Hunted, slain, exorcised, generally not having a good time… These guys really can’t catch a break, can they? But don’t feel too bad about it, cause, you know… they’re usually kind of evil. And if you want more monster hunting in your manga time, then here’s a few series where the monsters might have deserved it.
10. Kaiju No. 8
Writer & Illustrator: Naoya Matsumoto What better series to start off with than one with the literal word “monster” in the title? Kaiju No. 8 follows the story of Kafka, a middle-aged guy who’s tasked with cleaning up giant carcasses after they’ve been dealt with by the Japanese Defense Force. He imagined a more action-packed role when he vowed with his best friend Mina to join the force when they were made homeless by a kaiju. But when he ingests a small creature that grants him the ability to turn into a kaiju himself, things change quickly. Try explaining that to the army though. This more recent manga is currently one of Shonen Jump’s most popular (as of this writing) for its sci-fi setting and incredibly menacing antagonists. If you’re into monsters, you’ll love this.
9. Demon Slayer
Writer & Illustrator: Koyoharu Gotouge The prodigal son! Definitely being one of the most well-known manga in recent years, Demon Slayer doesn’t shy away one bit from bloody clashes with vicious monsters. While some of them have somewhat tragic backstories, those beasts led by the terrifying Muzan have lost all redeeming qualities in their lust for power. And this makes Tanjiro slicing their heads off cleanly all the more satisfying. As the title suggests, monster slaying is kind of a thing here. But it’s all done in the name of freeing humanity from the plague that is the demons. Thankfully, the demon slayer corps know how to do it, and how to do it well.
8. Chainsaw Man
Writer & Illustrator: Tatsuki Fujimoto Yep, another baby series! And by “baby” I mean “new,” cause there’s nothing childish about this one. You’ll realize that soon enough when seeing the array of disgusting creatures that Tatsuki Fujimoto throws at his main characters. With monsters and transformations rivalling the highest entries on this list, Chainsaw Man is truly messed up. Trying to have a better life (or at least a less boring one), Denji is shot right into the action when he makes a pact to merge with a friendly demon, which proceeds to turn him into one. The Chainsaw Devil. Monster hunting can hardly be any more gruesome than when it’s committed with literal chainsaws – wouldn’t you agree?
7. Terra Formars
Writer: Yu Sasuga Illustrator: Kenichi Tachibana Man, have I got the weird sci-fi for you. Set in a distant future, Terra Formars revolves around a group of scientists whose job is to terraform Mars (not Jupiter, or Saturn, the pun wouldn’t work). The task goes all fine and dandy for 500 years, after which the process ends and a crew of astronauts is ready to explore the planet. There’s one little hiccup, though… Mars is now populated with murderous humanoid cockroaches that kill everything that moves. Which is kind of a problem. What ensues is a war between superpowered humans and this new alien lifeform that spans across planets, leaving nothing but death and destruction. Who’s gonna win? Honestly, there’s no way to tell except checking this one out.
6. Jujutsu Kaisen
Writer & Illustrator: Gege Akutami As a current sensation in the world of manga, Jujutsu Kaisen revolves around “jujutsu” sorcerers, whose task is to eradicate the threat of the curses. Not voodoo or stuff like that, no, no. Literal curses who’ve taken monstrous forms to prey on humans. Some are freakishly strong, some are weaker, but all are scary as heck. Thankfully, Yuji Itadori and friends are here to do their job and send those guys back where they came from with their diverse move sets. This manga is funny, it has great action, and the character designs are amazing – especially when it comes to the monsters. I’m saying that just in case you were still on the fence about reading it.
5. One Punch Man
Writer: ONE Illustrator: Yusuke Murata Here, monster hunting is not only a good thing – it’s even a regular job! Granted you have the means to do it, of course. Like being able to split the sky in two with a semi-serious attack, for instance. One Punch Man is an amazing collection of monsters and villains that expertly balances action and comedy. Even though they often get killed in a matter of seconds after an endless evil monologue, no one can deny that ONE and Yusuke Murata have a knack when it comes to creating monsters. You’re even gonna take a liking to some of them! I’m not sure if you can say that about any other series.
4. Claymore
Writer & Illustrator: Norihiro Yagi Yes, I really like Claymore… And if there’s one reason for that, it’s the incredible atmosphere it manages to build through lore and – you guessed it – monsters. Not unlike another popular dark fantasy manga (which will come soon enough), Claymore stands out from other series thanks to its disturbing array of creatures. Called the “Yoma”, these beasts take on various forms depending on their strength that I honestly couldn’t describe in under a thousand words each. This story will make you fear for its protagonist’s well-being more than once. No one seems safe from either death, or corruption and desire for power. Monsters are no joke here, that’s for sure.
3. Yu Yu Hakusho
Writer & Illustrator: Yoshihiro Togashi Enough with swords, I want punches and kicks! And this comes from the same mind that brought you Hunter x Hunter. Yu Yu Hakusho is a classic 90s series that fuelled the imagination of many mangaka that followed. It revolves around Yusuke, a high school bad boy with a heart of gold who ends up putting his brawn to use against the scary monsters and demons of hell. Constantly switching between life and deaths, the protagonist and his friends will need to use their fists, but also their wits to survive the dangerous tasks they’re given. From simple fetch quests to full-blown fighting tournaments. Of course, there’s a magical element involved too – but nothing trounces ugly spawns of Satan like a good punch to the face!
2. Berserk
Writer & Illustrator: Kentaro Miura I mean, it had to come up at some point eventually. Berserk is among the greatest manga of all time. And one of the reasons why it’s so great (out of hundreds) is the sheer creativity shown by its creator when it comes to monstrosities. Seriously, how can someone draw so many different beasts all scarier than the one before? It also helps put into perspective how much of a badass Guts is for just powering through it all. Of course, it kind of helps when you’re basically a superhuman mercenary with a 7-foot-long cleaver, but still. Monster slaying never stops with this series. So if that’s what you’re looking for, you’ll get plenty of it.
1. Attack on Titan
Writer & Illustrator: Isayame Hayama Who better to take #1 than the worst of the worst? I’m of course talking about Isayame Hayama’s creepy and grotesque titans, from the legendary Attack on Titan. Ruthless, unpredictable, and most importantly hungry for tasty humans, these weird humanoid creatures of unknown (for now) origins have pushed mankind to the brink of extinction. Actually, “weird” might be an understatement. I’ll leave it at that… Thankfully, when all seems lost, the hunter corps are there to fight back – even if it means dying for the cause. That’s the ideal our main character Eren goes by in this incredible dark fantasy manga full of gore and unsettling antagonists. Some truly disturbing stuff – and it’s absolutely worth reading if you haven’t already.
