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If you are an anime fan with a Shudder subscription in November 2024, then you might find yourself overwhelmed with the sheer number of brilliant anime shows you can find on the horror streaming service. So, if you love anime or want to get into the colorful world of anime, then this month Shudder has some amazing options.

Parasyte – The Maxim Season 1 (November 28) Credit – Madhouse

Parasyte – The Maxim is a Japanese horror thriller drama anime series. Based on the Parasyte manga series by Hitoshi Iwaaki, the Madhouse series follows Shinichi Izumi, a high school boy whose right hand becomes the host for an alien entity who calls itself Migi after which they join forces to fight against other alien parasites feasting on humans.

Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Seasons 1-4 (November 28) Credit...

Here at Asian Movie Pulse, we have had a fantastic year of covering manga and manhwa (and a healthy dose of light novels) as we continue to expand our coverage of the medium. 2023 marked a remarkable year of new titles that deeply engrossed us in the pages throughout the year. The most significant change is coming from the heavier move towards publishing Manhwa titles, marking the first year we include South Korean comics as a major consideration for what made the past year so memorable.

Counting down to our favorite manga release of the year, these 20 titles highlight the best manga and manhwa releases of 2023.

20. Pandora Seven by Yuta Kayashima

“Scale, wing, vine, hair…none of that mattered to Lia, because her friends and mother loved her. She lived happily and peacefully—an almost worry-free existence. As the sole member of humania on the island, of course she dreamed about meeting others of her kind.

San Francisco, CA—Digital manga subscription service Azuki is adding four manga series from Media Do International, Inc. and MediBang! to its library, part of a deal to add over 150 series in 2023. The four titles — Drifting Net Cafe, The Tenth Prism, Diary of My Daily Failures, and Tunnel of Spring Rain — are available now (including select free chapters) on the Azuki website and iOS and Android apps. Synopses for all four series are below:

Drifting Net Cafe by Shuzo Oshimi, published by Futabasha and distributed by MD-i: In a unique work mixing eroticism and true love, this is the acclaimed Shozo Oshimi’s newest work in “Manga Action.” Koichi Toki, 29, enters a net cafe on a whim and is reunited with his first true love. They are elated to meet again, but then the city around their net cafe disappears! The fated couple share the cafe with nerds, thugs,...

Particular stories within manga tend to burrow under the reader's skin by exploring uncomfortable themes steeped in violence, tragedy, and suffering. These works offer a unique catharsis and, when executed with sincerity and skill, allow readers to look inward and see elements of humanity that are difficult to approach yet enriching to contemplate.

We look at 20 dark manga worthy of challenging the reader, offering depth within their complex themes. In no specific order, we have handpicked these twenty titles for their ability to navigate uncomfortable themes with the needed skill to make the work redemptive.

20. Goodnight Punpun by Inio Asano

“This is Punpun Onodera's coming-of-age story. His parents' marriage is falling apart. His dad goes to jail, and his mom goes to the hospital. He has to live with his loser uncle. He has a crush on a girl who lives in a weird cult. Punpun tries talking with God about his problems,...

Dongwoo Han is an author and essayist whose transition into the world of Manhwa came with the introduction of “Terror Man” in 2016, which would result in a follow-up series in 2018 (Terror Man – Part 2) and a crossover in 2020 with “Terror vs Revival.” Dongwoo Han has also penned two other series, “The World is Money and Power” and “Night of Silence.”

Artist Jinho Ko made his debut on “Croquis Pop,” and would become an integral part of the growth of “Terror Man” as a constant contributor to the series and its sequels. JinHo Ko is also an author and has worked as an artist and writer on “Jack Frost” and “+Again.”

With “Terror Man” recently released through Ablaze Publishing, we were honored to get a chance to ask the creators about the project and dig deeper into the story behind the standout WebToon.

Can you please give us some background of your writing & art,...

“Twenty-three-year-old art school reject Miyuu Seno has a blueprint for the future, but it's not her own. Instead, she's stuck on the “secure” path her mom has laid out for her—from her office job, to her clothes, to the guys she meets—and it's making Miyuu more miserable by the day. When things come to a head between them, Miyuu leaves home with a blank canvas in tow, holding on to the hope that painting can somehow undo the phony she's become…” (Yen Press)

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

The slightly deceptive title, “The Essence of Being a Muse” is less about being a ‘muse' and more about drawing inner inspiration to compel oneself to change. Aya Fumino uses protagonist Miyuu Seno to explore insecurity and social pressures on younger generations, with the woman's repressed dream of becoming an artist hindering her personal...

by Palomo Lin-Linares

Mangaka Shuzo Oshimi tells of an episode from his youth in which he hid in a unisex bathroom with a mirror (his intentions were obvious). More specifically, he tells of the tight-chestedness he experienced upon realizing the distastefulness of his actions, and the feeling of shame which soon followed. This embarrassing anecdote, which inspired “The Flowers of Evil,” is told in the afterword of the manga's first volume. This sincerity on the part of Oshimi, his dedication to laying bare any source of shame, gives his work the feeling that all the events have been lived, and are being recreated by the author with nothing but accuracy and candidness in mind. This honesty is what elevates “The Flowers of Evil” beyond your average daytime drama or angsty serial, into something far more heartfelt, yet still perverted.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

The story,...

“Reiji's mother is checked out, he's stuck caring for his grandmother with dementia, and his childhood friend treats him like a lackey. Then beautiful, big-city pop star Nagi miraculously shows up working the counter at the local convenience store. Reiji is starstruck. When she offers him the ultimate way out of his claustrophobic existence, will he succumb to temptation…?” (Viz Media)

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

Capturing the anxiety that can come with isolation and throwing in a teenage masturbatory fantasy turned nightmare, Ryo Minenami's “Boys Abyss” is an uncomfortable read. Yet, for those who seek challenging subject matter with a tinge of intense psychological drama (looking at you fans of Inio Asano & Shuzo Oshimi), the manga packs quite a wallop within its opening volume. While many will appreciate the book at face value, its sensational premise/dark romantic focus, there are...

With over a decade of dominance in the comic space, the availability of manga continues to only grow. This year alone saw notable announcements for titles held in high regard but unavailable here in the West, such as “Homonculus” and “Innocent”. It is, undeniably, an exciting time to be a manga fan and there is never a lack of interesting titles to discover.

Looking back on the best manga of 2022, there was a focus on mature titles dealing with complex themes, impressive omnibus releases, and a few new editions of classic titles. We will count down to our top manga release of the year.

10. Mizuno and Chayama by Yuhta Nishio

The story of ” Mizuno and Chayama” is a highly emotional one, that is best left to experience given how much of it is defined in the visceral experience of the work. That said, the themes of forbidden romance, class divide,...

“Misuzu Hara is a quiet, reserved 24-year-old high school teacher whose world is turned upside down after her friend’s fiancé rapes her. Her attempt to connect with one of her students, himself a victim of sexual trauma, results in an unlikely romance, and the repercussions of these events affect everyone around them in often unpredictable ways.” (Kodansha)

On Amazon

*This review covers the first two omnibus releases from Kodansha

As a general rule, it is considered bad form to dive into someone’s personal life as a premise to frame their work– merit and explorations should be focused on the art itself unless the said project is based solely on personal experience. However, it will be difficult for many readers to push aside the fact that Akana Torikai is married to mangaka Inio Asano, a mangaka who has had a longer and more prominent career (at...