantasy. But let’s be real—it’s also a horror manga, and a terrifying one at that.
From the grotesque monsters to the emotionally gut-wrenching story arcs, Berserk doesn’t hold back. The Eclipse event alone is one of the most horrifying sequences in manga history. And that’s just one part of this massive epic.
Guts, the protagonist, isn’t just fighting monsters—he’s fighting fate, trauma, and inner demons. It’s brutal, beautiful, and haunting beyond words.
#1: The Enigma of Amigara Fault by Junji Ito
It’s a short story. Just a few chapters. But The Enigma of Amigara Fault will haunt you forever.
After an earthquake, strange human-shaped holes appear in a mountainside. People start finding holes that match their bodies exactly—and feel compelled to enter. What happens inside? That’s the horror.
This story taps into primal fears: claustrophobia, fate, loss of control. And that last panel? It’ll mess you up for life. It’s pure psychological horror, with zero blood but maximum impact.
Conclusion
So there you have it—10 horror manga that will absolutely haunt your dreams. Whether it’s Junji Ito’s nightmare-inducing panels or the slow-burning dread of Shiki, these stories prove that horror doesn’t need loud screams or jump scares to be effective. It just needs to mess with your mind—and these manga do that brilliantly.
If you’re brave enough, pick one and dive in. Just don’t blame me if you sleep with the lights on tonight. 😏💀
