Warning: This article contains discussions of sexual violence.
Anime has become more accessible than ever, with the medium now among the most popular forms of entertainment. However, sometimes waiting a year for the next season isn’t enough, and that’s when fans move to the manga, Japanese comic books from which anime are adapted. But manga can be so much more than just new material for fan-favorite shows; there is a whole world out there with unadapted/unanimated masterpieces.
While anime censors a significant amount of material, manga is raw, unfiltered content, for better or worse. That is why this list will rank the ten darkest manga of all time based on art, content, gore, violence, sexual material, themes, overall tone, and fan opinion. There are probably darker and more messed-up manga, but this list aims to provide series that have some sort of popularity or recognition. These ten manga series aren’t the average ones, like One Piece, and they can be extremely explicit.
10
‘Homunculus’ (2003-2011)
Created by Hideo Yamamoto
While this manga may not be mainstream, it is a classic by many standards and opinions. Created by the legendary Hideo Yamamoto, Homunculus is a dark psychological thriller that follows a recently homeless man who undergoes a risky procedure to earn some money. However, after undergoing trepanation, he begins to see abstract forms of humans and their flaws.
Homunculus isn’t the darkest manga fans will find, and there are probably many more series that are gorier and more traumatizing. However, this manga has a certain weight to it that doesn’t rely on shock value, excessive bloodshed, or overly dark themes. Instead, it focuses on a riveting, character-driven story that is both sad and depressing yet fascinating and mysterious, all coalescing into a masterfully dark series.
9
‘Fire Punch’ (2016-2018)
Created by Tatsuki Fujimoto
Most fans know Tatsuki Fujimoto for his legendary work on Chainsaw Man, but before that, he had an even darker, and equally epic, manga titled Fire Punch. In a world of frigid temperatures, Agni and Luna hide away, with only each other’s comfort bringing them joy. But when a commander kills Luna and burns Agni infinitely, the latter sets out on a quest for revenge.
This manga has gained popularity following the release of Chainsaw Man, but animating it is another matter. Fire Punch is one of the best manga of the last decade, wowing fans with its gorgeous art style and dark story. Agni is constantly in excruciating pain, but the main reason this manga is so dark is due to its nihilistic nature and overall depressing tone set in a hopeless world.
8
‘Takopi’s Original Sin’ (2021-2022)
Created by Taizan 5
Solo Leveling is arguably the best anime of 2025 so far, but Takopi’s Original Sin came out of nowhere, becoming a beloved and well-written new series. However, while the focus is on the anime, the manga itself is just as dark. Takopi is a squid-like alien who comes to Earth in hopes of spreading joy and happiness. However, in his attempts to make Shizuka happy, he causes much more grief and trauma.
Takopi’s Original Sin blew up because of its stellar animation and harrowing plot, which deals with themes such as bullying, suicide, childhood trauma, and abuse. This incredibly triggering manga can be a challenging read, and while it may seem dark for the sake of it, this series does tackle moments with profound insight, even if they are depressing and occasionally borderline unbearable.
Takopi’s Original Sin
- Release Date
-
June 28, 2025
- Network
-
Bandai Channel, Netflix, Prime Video, Niconico, ABEMA, Hulu, Disney+, FOD, d Anime Store, Anime Houdai, U-NEXT, TELASA, DMM TV, niconico Channel, Lemino, J:COM STREAM, milplus, WOWOW On Demand, Anime Times, Rakuten TV, VIDEX
7
‘Uzumaki’ (1998-1999)
Created by Junji Ito
Horror anime and manga aren’t the most well-reviewed, but Junji Ito is an exception, as he delivered some of the most timeless horror series, with his most popular work being Uzumaki. Fans may know the horrendous anime adaptation, but the manga is much better. It follows a town stuck in a mysterious spiral curse where the residents either die or turn into grotesque snails.
Uzumaki is arguably the best horror manga ever, gradually building its sense of tension and fright with each chapter. The art is remarkable, making the panels even more terrifying with the level of detail. Uzumaki will make the reader uncomfortable with its body horror, eerie scenes, disturbing imagery, and general dark tone that sets it apart from every other horror manga.
6
‘Shamo’ (1998-2015)
Created by Akio Tanaka and Izo Hashimoto
Probably one of the more unheard of manga on this list, Shamo ran for a long time, only ending around a decade ago despite starting in the late 1990s. Ryo was on a path to become one of society’s elite members, but he suddenly snapped and murdered his parents, leaving only his sister alive. After being released from prison, he decides to become a professional fighter.
Shamo starts dark and only gets worse despite its focus on mixed martial arts. Despite having no redeeming qualities, fans root for the protagonist against better judgment, knowing he will only become more evil as the story progresses. From disturbing dream and vision sequences to explicit themes, Shamo is a manga that weaves its darkness into the fights and story.
5
‘Goodnight Punpun’ (2007-2013)
Created by Inio Asano
Goodnight Punpun is probably one of the most well-known, popular, and well-written manga on this list, gaining this through its influence, art, and story. The titular character may be a normal student, but as life progresses, he slowly develops into a depressed, lonely, anxious, and confused adult. His life is marked by trauma and hardship, as this manga chronicles his life story.
Unlike many manga that feature excessive gore, violence, and sexual content, Goodnight Punpun is dark due to its realistic portrayal, which leaves viewers with a sense of emptiness. Punpun’s life is a mess from start to finish, but this focus gets fans rooting for him and any win he can muster. However, ultimately, Goodnight Punpun is a tragically dark series that, while one of the best manga without an anime adaptation, is tough to read through completely, and will leave fans heartbroken.
4
‘Blame!’ (1997-2003)
Created by Tsutomu Nihei
Tsutomu Nihei is an iconic mangaka known for his short series that excel in worldbuilding, art, and darkness, with his magnum opus being Blame! The world is reduced to a dystopian setting, a steel labyrinth where creatures roam and feast on humans. Killy is a brave soul who sets out to find a human with a unique gene that might be capable of undoing this horrific future.
Every work by Nihei would fit right on this list, but as his most popular series, Blame takes the spot. The worldbuilding and setting alone are enough to make it among the darkest manga, but the story goes even further, creating an unimaginably gruesome world and plot with wretched creatures, extreme amounts of gore, and heavy nihilistic themes.
Blame!
- Release Date
-
May 20, 2017
- Runtime
-
106 minutes
- Director
-
Hiroyuki Seshita
3
‘Ichi the Killer’ (1998-2001)
Created by Hideo Yamamoto
Hideo Yamamoto makes his second appearance on the list, this time with Ichi the Killer, which was adapted into a live-action film. Ichi may be a wimp, but he turns into a cold-blooded killer when he cries, and his rival, Kakihara, is a cruel yakuza boss who only feels something when he is slicing up human flesh.
Despite Ichi’s heroic action of murdering evil people, he is just as sick and twisted, having a rape fantasy that clashes with his otherwise good nature. However, Ichi the Killer is dark not because of its themes, but because of the overwhelming violence, blood, and gore. From villains to civilians, everyone receives a gruesome death, making this underrated manga one of the darkest fans can read.
2
‘Dead Tube’ (2014-)
Created by Mikoto Yamaguchi and Touta Kitakawa
While most of these manga are well-written and have depth to their darkness, Dead Tube is pure shock value and gore that isn’t fully recommended. Tomohiro loves to film, so when an attractive classmate asks him to film her, he gleefully accepts. However, when she murders a classmate, she brings him into the world of Dead Tube, a site where sensual and macabre videos are shared.
Dead Tube is offensively dark to the point where it constantly tries to one-up itself, creating an infinitely grotesque machine that pumps out horrific imagery. Whether it is blood, gore, murder, rape, or other disturbing sexual content, Dead Tube is gratuitously violent. It will ruin the reader’s day with visceral moments and excessively dark themes. It may not be entertaining or good, but it is undoubtedly one of the darkest manga of all time.
1
‘Berserk’ (1989-)
Created by Kentaro Miura
Everyone was expecting this manga to make it on this list, and for a good reason. Berserk isn’t just the darkest manga, but it is also the best and most popular. Kentaro Miura was a genius who passed too soon, and while his successors are carrying on his story, it will never live up to the masterpiece he was building.
Berserk is the best manga not because it is dark, but because it utilizes its darkness to create a fascinating world, well-written characters, a sprawling plot, and an unforgettable experience. From explicit scenes including rape, beheadings, dismemberment, general gore, and everything traumatizing, Berserk uses its phenomenal art to create an unsettling picture. However, its themes and story are just as dark, creating a magnificent series that sometimes takes it too far.
