Keigo Higashino has written a few mangas centered on shounen adventures, thriller, and science. As for Motoro Mase, he has drawn a few mangas related to science fiction and also thrillers. These two made a perfect combination for this list of manga like Homunculus. Based on a story by Keigo Higashino, this is the world of Junichi Naruse, a simple guy who falls in love with Megumi, a woman who works in an art supplies shop. Unfortunately, Junichi shields her from a bullet and ends up in the hospital with half his brain destroyed. After a miraculous operation, Junichi recovers, although his personality starts becoming… divided…

Homunculus and Heads make use of sophisticated medicine to kick start the story. Both manga question what is the human conscience and exploring the human conscience after trauma. The main difference is that Heads also has romance as base. The drawing style in both manga tends to have a dramatic edge, although more goes into allegories in Homunculus.

Inio Asano has a long experience in slice of life and horror stories with a psychological flavor. Sometimes the worst horrors are not ghosts or monsters, but merely what our human minds project. In the case of this manga, a small town faces a strange case of murder where apparently, everyone is connected somehow. The story will follow the villagers throughout the ordeal and many years later, as they deal with the consequences. Old sins have long shadows, as we will discover through the pages of Nijigahara Holograph...

Perhaps you like psychological stories that play with surreal scenarios and situations. Nevertheless, you might find Homunculus too dry. In that case, Nijigahara Holograph is a manga like Homunculus that will take you to an equally dark story but with softer edges. While Homunculus sometimes is like a nightmare, Nijigahara Holograph is mostly like a dream, although a rather depressive one.

Usamaru Furuya studied sculpture before becoming a prolific mangaka. His experience in the 3d world helped him to develop a complex graphical style, pursuing work that has ranged from adventure, through fantasy, to slice of life. Ok, so Homunculus is way too dark for your taste. How about a brighter option that does not leave the psychological part aside? The is may be one manga like Homunculus for you. Hikari Haruma is a talented guy who loves to draw. Sadly, he dies in an airplane accident… or does he? His best friend Chiaki, who was with him, prays that Hikari survives, and God listens! However, this modern Picasso will have to save the lives of others in exchange. He is not worried, though, as Chiaki is by his side in the form of an angel...

So, welcome to the bizarre but interesting world of Hikari! You will find all the surreal and detailed illustrations that you can find in Homunculus. Only the tone of the stories is much lighter and happy. Plus, we have the power of creativity at the service of humanity. What else can we ask for?

Eiji Otsuka is a successful social anthropologist, novelist and writer, with several areas of expertise including post-war manga. He has written several acclaimed manga, including Leviathan and Mouryou Senki Madara. Otsuka also has created two animes: Mahou no rouge lipstick (a shoujo!) and the anime version of Madara. As for Shouu Tajima, he is a successful manga illustrator who has also had a hand in character design for a few anime including Otogizoushi. These two are regular partners in crime, as the combination of their talents rarely goes the wrong way.

If you also like manga like Homunculus or Death Note, this is your lucky day. Yousuke Kobayashi is the protagonist of this detective thriller. While pursuing a serial killer who mutilates his victims, Yousuke starts to show signs of developing multiple personality disorder. With the birth of his psycho self Shinji Nishisono, an interesting conspiracy will take Kobayashi to the next level.

How we love mind games when they are done well! In Tajuu Jinkaku Tantei Psycho, we have manipulations of reality that remind us of Homunculus. The protagonists also become more awaken as their stories develop. The main difference is that in Homunculus, Manabu gets his sixth sense with trepanation, while Yousuke’s abilities come from a more complex and mysterious source.

Keiichi Koike is a relatively new face in the manga world, who has specialized in the psychological genre. Perhaps the person you least expect to protagonize a manga is a drug addict. Well, here we introduce you to Kabu, a heavy addict who has a long experience with several substances. That is why he is always looking for new experiences. However, when he encounters the Ultra Heaven substance and a guru proclaiming that meditation can influence the universe, Kabu will start a journey beyond everything he has tried before.

So, welcome to the trippiest ride you will experience! Homunculus and Ultra Heaven are stories that dive deep into the human mind. What we discover there is darker than expected, but is something that we have to look straight to the face. Yes, even when the drawings are so complicated that they are open to interpretation ^^U Both stories are mature and invite you to reflect.

Yuki Urushibara is the newest mangaka from the lot we are revising today, and on top of that, she is a woman. This lady has other three works in her portfolio, characterized by her fascination with nature, science and fantasy. Anyway, let’s finish with a calmer and more positive outlook of the world of the mind. This is the story of Ginko, a Mushishi. What Ginko does is research Mushi, which are considered the most basic forms of life. He is always asking himself what are Mushi and what is their purpose while he travels, trying to find the answer to his questions.

Although the connection between Homunculus and Mushishi is not very obvious, both are trying to understand life. In several occasions, the Mushi act as disease for humans, triggering the most diverse reality distorsions. Also, both protagonists have lost a part of them in their adventures. Through the mysteries that Ginko solves, we discover that there is more than meets the eye. The main difference is the tranquil pace of Mushishi and its more natural environments. This manga has been so successful, that it won a prize and it became an anime in 2005.