Summary
Why on Earth would anyone willingly go out of their way to consume content that scares the living daylights out of them? Why, for the thrill, of course.The horror genreexists purely to feed human curiosity about thesupernatural and the unknown, all from the comfort of their homes and screens. After all, no one in real life would want to be chased and haunted by demons in their newly bought house, simply because the previous owners failed to mention the little poltergeist/ghost problem they had.
The horror genre provides everyone with a channel to experience the joy of being scared and excited without the inconvenience of dealing with actual ghostly roommates. But what if there’s a quicker, more convenient way to do that besides watching the entire duration of a two-hour horror movie, or sitting through a long,drawn-out horror anime? Introducing one-shot horror mangas—compact, well-rounded, and downright terrifying little comics with horror plots that can easily rival their full-length counterparts.
Other Genres
Comedy
Oni Yashiki, alternatively known asHaunted House, is one of the more subdued entries on the list. Its premise is mostly of a comedic nature, and does not hold much depth in terms of story—and that essentially works in its favor. Blending horror and comedy is never a bad thing. In fact, inOni Yashiki’s case, it’s literally the one-shot’s greatest charm.
Kitou and her friend are part of her school’s very small and under-budgeted science club. In order to raise more money for it, she challenges the student council president of her school, Abe, to go through their very poorly put-together haunted house. Abe promises a raise in the club’s budget if Kitou manages to scare him over the course of their stroll through the said ghost dwelling.
Drama
Obake Lifeis another relatively meek manga that ventures into the concept of curses and chain messages— those unnecessarily melodramatic notes that claim to bring misfortune to anyone who stumbles upon them— infused with a touch ofcomedy and romance. It’s another quick and fun read that does not require a lot of analyzing and, hopefully, doesn’t curse its readers either. It was published in 2008.
It revolves around an unnamed high school girl with psychic abilities who is less than thrilled about constantly bumping into the supernatural because of her powers. She finds herself in a scary predicament when the manga she is reading abruptly comes to an end and curses her to die. Understandably shaken, she runs out of her classroom to collect herself, only to stumble upon the spirit of a kid who claims to have fallen in love with her.
Drama, Family
Kono Ko ja Nai!orThis Child is Not Mine!certainly takes on a more disturbing route compared to the preceding entries and is definitely not for the faint-hearted. It covers considerably unsettling subjects and still manages to maintain the quintessential horror and gore associated with other manga of this type.
The final nail in the coffin for a struggling couple is the sudden disappearance of their toddler. Both parents are heartbroken and unable to function properly until they receive a call from the police, informing them that their child has been found. Unfortunately for them, things take an exponential downward spiral when they bring the kid home. The mother is certain that this baby isn’t theirs, and is willing to go through questionable lengths to prove it.
Fantasy
12-ji no Kane ga Naruis a horror retelling of the world’s favorite cinder-girl turned princess but with the most mind-blowing twist. Itsexceptionally unique goth-inspiredart and Victorian-style dialogues transform this one-shot into an absolute masterpiece.
Ah, classic Cinderella—a mistreated individual fully accustomed to constantly getting run over and overworked by her step-family. This version of her, however, is no cowering petal; she’s an ambitious girl who desperately wishes to turn her life around for good. As if on cue, she’s approached by a witch—seemingly intrigued by Cinderella’s intense worldly desires—with a promise to turn her dreams into reality, but only until the clock strikes 12.
Action
Loopis a 2009 one-shot that offers an impressively distinctive spin on the classic Groundhog Day concept. Because this particular piece of work features substantial amounts of action, it gives off major shounen vibes and even has the classic ‘weak MC goes through character development’ plotline.
Jean, the sole heir to a grand fortune, isstuck in an endless time loopthat makes him relive his brutal death over and over. On the 100th day of going through it again, he decides to change his fate by finally fighting back.
Sci-Fi
Instead of having random jumpscares and otherworldly supernatural beings that would give the average person nightmares for weeks,Locker Roomfeatures a science fiction-esque storyline that concludes with a major plot twist.
Hashimoto is a daily laborer who puts in long hours for his work and ends his shift by going to the local coin locker to retrieve his stuff. One day, after a particularly grueling job, he stands in the locker room and voices out his need for new sneakers to no one in particular. To his surprise, his locker clinks and presents him with a brand-new pair of shoes.
Romance
I Was Wrongis basically just an instant version of the mostjaw-dropping yandere romanceout there, say,Mirai Nikki. It was published in 2018 and has a simple art style that’s largely signature to contemporary shoujo romance manga.
To get his life back on track after the tragic death of his girlfriend, Furuya understandably takes a few days off from school. However, what everyone does not know is that his late girlfriend, Sara, was, in fact, a relentless stalker who took great joy in controlling every aspect of Furuya’s life, so he did what he had to do—got rid of her. Now that Furuya is once again a free man, he cannot wait to enjoy his newly found freedom. That is until he sees Sara’s spirit manifesting itself in his bedroom and begging him to go out on a date with her.
Mystery
To not have an Itou Junji manga on a horror manga list would be an absolute crime, given his legendary status in the realm of one-shot/short horror stories.The Enigma of Amigara Faultis a short, one-chapter story that appears at the end of the writer’s other infamous work,Gyo.
Owaki is a casual hiker who spontaneously decides to take a trip to the notorious Amigara Fault after seeing it on TV one day. The fault is a geological anomaly formed as aresult of a massive earthquakein a particular part of Japan. On the way there, he encounters Yoshida, a girl who seems to have the same goal. Things at the site, however, don’t look fun or breezy in the slightest. The fault has hundreds of bizarre-looking, never-ending cavities that look oddly similar to human bodies. What’s worse is that both Owaki and Yoshida discover holes that precisely trace their own forms.
Zanuff the Butcheris a 2012 slasher/ horror one-shot manga that will leave its readers utterly conflicted and in shambles. It delves into the complexities of human emotions and the ambiguous moral dilemma people face when it comes to protecting someone they hold dear.
George Zanuff is an ordinary man with a small grocery shop in a very family-friendly neighborhood. He seems like a good guy on the surface, but what most people don’t know is that Zanuff is an ex-convict who was tried and jailed for the murder of a young girl when he was in school. After serving a 20-year sentence, he has recently been released and is determined to make an honest living this time around.
Horror
Itou Junji never misses the markwith his short stories, which is precisely why the highest-rated entry on this list is another one of his iconic works.Kyoufu no Juusouis a 2017 manga that, unlikeThe Enigma of Amigara Fault, is a stand-alone one-shot.
Soya, a genius archeologist with expertise in stratigraphy, discovers an unusual fossil at one of his excavation sites and decides to look into it more. The fossil, as it turns out, is an ancient cursed tomb that brings harm to those who try to unseal it. From that moment onward, everything for Soya and his family takes a turn for the worse.
