Introduction: Slasher Thrills Meet Manga Kills
If you’re a fan of American slasher classics like Halloween, Scream, or Friday the 13th, then you know the appeal: masked killers, final girls, creepy settings, and over-the-top deaths. But what if we told you that manga—a storytelling medium often associated with fantasy and action—delivers horror that’s just as brutal, chilling, and twisted?
Japan’s horror manga scene is brimming with blood-soaked pages, psychological torment, and eerie artwork that rivals any late-night horror flick. From serial killers to zombie apocalypses, these stories scratch the same itch that slasher films do—sometimes with even more creativity and gore.
Here are the 10 best horror manga titles that slasher fans will love, featuring masked murderers, sadistic killers, and enough terrifying twists to keep you awake long after you close the book.
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1. I Am a Hero by Kengo Hanazawa
Perfect For Fans Of: 28 Days Later, Dawn of the Dead, The Crazies
This psychological zombie manga follows Hideo, a paranoid and unreliable narrator, as a terrifying virus spreads through Japan. Unlike most zombie tales, I Am a Hero adds a disturbing level of realism and introspection.
- Graphic violence and sudden deaths
- Strong survival horror themes
- Unpredictable narrative with slasher-style paranoia
Slasher fans will appreciate the slow-build tension and The Walking Dead-style dread.
2. Tomie by Junji Ito
Perfect For Fans Of: It Follows, Jennifer’s Body, The Ring
Junji Ito’s legendary tale of Tomie, a beautiful girl who drives people to murder her, only to regenerate and do it all over again, is the perfect blend of supernatural horror and slasher aesthetics.
- Immortal femme fatale
- Multiple gruesome deaths
- Episodic “slasher” format in each chapter
Tomie is Michael Myers meets Mean Girls, and that’s a terrifyingly fun combination.
3. Doubt by Yoshiki Tonogai
Perfect For Fans Of: Saw, Scream, Among Us
In Doubt, six teens meet in person after playing an online game, only to wake up trapped in a facility with a murderer among them. One is the killer—but who?
- Murder-mystery structure
- Masked antagonist with psychological traps
- “Who dies next?” pacing
This one is tailor-made for whodunit slasher fans who love twists and betrayals.
4. Hideout by Masasumi Kakizaki
Perfect For Fans Of: The Descent, The Shining, Wrong Turn
A short but powerful one-volume manga about a man who takes his wife to a remote island with deadly intentions—only to stumble into something much worse lurking underground.
- Claustrophobic setting
- Visually intense horror artwork
- Themes of madness and revenge
Like any great slasher, Hideout traps its characters in a hopeless situation and ratchets up the tension until it explodes.
5. Gantz by Hiroya Oku
Perfect For Fans Of: The Purge, Final Destination, Hostel
After dying in a train accident, two young men find themselves in a brutal game where they’re forced to hunt down aliens and monsters. No one is safe, and the kills are as creative as they are gory.
- Sci-fi horror meets slasher logic
- High-stakes death game
- Extreme violence and disturbing body horror
If you’re into over-the-top action with horror elements, Gantz delivers in spades.
6. Fort of Apocalypse by Yuu Kuraishi & Kazu Inabe
Perfect For Fans Of: Train to Busan, 28 Weeks Later, The Raid
Wrongly accused and sent to a juvenile prison, the protagonist quickly finds himself in the middle of a sudden zombie outbreak. What follows is pure survival horror chaos.
- Teenagers fighting for survival
- Trapped-in-a-location trope
- Unrelenting pacing and body count
This manga hits all the slasher beats with a fast, feral energy.
7. Higurashi: When They Cry by Ryukishi07
Perfect For Fans Of: The Wicker Man, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hereditary
Set in a rural village, Higurashi blends supernatural horror, slasher killings, and a deadly time loop. Friends turn to killers, secrets unravel, and every arc ends in blood.
- Final-girl energy (repeatedly)
- Village conspiracy and cult vibes
- Brutal and mysterious deaths
Slasher fans will love the combination of innocent settings with gruesome ends.
8. Ajin: Demi-Human by Gamon Sakurai
Perfect For Fans Of: The Terminator, Saw II, The Boys
Ajin are immortal humans hunted by the government. When protagonist Kei Nagai learns he’s one of them, he’s pulled into a war between pacifists and violent radicals.
- Unstoppable killers
- Painful regeneration scenes
- Dark, suspenseful tone
Ajin takes slasher mechanics—pain, survival, torture—and turns them into an existential thriller.
9. Ichi the Killer by Hideo Yamamoto
Perfect For Fans Of: American Psycho, The Devil’s Rejects, Oldboy
Infamous for its violence, Ichi the Killer follows the story of a sadomasochistic yakuza and a deeply disturbed killer. It’s less about supernatural horror and more about human depravity.
- Disturbing psychological horror
- Sadistic characters
- No one gets out clean
For fans who enjoy the killer’s perspective in slasher films, this is a must-read.
10. The Drifting Classroom by Kazuo Umezu
Perfect For Fans Of: Lord of the Flies, The Mist, The Faculty
An entire school is suddenly transported to a barren wasteland. As food and sanity run out, students and teachers descend into chaos, violence, and madness.
- Isolation horror
- Children as both victims and monsters
- Apocalyptic imagery
It’s like Battle Royale meets The Shining—equal parts psychological and survival horror.
Final Thoughts: For Fans Who Love Their Horror Sharp and Bloody
Whether you’re a die-hard slasher fan or a horror manga newbie, these series deliver the same adrenaline-pumping kills, psychological torment, and survival tension you’d expect from your favorite horror films.
Manga offers a different kind of horror—one that doesn’t rely on jump scares, but instead builds dread panel by panel. From cursed girls to death games and zombie prisons, these titles are proof that horror thrives just as well in ink as it does on screen.
