Whether it's the psychological torment in Junji Ito's works or the disturbing atmosphere of "Hideout," these manga series provide a nightmarish reading experience.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best horror manga that have given readers a stimulating dose of fear and suspense. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

10. Jinmen

A creepy horror version of Jurassic Park, Jinmen is an unusual and disturbing manga by Katou Takahiro that deals with humans being terrorized by nightmarish creatures. The story begins with Jinguu Masato, a young boy who develops a close bond with an elephant named Hanayo at the zoo.

Years later, when Masato returns to the zoo to find his old friend, he discovers that things have changed, as all the animals have become flesh-eating monsters with human faces who want only one thing: to treat humans the same way they do and to kill them eventually.

9. Homunculus

Hideo Yamamoto's Homunculus is a mature manga that explores the emptiness of humanity and how it harms people, turning them into superficial beings. The series depicts the psychic turmoil of a disillusioned homeless man, Susumu Nakoshi, whose life changes forever after meeting a young medical student.

He offers Nakoshi an irresistible sum of money in exchange for participating in a horrific test called “Trepanation” – the act of drilling a hole into the skull. The procedure causes Nakoshi to gain a repulsive perspective on the world, as he begins to see metaphysical representations of a person’s psychological disorder.

8. Gannibal

Gannibal is a terror well done as it doesn't rely on heavy gore and weird looking monsters, but rather shows the dark side of human nature and how quickly a man can become a "beast". The story follows Daigo Agawa, a police officer who is assigned to a remote village after the mysterious disappearance of a rural police officer.

Daigo finds the charming mountain village quaint and his horror becomes reality when he discovers he is trespassing on a community of cannibals. The small town atmosphere, the cult agenda, and the element of cannibalism all come together to create this masterpiece of horror manga.

7. Fraction

In addition to being a horrific serial killer story, Shintaro Kago’s eponymous manga Fraction offers a surreal experience through its grotesque ero-guro setting and terrifyingly insightful meta-commentary. There’s also some very clever use of literary allusions in this horror manga.

The story is presented as a dual narrative alternating between the murders of a serial killer and a fictional Kago discussing his next project. The short stories that make up the rest of the manga are a mix that leaves all sorts of meta and crazy, offsetting a violent and unpredictable narrative.

6. Hideout

Hideout’s gorgeous yet hauntingly creepy art style makes it one of the scariest horror manga that gets scarier as the story progresses. The series is about a couple trying to cope with the untimely death of their son while on vacation on a beautiful island.

From a man's good intentions to try to reconcile with his wife to his intent to commit murder, Hideout starts off a little dark, but builds from dramatic reasoning to psycho-madness and only gets better from there. It's an unpleasant read, but in a good way.

5. Pumpkin Night

Pumpkin Night is a psychological horror manga that takes readers on a grotesque journey filled with insanity and despair. Largely inspired by the Western horror genre, the story follows a girl named Naoko who is bullied at school and ends up hospitalized in a mental asylum with her face disfigured.

Years later, she manages to escape from the asylum and dons a pumpkin mask to seek revenge on those who wronged her. Filled with deep-rooted hatred and disgust, Naoko goes on a rampage, gleefully killing anyone who stands in her way until she finds and tortures those who made her life hell.

4. Kiriko

Kiriko is a generic crime horror story with a supernatural twist that makes up for an otherwise decent story. one shot manga. The story begins with a small group of adults, including protagonist Ryosuke Hayama, being invited to a reunion at their old school to remember the loss of their classmate Kiriko.

However, their reunion takes a dark turn when their schoolmates begin to die in mysterious and gruesome ways. Ryosuke soon discovers that Kiriko was a bullied and deformed girl who died in an accident, and that she has returned as a vengeful spirit to exact revenge on those who wronged her.

3. Jagaaan

A visually stunning and action-packed horror manga for beginners, Jagaaan is similar to Hitoshi Iwaaki’s “Parasyte” in presenting a mysterious world. Centered around Shintaro Jagasaki, the story presents a chaotic setting where people can transform into grotesque creatures if they suppress their desires.

One day, while riding a train, Jagasaki discovers that he is a fractured human warrior and can transform his right hand into a kind of weapon. Now, he decides to hunt down all the fractured humans infected by frenzied frogs in order to bring back to life his dead girlfriend.

2. Tomie

One of the most introspective aspects of horror stories is the depth of atmosphere and fear of the unknown, and Junji Ito brings this to life masterfully. Each chapter of this manga revolves around a femme fatale named Tomie, who has the incredible ability to regenerate any part of her body into another copy of herself.

So she goes around making men turn violent against each other like a beautiful agent of chaos. With Tomie being the only recurring character, the series gives off a mysterious, claustrophobic vibe because she is all-powerful and can be anywhere at any time.

1. Uzumaki

A true legend of the body horror genre, Junji Ito has created countless unforgettable stories. Among them, Uzumaki remains the gold standard of horror manga. Through his ever-growing collection of vignettes, Uzumaki paints a portrait of a city and its people going mad.

In this suspenseful tale, Ito focuses on a few central people affected by the spiral phenomenon that slowly engulfs the city. While none of the characters seem original at first glance, the mangaka's unsettling and inevitable logic turns each one into a terrifying harbinger of events to come.

Which of the following horror manga is your favorite? Feel free to comment your opinion and recommend any other manga like the ones listed above. Also, don’t forget to share this article with your otaku friends.