Many are drawn to horror for the adrenaline rush it provides and the safe escape from reality it offers. These works also explore dark and taboo themes that other genres shy away from.
Seinen horror manga, designed for adult audiences, offers creators the freedom to delve into any direction they desire. Here are some of the finest series in the genre, ranging from deep explorations into the human psyche to brutal gore-fests.
10 Terra Formars
MyAnimeList Score: 7.23
- Release Date: July 2011
- Creator: Yu Sasuga (writer), Kenichi Tachibana (artist)
- No. of Volumes: 22
Terra Formars is a horror sci-fi series set on Mars, where scientists' plan to use cockroaches for terraforming goes awry, resulting in humanoid abominations. With detailed artwork, it taps into deep-seated, primal human fears.
9 Elfen Lied
MyAnimeList Score: 7.82
- Release Date: June 2002
- Creator: Lynn Okamoto
- No. of Volumes: 12
Elfen Lied portrays a race of special humans with telekinetic powers, challenging the misconception that anime and manga are just for kids.
8 I Am A Hero
MyAnimeList Score: 7.67
- Release Date: November 2009
- Creator: Kengo Hanazawa
- No. of Volumes: 22
I Am A Hero follows a 35-year-old assistant mangaka in a horrific zombie outbreak, delving into the psychological horror genre.
7 Gantz
MyAnimeList Score: 8.10
- Release Date: August 1997
- Creator: Hiroya Oku
- No. of Volumes: 37
Gantz follows individuals equipped with power suits and futuristic weapons, participating in a deadly game to hunt and kill alien targets, with graphic gore and nudity.
6 Uzumaki: Spiral Into Horror
MyAnimeList Score: 8.17
- Release Date: August 1998
- Creator: Junji Ito
- No. of Volumes: 3
Uzumaki: Spiral Into Horror follows a high-schooler exploring a town plagued by a contagious spiral obsession, portrayed with surreal, detailed art.
5 Blame!
MyAnimeList Score: 8.30
- Release Date: September 1997
- Creator: Tsutomu Nihei
- No. of Volumes: 10
Blame! is set in a post-apocalyptic city, where the protagonist explores and combats threats while searching for human with special genes.
4 Tokyo Ghoul
MyAnimeList: 8.53
- Release Date: July 2011
- Creator: Sui Ishida
- No. of Volumes: 14
Tokyo Ghoul delves into character-driven horror, with the protagonist navigating a world where flesh-eating monsters coexist with humans.
3 Hellsing
MyAnimeList Score: 8.30
- Release Date: May 1997
- Creator: Kouta Hirano
- No. of Volumes: 10
Hellsing follows a powerful vampire combating supernatural threats, including Nazi vampires, to protect England.
2 Dorohedoro
MyAnimeList Score: 8.69
- Release Date: November 2000
- Creator: Q Hayashida
- No. of Volumes: 23
Dorohedoro is set in a post-apocalyptic world, following a human with a reptilian head on a quest to undo a sorcerer's curse, battling adversaries along the way.
1 Berserk
MyAnimeList Score: 9.47
- Release Date: August 1989
- Creator: Kentaro Miura
- No. of Volumes: 42 (Ongoing)
Berserk is a beloved dark fantasy series following a mercenary's quest for revenge, with numerous anime and video game adaptations.