Great manga comes in many types. And the talented manga creators in Japan know how to tell deep stories like no other. But there’s a grim subsection of manga that many like myself fall in love with that sends you down the rabbit-hole of finding the most dark and twisted series you can buy. If that’s the rabbit-hole you now find yourself in then I’ve got you covered. Here are some dark manga series for you…
Dark Manga Series List
As always, I’m surprised just how many authors are able to write and illustrate their work.
Berserk
Buy on Amazon US | Buy on Amazon UK
Berserk is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura. It follows the paths of Guts, a lone mercenary and Griffith, the leader of a mercenary group. It takes place in a dark and gritty medieval setting and has some of the most brutal illustrative work you’ll find in manga.
But you won’t just find mindless brutality here, there’s also a deep and meaningful storyline. I recommend this to readers who are 18+
Claymore
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Claymore has a similar dark fantasy setting to Berserk, but it focuses on two female protagonists. It’s set on an island where humans are plagued by the Yoma — humanoid shape-shifters that feed on humans. An organization then deploys Yoma clones to kill Yoma shape-shifters for a fee. Because of their swords, they are known as Claymores. This series was both written and illustrated by Norihiro Yagi.
Monster
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Monster is more of a dark psychological thriller, with a side of mystery. It follows Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a young brain surgeon working at a reputable hospital in Germany. Tenma is a successful and well loved surgeon at the Eisler Memorial Hospital, and he’s even engaged to the bosses daughter.
But Tenma comes under pressure when his boss begins to show biased towards certain patients, ordering Tenma to operate on priority patients and leave ones in need to die. One day, the mayor is rushed into hospital after an emergency, but Tenma rebels and chooses to operate on a young twin boy who was shot in the head instead. This results in Tenma losing his social standing and even his fiancee.
Nine years pass, and Tenma is a chief surgeon and once again successful. But his life is going to be put to the test as a ‘monster’ from the past re-emerges. Tenma soon finds himself wanted for murder, and a long suspenseful story unravels.
This one is written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa
Vinland Saga
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If you love anything to do with vikings then this one is a no-brainer. Vinland Saga is a dark historical manga series set in Danish-controlled England during the start of the 11th century. The saga covers the rise of King Cnut the Great and it has a fictionalized revenge story that features one of the main characters, Thorfinn.
This one is written and illustrated by Makoto Yukimura
Vagabond
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Vagabond is a martial arts manga series that follows the life and times of legendary swordsman Musashi Miyamoto. Vagabond is absolutely superb and covers a wide range of real life themes that resonate. It’s written and illustrated by Takehiko Inoue.
Gangsta
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Gangsta revolves around two “handymen” who take on dirty jobs that no one else will touch. Worick Arcangelo and Nicolas Brown constantly encounter mob bosses, corrupt cops and random hoodlums. They eventually accept a former prostitute named Alex into their ranks and offer her protection from her abusers. For some reason, when I read Gangsta I get Guy Ritchie vibes.
This one is written and illustrated by Kohske.
Uzumaki
Buy on Amazon US | Buy on Amazon UK
I just got done reviewing Uzumaki a few days ago, so check out the review for a more extensive analysis. Uzumaki is a creepy horror series with some great artwork and intense story build up. It’s written and illustrated by Junji Ito.
There are way more dark manga series out there too, like Barstard!! and Death Note. But I hope this list of 7 dark manga series has pointed you in the right direction so you know where to begin. Feel free to recommend some more in the comment section below!
