Horror Manga to Full of Gore and Scares

For those who like their manga on the ultra-terrifying, total disturbing side.

Covers of three horror manga books

Manga can be used to evoke the whole spectrum of human emotion, with detailed portrayals of human emotion, beautiful scenery, and a high level of artistry. It can make you cry, think, laugh, or, as in the manga listed here, scream. 

The manga on the list are bursting with aliens, monsters, gory battles, and flesh-eating parasites, not to mention the all-too-human horrors of the mind. This collection is most certainly not for the faint of heart or the squeamish.

But, if you are ready to jump into the terrifying and disturbing world of horror manga, these 9 volumes are sure to make your skin crawl and your heart race. 

Parasyte Vol. 1

Parasyte Vol. 1

By Iwaaki Hitoshi

Alien parasites are arriving from the sky with a hunger for human flesh and a taste for domination. They must take over a human host to survive.

Once they have control over a human body, they are able to become any deadly monster they choose.

But most choose to hide their lethal intentions behind normal human faces. Nobody knows their secret except Shin, an ordinary high school student in a battle over control of his own body and the future of humankind. 

Berserk Volume 1

Berserk Volume 1

By Kentaro Miura

Guts is the Black Swordsman. He wields a sword, an iron hand, and countless scars from the battles and tortures he has undergone.

Guts also has a unique mark on his skin, The Brand, an unholy symbol that draws darkness to him and dooms him to be a sacrifice.

But Guts won't go down without a fight. In this violent, gory, horrifying Manga, Guts will take on any force of darkness that dares oppose him. 

Cover of Franken Fran volume 1

Franken Fran Vol. 1

By Katsuhisa Kigitsu

When mad scientist Dr. Madaraki goes missing, one of his creations, Fran, is left to her own devices in his house of monsters and scientific equipment. Fran takes up the scalpel herself and attempts to use her own knowledge of mad science to help those less fortunate.

However, those seeking help are often hiding secrets, and Fran's solutions are somewhat unconventional. 

Dragon Head Vol. 1

Dragon Head Vol. 1

By Minetaro Mochizuki

On the way back from a school trip, Teru Aoki's train derails inside a scary mountain tunnel. Almost everyone else on the train is killed, but Teru finds two other survivors.

Together they must fight to stay alive and escape, with no light and no food and surrounded by death and decay. With one survivor heading down a dark path and an earthquake shaking the tunnel, the horrors are just beginning. 

The Drifting Classroom: Perfect Edition, Vol. 1

The Drifting Classroom: Perfect Edition, Vol. 1

By Kazuo Umezz

In this classic manga series from one of the most influential horror manga creators ever, a massive earthquake causes an entire elementary school to disappear.

While the parents of the students mourn and investigators try to solve the disappearance, the students and teachers have been transported to a terrifying world of monsters and madness where they struggle for survival. 

H.P. Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth (Manga)

H.P. Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth (Manga)

A manga adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's classic horror tale, The Shadow Over Innsmouth. A young man travels to the town of Inssmouth, Massachusetts to learn more about it's deadly past.

He quickly learns that the rumored secrets of the town are real, very much still alive, and that the horrors are connected to his own family's past. 

Gantz Omnibus Volume 1

Gantz Omnibus Volume 1

By Hiroya Oku

Teens Kei and Masaru are killed after being hit by a subway train. But the two soon awaken in a room with an ominous black orb. The orb gives them weapons, suits, and orders.

Forced to fight an endless stream of monstrous alien opponents in a deadly game, Kei and Masaru can only hope they will win their freedom before they are killed for the final time. 

Ichi the Killer (Omnibus) Vol. 1

Ichi the Killer (Omnibus) Vol. 1

By Hideo Yamamoto

Pushed to his breaking point, usually weak Ichi becomes a heartless killer and an unstoppable force of wreckage, killing whoever stands in his path. 

When Ichi faces off with Kakihara, a sadomasochistic yakuza boss, it leads down a path of unimaginable brutality, in this exploration of revenge and the darkest corners of the human mind. 

Lychee Light Club

Lychee Light Club

By Usamaru Furuya

Zera has gathered a group of fellow students in an abandoned warehouse to forge a new future for their community, rid of the ugly and cowardly. 

Together they assemble a machine for this purpose called “Lychee” which they intend to use to bring light and beauty.

Lychee Light Club is a groundbreaking manga and is considered Usamaru Furuya's breakthrough project.