Top 10 Spooky Manga to Read for Halloween [Updated Best Recommendations]

The haunting season is slowly creeping around the corner. While it is arguable that the world’s current situation is a living nightmare in itself, the season’s appeal doesn’t end with grim and darkness. After all, this is the season to dress up as anything and everything one’s imagination can come up with. Given that it’s a bit harder than usual to get into that Halloween vibe this year, reading a few manga will definitely help boost that enthusiasm. If you don’t know what to pick up, then here are ten manga to read to get into that Halloween mood.


10. King of Eden

  • Mangakas: Takashi Nagasaki (Story), Lee Sang Cheol (Art)
  • Genres: Mystery, Horror, Thriller
  • Volumes: 6
  • Published: February 2014 – April 2018

When a remote village in Andalusia got massacred, a single person managed to stop the carnage. In order to resolve the mystery behind the gruesome and barbaric massacre, they send out officers to the locations. These officers met creatures beyond their imaginations. The cause of the massacres were not anything human. The cause of the horror was worse than the grimmest of fairy tales. One person, however, may hold the answer to such questions.

The creatures from this series are similar to werewolves but not entirely. The creatures here are way more savage and ruthless. They are so bloodthirsty that they fight until only one remains. That, of course, isn’t the core of the story. There’s a bigger evil hiding in the shadows, and the main character is the only one who holds a chance of winning against it. Being plunged in such a dark fantasy, King of Eden is a good title to get some spooky vibes.


9. Mermaid Saga

  • Mangakas: Rumiko Takahashi
  • Genres: Horror, Romance, Shounen, Supernatural
  • Volumes: 3
  • Published: August 1984 – February 1994

Legends say that eating the flesh of a mermaid grants immortality. This is, in fact, true. The young Yuta has been exploring Japan in search of mermaids. He doesn’t seek immortality, but rather aiming to end his. Despite his youthful appearance, he has already lived for decades. Tired of living, he now wishes to finally be able to grow older. During his search, however, he finds himself intertwined with mermaids in the most peculiar instances.

Takahashi does a great job reimagining mermaids. Shying away from the usual beautiful and alluring creatures of the sea, Takahashi repainted them as vicious, man-eating monsters. Yuta’s experiences show just how scary encountering them can be. It’s not just once or twice, too. Yuta has possibly met all possible fates one can meet for a mermaid encounter. From being a sacrifice to reanimation, Yuta’s adventures are arguably already a series of nightmares.


8. I Am Hero

  • Mangakas: Kengo Hanazawa
  • Genres: Drama, Horror, Psychological, Seinen
  • Volumes: 22
  • Published: April 2009 – February 2017

Hideo Suzuki is working as a manga assistant while also striving to create his own big hit. One fateful day, however, a deadly disease made its outbreak. Anyone that gets bitten turns into carnivorous, brainless monsters. Trying to run for his life, Hideo meets a high school girl. Armed with his most prized shotgun, Hideo and his entourage make a run for it in the name of survival.

Halloween can’t be complete without zombies. Similar to King of Eden and Mermaid Saga, the zombies in I Am Hero are like the improved version of what we commonly know. These zombies have a bit of residual knowledge left and can even perform superhuman feats. There are even those who can run, jump, and even fight. For better or for worse, Hanazawa’s art also does a great job showing just how terrifying these zombies look.


7. Shigahime

  • Mangakas: Hirohisa Sato
  • Genres: Horror, Psychological, Seinen
  • Volumes: 5
  • Published: November 2016 – March 2019

Souichi is a high school boy that gets lost in the roulette of life. He only has his rotten mother, who doesn’t give a damn about him, as family. To make matters worse, he’s poor and often gets bullied at school. The series, however, isn’t about him, he is simply the underling of an immortal vampire. His job is to lure young boys with the guise of free sex. He will then watch his master, Miwako, rip out the boy’s heart. That’s when he will crush the heart to feed the blood to Miwako, the part he enjoys watching most. But when he believes he’s very close to being Miwako’s familiar, she decides to end his life instead.

While Shigahime may not have that terrifying art and character designs at first, it definitely doesn’t lack darkness. It rightfully depicts a vampire through Miwako. Unlike what’s commonly depicted by other manga, Miwako is a heartless monster who didn’t even bat an eye killing Souichi, her loyal underling who served her multiple times. Not only that, she even takes pleasure torturing the possible familiar she’s set her eyes on. It showcases beautiful, seductive, but unglorified monsters.


6. Ichi the Killer

  • Mangakas: Hideo Yamamoto
  • Genres: Action, Drama, Horror, Psychological, Seinen
  • Volumes: 10
  • Published: February 1998 – April 2021

In a place wherein the law is nothing but another group, two reputable individuals are known by every big shot. One is a crying wimp who hides an adept expertise in martial arts. The moment his eyes shed tears, blood will definitely pour. The other is a maniac who’s tired of everything, including his own existence. He only finds escape by slashing, cutting, and mincing human flesh.

Ichi the Killer doesn’t need any supernatural existence to show the horrors of the world we live in. Using gangs as models, it’s basically a collection of everything that’s wrong with humanity. From murder to necrophilia, this series doesn’t hold back. It’s a psychological thriller that features lots and lots of gore. Well, basically just in time to pump some spooky adrenaline into your veins.



5. Jagaaaaaan

  • Mangakas: Muneyuki Kaneshiro (Story), Kensuke Nishida (Art)
  • Genres: Mystery, Drama, Horror, Supernatural, Seinen
  • Volumes: Unknown
  • Published: February 2017 – Present

One fateful night, frogs started to rain all over Japan. These frogs weren’t just any ordinary frogs. They bestowed power that was tantamount to a person’s desire. Shintarou Jigasaki was one of the (un)fortunate beings who received power. Being able to change his hand into a gun, Jigasaki treads this new Japan with a single goal in mind–resurrecting his girlfriend.

For some, frogs raining down is already a terrifying nightmare. It is, after all, one of the plagues in the old testament. To make matters worse, these frogs, some are just tadpoles, swim into human bodies to mutate them into something more. The transformations are nowhere near beautiful, too. Well, okay, there might be some cool ones. Nevertheless, the others are horrific through and through. Since this is also a seinen series, it doesn’t bother censoring blood and gore. From exploding heads to melting flesh, this series got it all.


4. Shinai naru Boku e Satsui wo Komete (My Dearest Self With Malice Aforethought)

  • Mangakas: Hajime Inoryuu
  • Genres: Mystery, Drama, Psychological, Seinen, Thriller
  • Volumes: 11
  • Published: May 2018 – September 2020

Eiji Urashima’s normal university life comes to an end after something strange happens to him. He wakes up three days after the night he remembers sleeping on his bed. During those days, a lot of things happened. He manages to get himself a girlfriend, beat up a bully, and get entwined with a very dangerous gang. Worst of all, he becomes a suspect of a grotesque serial killing. When he later on finds out he has another personality, he takes it upon himself to solve all the mysteries and, possibly, clear his name.

Psychological thrillers can’t be overlooked during the Halloween season. It may not provide shrills and screams, but it can definitely elicit goosebumps and chills. The more terrifying aspect of this genre is the realism of the scenarios. My dearest Self With Malice Aforethought excels at that. It provides enough mystery to keep us on our toes, but also provides lots of answers to prevent the story from going stale. While the series is pretty full of suspense, its true strength lies in its plot. It has an interesting premise that is told in a very good pace.


3. Summertime Render

  • Mangakas: Yasunori Tanaka
  • Genres: Mystery, Shounen, Supernatural
  • Volumes: 13
  • Published: October 2017 – February 2021

Shinpei Ajiro has left to live in Tokyo. However, he returns to his hometown when his childhood friend, Ushio, drowned. When he returns home, he finds that little has changed to the scenery. What catches his attention, however, are the marks on Ushio’s neck. It suggests that Ushio may not have accidentally drowned. When he starts to investigate, he finds that non-human entities have invaded the village. With the ability to go back in time after being killed, Shinpei struggles to survive and finally solve the mystery of Ushio’s death.

The manga starts really nice, then suddenly takes a drastic turn. It has a knack for inserting creepy scenes at the perfect moment, which result in a surprised and terrified reaction. As the story progresses, however, the horror factor lessens as we already get used to it. In exchange, the action scenes skyrocketed. It’s so glorious that it will give mainstream titles a run for their money. Nevertheless, Summertime Render is a must-read if you want to get into the Halloween vibe but are too scared for the hardcore ones.


2. Jisatsu Houjo

  • Mangakas: Katsutoshi Murase (Art), Yoshito Okita(Story)
  • Genres: Mystery, Horror, Shounen, Psychological
  • Volumes: 2
  • Published: May 2020 – September 2020

The town of Kongou is being plagued by consecutive suicides, and nobody knows what’s actually going on. There is, however, an urban legend that talks about a girl going around and trying to tempt people into signing a suicide contract. Saotome, a college student in Kongou, has been experiencing a scary recurring dream for months. Finally trying to seek help, he meets Koyomi Hirasaka. But instead of being helped, he is misled into signing a suicide contract with her.

Jisatsu Houjo is a short masterpiece that can send some chills down your spine. It does an amazing job depicting hungry demons, and pretty early in the series to boot. Since it’s a fairly recent series, the art is very smooth and crisp. This results in a clearer line and images, which also means more detailed monsters. That’s definitely timely for the upcoming Halloween season.


1. Zom 100: Zombie ni Naru made ni Shitai 100 no Koto (Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead)

  • Mangakas: Haro Aso (Story), Koutarou Takata (Art)
  • Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Horror, Supernatural, Seinen
  • Volumes: Unknown
  • Published: October 2018 – Present

Akira’s body and mind have finally surrendered after working for a black company for three years. Even so, he still can’t find it in himself to quit. As if the heavens heard his pleas, he discovers that the world is already being overrun by zombies one fateful day. Instead of being dejected, Akira somehow finds freedom in this apocalyptic world. Now, he sets out to accomplish his bucket list.

This is obviously not a typical zombie story. Actually, it’s not even that similar to the other entries of this article. Nonetheless, we can’t omit Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, since it’s perfect for the occasion. It’s basically a representation of how festive humans can be despite being surrounded by monsters. After all, Akira is basically just having the time of his life in a world full of the undead. If that doesn’t scream Halloween, then we don’t know what else does.


Final Thoughts

Halloween is one of our favorite seasons. We get to dress up, get some candies, and just have fun. Things may have changed for this and the previous year, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we can stop the haunting. As preparation for the upcoming spook, we hope that this article helped cheer you up a bit.

I-am-a-Hero-manga-700x483 Top 10 Spooky Manga to Read for Halloween [Updated Best Recommendations]

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Author: Christian Markle

I am a copywriter, proofreader, and editor. I love watching anime, reading manga, and writing my own stories. Watch out in the future as you may see one of my works one day. Manga and anime were big parts of my childhood. I grew up watching Yu Yu Hakusho, Slam Dunk, One Piece, and Dragon Ball Z. Those were probably one of the happiest and most carefree days of my life. In fact, most of my values are probably molded by manga. No, that's not an exaggeration.

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I-am-a-Hero-manga-700x483 Top 10 Spooky Manga to Read for Halloween [Updated Best Recommendations]

Halloween is nearly upon us, and there’s nothing like reading some great manga to help get you in the spirit and excitement for the season! There’s a lot of great horror and supernatural manga out there that makes a great choice to read for Halloween, but which ones are really the best? After all, you only have a month; you can’t afford to read something that may be disappointing. Lucky for you, this Halloween season we have created a list of the Top 10 Manga to Read for Halloween.

These manga are what we feel are the most suited to the Halloween spirit. They have demons, ghosts, vampires, curses, and more. Some are classic ghost stories, others are about the occult, and some are even gore-filled slashers. Whatever you’re looking for in the Halloween season, we hope you can find an appropriate manga here. We also tried to focus mostly on manga that do not have an anime adaptation, so that you’re much more likely to be surprised and shocked at the twists and turns that these manga take you on because they will all be unfamiliar stories!

10. Utsuro no Hako to Zero no Maria (The Empty Box and Zeroth Maria)

  • Authors: Mikage, Eiji (Story), Tetsuo (Art)
  • Genres: Action, Mystery, Drama, Horror, Romance, School, Supernatural, Psychological, Thriller
  • Volumes: 7
  • Published: 2009 – 2015

Utsuro no Hako to Zero no Maria is the story of ordinary high schooler Kazuki Hoshino, who revels in his very ordinary life with his friends. So when a mysterious girl named Aya transfers into his class and declares this to be the 13,118th time she has transferred schools and intends to make things interesting this time, his life gets completely flipped upside-down. With Aya’s appearance comes mysterious happenings in the school and strange “boxes” that begin to show up. They grant people’s wishes with the limitation that they can only grant exactly what you believe will come true - if you don’t believe in the wish it won’t happen, you only get exactly what you can imagine.

Utsuro no Hako to Zero no Maria is a mystery novel with a dark atmosphere. It forces you to reimagine what exactly “everyday life” means as Kazuki struggles to try to return his life to “normal.” It’s meant to mess with your head by using the wish-granting boxes that turn life upside-down and create a psychological thriller for the reader to enjoy. It’s a bit hard to explain just why Utsuro no Hako to Zero no Maria works so well without just reading it, but trust us when we tell you that it will take your mind on a trip down a very dark, but intriguing, road if you want to give it a try this Halloween.


9. Yakusoku no Neverland (The Promised Neverland)

  • Authors: Demizu, Posuka (Art), Shirai, Kaiu (Story)
  • Genres: Mystery, Horror, Sci-Fi, Shounen
  • Volumes: Ongoing
  • Published: 2016 – Ongoing

Yakusoku no Neverland is set at Grace Field Orphanage, a place where orphaned children are actually quite happy. They live with a kind and loving “Mama,” and everyone is always adopted before they’re 12 years old. Sure, the kids have to study every day, but when they finish they can play outside together. The only big rule that Grace Field has is that the kids can never go outside of the orphanage grounds. But one day, two children named Norman and Emma sneak beyond the barrier...and learn the horrible truth. The children are never being adopted; the orphanage is just a farm, raising children as livestock to feed them to demons! Norman and Emma have to devise a plan fast if they want to avoid this morbid fate themselves.

Yakusoku no Neverland is a newer, ongoing manga that is slowly revealing it’s full dark story. It’s got a great twist of starting out seeming so happy and positive, and then shocking readers with the twist of what is actually happening. Told through the eyes of children the story is even more frightening and terrible as you realise how much their innocence is being abused. And there are demons of course! All of these elements make Yakusoku no Neverland a great manga to read in the Halloween season. It’s a horror mystery where the stakes are at their highest, and the tension feels real.


8. Ghost Hunt

  • Authors: Inada, Shiho (Story & Art), Ono, Fuyumi (Story)
  • Genres: Mystery, Drama, Horror, Romance, Shoujo, Supernatural, Psychological
  • Volumes: 12
  • Published: 1997 – 2010

Ghost Hunt is about an abandoned high school that is an eyesore on the street, but unfortunately any time someone tries to tear it down, people end up hurt or even killed. Rumour has it the building is haunted by ghosts of WWII. Curious about the haunting, Mai Taniyama and her friends go to the school to exchange scary stories hoping to see some real spirits themselves. While no ghosts show themselves, the group does encounter a private investigator, a monk, an exorcist, a priestess, and a woman claiming she can communicate with ghosts. It will take all of their unique skills to discover the secrets that the building holds!

Ghost Hunt is a more classic ghost story manga to enjoy for Halloween. It is a bit older but don’t let that put you off without giving it a try. It’s a great mystery story without being too scary, so it’s best for someone wanting to get into the Halloween spirit without wanting to scare themselves silly. It has elements of romance and comedy alongside the more thrilling paranormal moments, giving Ghost Hunt a good balance. Ghost Hunt also has very likeable, well-developed characters. Because it’s episodic and has a lot of smaller stories inside of a big one, it’s easy to give Ghost Hunt a try this Halloween and see if you like it!


7. Mahou Shoujo of the End (Magical Girl Apocalypse)

  • Authors: Satou, Kentarou
  • Genres: Action, Mystery, Horror, Shounen, Supernatural
  • Volumes: 16
  • Published: 2012 – 2017

Mahou Shoujo of the End begins with what high schooler Kii Kogami believes is just another day - until he looks out the window and sees a small girl hit a teacher, and that teacher’s head explode! Kii rushes to the toilet hoping to clear his head, but that girl was only the beginning. As she repeats the word “magical” over and over again, she begins to kill all of his classmates. But they don’t stay dead; they rise again as zombies, also repeating the word “magical” over and over again, as they spread through society. Kii and friend Tsukune have to try to live with the other survivors and figure out what has happened.

Nothing quite says Halloween like zombies these days, and of course, Japan would be the one place you could find magical girl zombies. And that’s exactly what Mahou Shoujo of the End is all about - after all, it’s English name is Magical Girl Apocalypse! If you were checking this list to find a zombie manga for Halloween this year, you’ve found it. Mahou Shoujo of the End is a thrilling story about trying to survive a zombie apocalypse told through the eyes of two high schoolers. It has plenty of tense situations leaving you wondering how they will escape and will have you on the edge of your seat waiting to find out what’s going to happen in the end.


6. Dorohedoro

  • Authors: Hayashida, Q
  • Genres: Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror, Seinen
  • Volumes: 23
  • Published: 2000 – 2018

Dorohedoro is set in Hole, a dreary and dark district where the laws do not apply. The world of Dorohedoro is ruled by magic users, who have free passage in and out of Hole and are able to use their magic to experiment on torture, and kill the locals there - and that is just a normal part of their society. But some citizens of Hole want to fight back against the magic users, including a reptilian man named Kaiman. Using his resistance to magic and a pair of bayonets, Kaiman fights against the magic users to learn the truth of his origins and his ghastly appearance, hoping to find some kind of “normal” life if he keeps fighting long enough.

Dorohedoro is not for the faint of heart. The setting of Hole is dark, oppressive, gritty and depressing. The people there have given up completely and accepted that they are likely to die at any moment. And Dorohedoro isn’t afraid to use blood and carnage to depict the horrible treatment of these citizens - and of course, in the fights that Kaiman has with the magic users, too. It is balanced out by some healthy comedy to keep things from becoming too much to handle, but the overall feeling of Dorohedoro is a gritty, violence dystopian wasteland story. If you’re looking for a Halloween full of grime, blood, and gas mask-wearing, bayonet-wielding protagonists, look no further than Dorohedoro.


5. Hellsing

  • Authors: Hirano, Kouta
  • Genres: Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror, Seinen
  • Volumes: 10
  • Published: 1997 – 2008

Hellsing is about a secret British government organisation of the same name that exists to protect regular society from supernatural threats. Typically that means fighting ghouls and vampires, but lately, it has also meant fighting a dark group from the Vatican itself and a group of madmen called Millennium. Hellsing is headed by an ambitious woman named Integra Wingates Hellsing, and her strongest weapon is top vampire executioner Alucard, who happens to also be a powerful vampire himself. Alucard, along with his new minion Seras Victoria, fights for Hellsing to rid the world of these dark evils as the monster war begins.

Hellsing has all the greatest elements of a Halloween monster manga - vampires, the undead, a corrupt church, and plenty of blood. It’s scary without being terrifying; Hellsing is more of a thriller with a lot of intense action and violence rather than a haunting story that messed with your mind. You’ll be on the edge of your seat as you plunge into his all-out supernatural war being fought by a vampire of questionable morality himself. Hellsing was made into a popular anime for a reason - it’s really good, fast-paced and full of intriguing characters and a dark story. Just be warned it’s got quite a lot of violence in it!


4. Homunculus

  • Authors: Yamamoto, Hideo
  • Genres: Mystery, Drama, Horror, Supernatural, Psychological, Seinen
  • Volumes: 15
  • Published: 2003 – 2011

Homunculus is a manga about exploring the idea of trepanation. Trepanation is drilling a small hole in the skull, which is meant to relieve pressure on the brain. It’s the oldest surgical procedure that we have archaeological evidence of, and was used for hundreds of years as a standard medical practise before the onset of modern medicine. Some believe that trepanation can also awaken a person’s sixth sense, allowing them to see ghosts and other spiritual presences, and to have telekinetic powers of objects (and maybe even people). Homunculus focuses on this idea, and what the horrifying idea of trepanation can do to the human brain - specifically one unfortunate homeless man that becomes victim to this experiment.

Homunculus is a psychological horror manga that takes an idea based in reality and turns it into a terrifying fiction. The main character is a man named Nakoshi that sees the world in a terrifying new light after the operation is performed on him. He can see the inner hearts and minds of other people in a surreal and abstract way portrayed through dark imagery, allegory, and symbolism. Nothing about Homunculus is beautiful and that’s what makes it the perfect manga to read for Halloween. It explores the darker side of the human brain and shows humanity through a terrifying new lens. If you like psychological terror, you’ve come to the right place.


3. Uzumaki (Uzumaki: Spiral Into Horror)

  • Authors: Ito, Junji
  • Genres: Dementia, Drama, Horror, Romance, Supernatural, Psychological, Seinen
  • Volumes: 3
  • Published: 1998 – 1999

Uzumaki is set in a small town on the coast of Japan called Kurozuchou. Unlike most sleepy little towns, Kuruzuchou is cursed. It’s a unique curse that takes the form of a mysterious spiral called “Uzumaki,” which manifests itself in ways both big and small. The design shows up in everything from the leaves on trees and seashells on the shore to markings on people’s bodies. One high school boy named Shuichi Saito knows Uzumaki intimately well because it has been driving his father into insanity and obsession. And that madness is just continuing to spread, slowly smothering the whole town.

Uzumaki is a creepy, psychologically haunting manga to enjoy for Halloween. It’s split into a lot of short stories that all centre on the idea of the spiral curse, and they all connect together to tell the larger story of Kurozuchou. Each short story builds on the previous ones to create a feeling of suspense and terror, so we suggest reading them slowly and letting the feeling build up for you over the Halloween season. The ending is climatic and intense, so it’s a great goal to work towards, and guaranteed to leave you at least a little bit unsettled.


2. Hideout

  • Authors: Kakizaki, Masasumi
  • Genres: Action, Horror, Psychological, Seinen
  • Volumes: 1
  • Published: 2010

Seiichi and Mika Kirishima have lost their only son at the start of Hideout, and leave for a beautiful tropical island vacation in hopes of forgetting the tragedy. And while that may indeed be Mika’s plan, Seiichi has something much darker in mind. He feels he has lost everything with his son being the final straw, and now he has lost his grip on reality, too. Now, he wants to kill Mika and hide her body in the jungle! Mika is able to escape and run to a cave in the jungle, but when Seiichi follows her, they unleash something even more terrifying - a monster hungry for human flesh!

Hideout is a short, scary read perfect for a Halloween night. You can finish it in less than two hours at only one volume, and despite that short length, it weaves a twisting and scary story. It has two main focuses that build its dark atmosphere; the first is Seiichi’s downward spiral into depression and madness that lead him to attempt horrible acts, and as the manga is written from his perspective, you can experience that spiral first-hand. The second is the mysterious creature that awakens in the cave that exists to create terror and tension throughout the story. Combined with great art, Hideout is a quick read sure to leave you feeling chills for Halloween.


1. Ibitsu

  • Authors: Ryou, Haruto
  • Genres: Horror, Seinen
  • Volumes: 2
  • Published: 2009 – 2010

Ibitsu begins with a university-aged young man named Kazuki taking out his rubbish on what he thinks will be a normal evening. At the rubbish bins, he encounters a woman wearing Lolita-style clothing who asks him a simple question - “Do you have a little sister?” Kazuki answers and quickly returns to his home, a little unsettled. He soon learns that this Lolita is part of an urban legend that a girl wearing Lolita fashion appears at midnight in the streets of Tokyo, and if you answer her question, you will die a horrible and twisted death. And now it’s too late for Kazuki, as he already answered her, but that doesn’t stop him from desperately trying to escape his seemingly sealed fate.

Ibitsu is a great manga for Halloween because it’s based on an urban legend, which is always a great basis for a good Halloween story. It genuinely captures the dark atmosphere that makes reading it with the lights out properly creepy, and at only two volumes long you can finish it pretty fast. It is a bit predictable for fans of horror and visits all the typical “scary” settings like a school and a hospital. But because of Ibitsu’s short length, it always keeps the plot rushing forward to keep you at the edge of your seat none-the-less. And it just might make you wary of Lolita girls in the future after you read it for Halloween!


Final Thoughts

Have you found the manga you’ll be ready for Halloween this year? Are you ready to be scared, for sleep to evade you, and to take a thrilling ride through a new story? Do you dare to read any of these manga by flashlight or candlelight while you celebrate Halloween or get into the mood of the season? Whatever level of thrill you’re looking for, whatever supernatural element is your vice, we hope you have found at least one great manga to try here!

Did we miss your favourite manga to read at Halloween? Have you read any of these before, or are you going to read one this year? What is your favourite kind of manga to read at Halloween? Drop us a comment below!

I-am-a-Hero-manga-700x483 Top 10 Spooky Manga to Read for Halloween [Updated Best Recommendations]

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Author: Jet Nebula

Living the dream in Tokyo, where you can find me working at a theme café catered towards women. When I’m not writing for Honey’s, I’m working on original dystopian science fiction or blogging about Tokyo’s trendy coffee scene. I spend my free time in Harajuku and Shibuya wearing alternative Japanese street fashion. I love video games, J-rock, tattoos, and Star Wars.

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Original Article Below

Halloween is one of the best times of the year. With costumes, horror, and candy, there is so much to love about Halloween. Halloween isn't just amazing in real life, but it also makes for some interesting tales in the world of anime and manga. With Halloween just around the corner, we are going to look at some we are going to be looking at the top 10 Halloween manga. We will cover manga that either contains some kind of horror element or manga that capture the essence of Halloween.

10. I Am a Hero

  • Authors: Hanazawa, Kengo
  • Genres: Drama, Horror, Psychological, Seinen
  • Volumes: 22
  • Published: April 2009 to February 2017

Hideo Suzuki was once a mangaka of an obscure manga, but his series failed due to the poor sales numbers. Now, Hideo has no choice but to become a mangaka's assistant. His once fruitful life has now become monotonous and boring. Hideo also has a problem with random hallucinations that plague his everyday life. While on the way to his girlfriend's house to apologize for a recent argument they had, Hideo's life gets turned upside down with the dead coming back to life and society crumbling around him.

What better to start off our Halloween manga list than one that features everyone's favorite horror monsters, zombies? I am Hero features many unsettling images from Hideo's hallucinations to the blood vein covered zombies. Alongside all of the unsettling images, you get a story that is quite unique to the zombie genre and has many social commentary elements to pair with its horror. While this may not be the most spooky or gore filled manga around, it is still a good read if you are looking for something with a little more substance for Halloween.


9. Youkai Kyoushitsu (Dissolving Classroom)

  • Authors: Ito, Junji
  • Genres: Horror, School, Josei
  • Volumes: 1
  • Published: March 2013 - October 2014

Yuma Azeri has just transferred to a new school. Due to Yuma being quiet and constantly apologizing, he is bullied by the other students. One of Yuma's classmates, Keiko, is chased by a creepy girl while walking home from school and is hit by a truck. Then Yuma visits Keiko in the hospital and apologizes to her and her parents and explains that it was his little sister that had chased Keiko. Wherever Yuuma and his sister Chizuki go, bad things are sure to follow them and the problems around their home have only just begun.

Being one of Junji Ito's manga, you know you are in for a creepy and unsettling story. Youkai Kyoushitsu is a collection short stories connected by the Azeri siblings that and all of them ending in the same way. With its short stories, Youkai Kyoushitsu gives you truly haunting tales that will creep you out from beginning to end. With a story that combines social commentary with its horror, Youkai Kyoushitsu makes for one of the most uniques stories around.


8. Dolly Kill Kill

  • Authors: Kurando, Yukiaki and Nomura, Yuusuke
  • Genres: Action, Horror
  • Volumes: 11
  • Published: August 2014 to September 2017

After a hard-fought win for the team's baseball game, Iruma Ikaruga and his teammates are enjoying some downtime at the school's pool. Their fun would soon come to an end when a swarm of wasp-like creatures arrive and start stinging everybody. The stings from the creatures turn out to be deadly as everybody who got stung sees their skin start bubbling before their untimely demise. Iruma is able to escape with his best friend Matsun and his crush Kumano. Although they managed to escape the wasp-like creatures, they run into another threat, giant doll's armed with human eating vacuums. Armed with only his unbreakable spirit, Iruma must try to keep himself and his friends alive.

Filled with tons of gore and creepy killer dolls, Dolly Kill Kill is a great Halloween manga. While the manga may not be scary, it does have plenty of aspects that are unsettling and will definitely creep you out. The visuals in Dolly Kill Kill are its main strength and provide for most of the creepy parts of the manga. Although the story may not be the best around, it isn't boring and does enough to add to the already creepy visuals.


7. Apocalypse no Toride(Fort of Apocalypse)

  • Authors: Kuraishi, Yuu and Inabe, Kazu
  • Genres: Action, Mystery, Horror, Sci-Fi, Shounen, Psychological
  • Volumes: 10
  • Published: September 2011 to August 2015

Yoshiaki Maeda came across a dead body on his way home from school and was mistaken as the killer. Yoshiaki was charged for murder and was sent to Shouran Academy Juvenile Detention Center, a prison for the worst juveniles in the Kanto area are sent. Finding placed in Cell 4 with Gou Iwakura, Masafumi Yoshioka, and Mitsuru Yamanoi, Yoshiaki can't believe he is thrust into a battle for prison leader supremacy on his first day. Yoshiaki and his cellmates are punished alongside a few other inmates for the fight and are sent out into the yard to do laps around the field. Their punishment is brought to an abrupt end when a van crashes into the yard. The guard on duty starts to carry the injured van passenger to the infirmary only to find out that he was actually a zombie. Now with a zombie outbreak, the members of Cell 4 ban together to fight against the zombies, while also dealing with the other 139 members of the prison also trying to survive by any means necessary.

A much more traditional take on the zombie genre, Apocalypse no Toride gives you another fantastic zombie manga for halloween. Apocalypse no Toride has wonderful main characters that grow on you as the series progresses along. The manga also has plenty of gore and action that make is one of the best manga to read on Halloween. Apocalypse no Toride has a nice balance between its gore and story giving you a great story to go along with all of the blood you will be seeing. While Apocalypse no Toride may not be the most interesting or scariest manga on the list, it has plenty to keep you interested and entertained.


6. Hideout

  • Authors: Kakizaki, Masasumi
  • Genres: Action, Horror, Psychological, Seinen
  • Volumes: 1
  • Published: June 2010 - August 2010

After the death of their son, Miki and Seiichi Kirishima go on a vacation to a southern island to try to cope with their grief. While Miki only wanted to get away from her pain, Seiichi had other plans for the trip. Seiichi planned to kill his wife and hide her on the island in order to start a new life, but his plan fails and Miki is able to escape. Seiichi chases Miki into and cave and ends up getting himself trapped inside of the cave. Inside the cave, Seiichi encounters a strange creature that plans on devouring him.

The first entry on the list to not include an apocalyptic world, Hideout focuses on the terror following around one man and shows his battles with the creature and the battle going on inside his mind. Hideout is a short manga, only having nine chapters, allowing you to read through it all at once if you are looking for a quick story for Halloween. The scary aspects of the story come in the form of the creature and the terror and anxiety that come from Seiichi being trapped in the cave. Hideout also features some fantastic art that adds to the spookiness of the manga.


5. Ibitsu

  • Authors: Ryou, Haruto
  • Genres: Horror, Seinen
  • Volumes: 2
  • Published: October 2009 - June 2010

There is a legend about a young girl wearing Gothic lolita clothes that appears near garbage dumps. When you encounter this young girl, she will ask you a question and if you answer, you will die. While taking out the trash, Kazuki Itou encounters this mysterious girl and answers her when she asks if he has a little sister. With Kazuki seemingly cursed by the young girl, will he be able to escape his impending doom, or will he be able to find a way to avoid his death at the hands of the ghost?

Ibitsu is a spooky manga with blood and haunting images of the ghostly gothic lolita. The manga is sure to scare you while also making you want to keep reading. Ibitsu's art perfectly matches the creepy tone of the story with the horror sections being drawn especially well. With Ibitsu being another short manga, it is perfect to binge through on Halloween.


4. Mahou Shoujo of the End (Magical Girl Apocalypse)

  • Authors: Satou, Kentarou
  • Genres: Action, Mystery, Horror, Shounen, Supernatural
  • Volumes: 16
  • Published: June 2012 - August 2017

While taking a test one day at school, Kii Kogami looks out the window to see one of his teachers getting killed by a cosplaying little girl. Convinced what he saw was little more than a dream, Kogami goes to the bathroom to clear his head. When he arrives back at the classroom Kogami sees that what he saw before was real, and his classmates were all being killed by the little girl who only said the word "magical." When more of the killer magical girls start showing up, Kogami runs away with a group of survivors including his childhood friend Tsukune Fukumoto. Together with the group of survivors, Kogami must find a way out of the school while avoiding the magical girls and the reincarnated corpses of his classmates while keeping everyone alive.

Mahou Shoujo of the End features an apocalyptic world filled with killer magical girls and a group of survivors that have little chance of surviving. The fact that their chances of survival are so bleak makes Mahou Shoujo of the End one of the more interesting apocalyptic manga around. No matter how hard Kogami's group fights back they make little impact on the invading magical girl army. The manga also includes tons of creepy characters, gore, and evil children in costumes, making it perfect for Halloween.


3. Shiranui Kitanroku

  • Authors: Inai, Kaoru
  • Genres: Mystery, Horror, Shoujo, Supernatural
  • Volumes: 1
  • Published: April 2012 - June 2013

Shiranui Kitanroku consists of multiple short stories connected to a strange man who travels around. The strange man travels around telling creepy stories of different supernatural events. Everywhere the man goes, there are boys and girls being haunted by mysterious forces that lead to some tragic endings. These hauntings can't be explained by logic and are the cause of some much more sinister and supernatural forces.

The stories featured in Shiranui Kitanroku are imaginative takes on some classic horror tales. Shiranui Kitanroku features a realistic art style that is can be both impressive and terrifying. While not all of the stories will bring you the same level of fright, there are a few stories that will get to you. With stories including creepy dolls to mysterious youkai in the corner of the room, each story is interesting enough to not feel weaker than the other stories around it. Although Shiranui Kitanroku isn't the longest manga around, it is sure to bring you enough scary stories to keep you company on Halloween night.


2. Portus

  • Authors: Abe, Jun
  • Genres: Mystery, Horror, Supernatural, Seinen
  • Volumes: 1
  • Published: January 2006

High school student Asami Kawakami is worried about her friend Chiharu. Chiharu stopped coming to school and never returns any of Asami's phone calls. Asami learns that Chiharu has been skipping school and has done nothing but play an old video game called Portus. There is an urban legend surrounding Portus that involves a secret level where a boy will appear and ask if you want to go to the other side. If you answer yes, you die in real life. Asami gets the news that Chiharu committed. Along with her teacher, Keigo Sawa, Asami decides to look into Chiharu's suicide and discover what truly happened.

Portus is one of the best horror manga of all time, making it perfect for Halloween. Visually, Portus does things better than most manga, with creepy and gory elements, alongside the way the characters fear is displayed through the characters body and facial expressions. The story of Portus is deep and interesting containing some truly unique story elements. Although there are parts of the story that are obvious and are easy to see coming, it never feels uninteresting or uninspired. Portus is truly one of the best manga to read if you are looking for a story to read on Halloween.


1. Halloween Tantei Oz Williams (Halloween Detective Oz Williams)

  • Authors: Chitose, Ame
  • Genres: Mystery, Shoujo, Supernatural
  • Volumes: 3
  • Published: July 2012 - July 2014

In 19th century London, there lives a young genius who helps the dead get revenge on their murderers. The young genius is an odd boy named Oz Williams. Oz uses his ability to hear the dead in order to help the police solve cases. When Oz gets involved, the murderer always ends up killing themselves due to Oz's powers. With his mystery-solving prowess and his decision to wear a Halloween costume year round, Oz has earned the nickname, Halloween detective.

While Halloween Tantei Oz Williams may not be the scariest or goriest manga on the list, it incorporates every aspect of Halloween. The manga has some creepy visuals with the panels of the murder victims and gets serious when Oz is confronting the murderers. Alongside the dark and serious story, Halloween Tantei Oz Williams has a lighter side thanks to Oz's jovial nature and his interactions with his friends and allies. Oz's love for costumes and candy along with If you are looking for a lighthearted Halloween manga, Halloween Tantei Oz Williams is a great choice.


Final Thoughts

That is it for our list of the top 10 Halloween manga. From spooky scary manga to stories about candy loving detectives, we've got a little bit of everything on the list. Which Manga was your favorite? Are there any other good Halloween manga? Let us know in the comments below.

I-am-a-Hero-manga-700x483 Top 10 Spooky Manga to Read for Halloween [Updated Best Recommendations]

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Author: Robby

I’m a lover of anime and manga and I spend most of my time working hard to accomplish my goals in life. Outside of anime and manga, I’m an avid Heroes of the Storm player and I love some good food.

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