Hikari ga Shinda Natsu is 2nd Place! What is 1st in the Scariest Occult Manga Ranking? Comic Seymour Announces

Comic Seymour, one of Japan’s largest comprehensive electronic book stores, has announced its “Scariest Occult Manga Ranking to Read in the Hot Summer Heat to Lower Your Core Temperature.” This ranking, based on responses from 4,968 Comic Seymour users, saw Hen na Ie [Renzai Ban] take the coveted first place.

June 6th is recognized as “Fear Day” in Japan, a date chosen to align with the “Number of the Beast,” 666, found in the Book of Revelation in the New Testament. Comic Seymour conducted this survey titled “Scariest Occult Manga Ranking to Read in the Hot Summer Heat to Lower Your Core Temperature” in connection with this day of dread.

Number 1

Claiming the top spot is Hen na Ie [Renzai Ban], based on the original work by Uketsu with manga by Ayano Akatsuki. This series was adapted into a live-action film in 2024 and won the Male Division Award in the “Minna ga Erabu!! Denshi Comic Taishou 2024” (Everyone’s Choice!! Electronic Comic Award 2024).

Reasons cited for its popularity often revolved around the chilling realization of what makes the house “strange.” Many readers found the horror particularly potent because it lurks within the familiar realm of everyday life. Comments included, “It sends shivers down your spine when you realize what’s strange about it. Non-daily events hidden in daily life are the scariest,” “The angle is unlike anything before, and the suspense imagined from the house’s floor plan is terrifying,” and “It’s scary how an ordinary-looking floor plan turns out to have a terrifying meaning.” The unique worldview of the manga, where casual floor plans transform into sources of terror, deeply resonated with and frightened many readers, drawing them further into its world with every page.

Number 2

Taking the second spot is Mokumoku ren’s Hikari ga Shinda Natsu. This series is set to receive an anime adaptation in Summer 2025 and gained significant buzz after being introduced by a popular celebrity on a variety show.

Readers highlighted the unsettling blend of the ordinary and the abnormal as the source of its unique horror. Comments included, “It’s terrifying if your friend suddenly becomes like that one day. It has an eerie, terrifying, and unknown horror,” “I felt terror at the thought of something not of this world having self-awareness, and also at the fact that you can’t treat it as an enemy,” and “What if the person who was always by your side, who is clearly there, is actually an abnormal presence? Even though the form you see is that of a familiar person, why did you notice that faint sense of unease? It’s the feeling of anxiety, like everything you know as common sense becomes untrustworthy. It’s a truly chilling work.” The manga promises an unknown horror that keeps readers hooked until the very end, where the everyday intersects with the truly bizarre.

Number 3

Securing the third position is Itou Junji’s Itou Junji Kessakushuu. Itou sensei is a titan in the horror manga world, having won the “Eisner Award,” often called the “Academy Award of comics,” four times, and also receiving a Special Recognition Award at France’s “Angoulême International Comics Festival.” Itou sensei is currently holding his first large-scale original art exhibition.

Many readers pointed to his distinctive and disturbing artwork combined with psychologically unnerving narratives. Reasons given included, “The drawings are grotesque, and the content is an exquisite mix of creepiness and horror that stays with you after reading,” “It’s scary and unsettling, and various scenes are burned into my mind and won’t leave. I suddenly remember creepy scenes and get shivers (in a good way). It’s trauma-level scary,” and “His visual horror is second to none, and many stories also contain content where never-ending psychological terror and anxiety wash over you.” Itou sensei’s powerful visuals and narratives of seemingly endless dread create a truly unforgettable reading experience.

Honorable Mentions

In addition to the top three, several other works were mentioned as “Scariest Occult Manga to Read in the Hot Summer Heat to Lower Your Core Temperature.”

For Umezu Kazuo’s Orochi, comments included, “I can’t forget those eerie drawings I saw out of curiosity when I was a child,” “It has a horror that still resonates today and is recommended for reading in the summer heat to ward it off,” and “It’s a work that makes you think about the darkness within people, rather than just simple fear.”

Oshikiri Rensuke’s Sayuri was recommended with comments like, “It’s a manga that casually does things that make you wonder ‘can they really go that far?’ The destructive power of the sudden horror depictions is also amazing,” “It makes you realize that humans are the scariest,” and “The relentless development keeps you hooked.”

Regarding Hiyodori Shouko’s Shiribito no Koe o Kiku ga Yoi, readers said, “Just trying to remember reading it before gave me the ‘shivers’,” “I’m drawn to the relationship between the boy who can see ghosts and his ghost childhood friend girl. While there are grotesque depictions, it doesn’t linger unpleasantly, making it a horror manga you can read smoothly,” and “The drawings are scary. Since the horror experiences happen in familiar places, you can easily imagine them.”

For Inuki Kanako’s Fushigi no Tatari-chan, opinions gathered included, “From the outside, it’s a wonderful house that seems like a symbol of happiness, but inside, it has unbelievable secrets and a darkness so deep it’s horrifying, especially for those with vivid imaginations,” “I remember not being able to sleep after reading it…”, and “The artwork has such an impact that even a quick glance is scary. I can’t sleep at night!”

Takahashi Rumiko’s MAO garnered comments such as, “The drawing style of the youkai (supernatural beings/monsters) and the back-and-forth between modern and past eras are enjoyable. The romance and packed story make it quite a read,” “It’s not just scary but also has a good tempo, so you can keep reading on and on,” and “There are developments that give you a sudden shiver at unexpected moments.”

Satou Kentarou’s Mahou Shoujo of the End prompted reader comments like, “Magical girls usually have the image of fighting evil, but the exact opposite here is horrifying in a different way,” “The depictions of people being easily killed like rags were very scary,” and “The world view, which is a hell beyond imagination, makes you forget reality and blows away the heat.”

To celebrate the announcement of this ranking, Comic Seymour is currently holding a campaign where you can read all the works ranked from 1st to 3rd place and the honorable mentions at a discounted price. Be sure to check the special page for details!

【Survey Details】
・Survey Title: Scariest Occult Manga Ranking to Read in the Hot Summer Heat to Lower Your Core Temperature (Comic Seymour Survey)
・Survey Method: In-site survey conducted for Comic Seymour members
・Valid Responses: 4,968 people
・Survey Period: March 14, 2025 (Fri) ~ March 17, 2025 (Mon)

《Nakase Koutarou》

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