Top 30 Dark Manga

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Top 30 Dark Manga

Nobody likes to read Mangas that give you trauma. But with the spread of contemporary art and unseen barriers of the internet. Humans have become more curious to explore new and different things that will excite us in one way or another.

Dark Manga has been a part of the manga culture for quite a long time. Though earlier considered a Taboo, some of such works are being celebrated. A Dark Manga, Berserk is considered one of the finest works in all the Mangas combined.

In this blog post, I have curated a list of the Top 30 Dark Manga.

Also, Check the List of Dark Anime: https://animeloved.com/blog/best-dark-anime-like-akame-ga-kill/

Berserk

Probably the best Manga ever written, this story has changed my outlook on life for the better. Berserk deals with complex human emotions, it talks about trauma and similar issues that general Mangas shy away from.

Berserk- Top 30 Dark Manga

It shows the horrors of human nature as well as its beauty. The main characters show us where the trauma can hide and manifest and where love and life can prosper despite adversity.

The tale sets a new standard and deals with some of the most compelling character writing, I have ever seen.

Dorohedoro

It feels like an overall typical shonen masquerading as a brutal seinen. It does not overexploit its edgy moments and rather uses them as a shock value.

Dorohedoro- Top 30 Dark Manga

The two main characters in the show hunt for magic users. Kaiman doesn’t have a real face and is trying to find out what his real face is. This concept is developed further as Kaiman starts to get his memories back.

Parasyte

Shinichi, the protagonist of the show is taken host by a parasite. These parasites need a host to survive and eat humans. The parasites take over the brain of a human and the human dies.

Parasyte- Top 30 Dark Manga

The parasite couldn’t take over Shinichi and resides in his right arm.

Vagabond

Vagabond- Top 30 Dark Manga

The manga is a realistic version of Berserk. The manga is good in the way it’s able to convey the characters through the artwork. It tackles similar themes as in Berserk but with a different art style and characters.

Tokyo Ghoul

The main character in the anime, Kaneki is a normal High School kid. He turns into a Ghoul after surgery to save his life, and some of his organs are replaced with organs from a ghoul’s body.

Tokyo Ghoul- Top 30 Dark Manga

Ghouls are creatures that feed on blood and occasionally coffee. He learns the ways of the Ghouls and tries to adapt to his new life.

I Am a Hero

A zombie outbreak hits the world. The manga takes its time to introduce us to the characters and does not hastily plunge into chaos.

I am a Hero- Top 30 Dark Manga

The artwork is phenomenal and the chaos and destruction are perfectly captured.

Uzumaki

Uzumaki- Top 30 Dark Manga

A small town is haunted not by a force, or entity but rather by a pattern, the spiral. We notice that the spiral pattern is all around the town. And, It gets to people’s minds. It takes over their mental state and then their body.

Full Metal Alcemist

The manga is full of dark twists and turns. The story follows two alchemist brothers, Elric and Alphonse. While performing resurrection alchemy, Elric loses his arm and Alphonse his whole body.

Fullmetal Alchemist- Top 30 Dark Manga

Their journey follows the Elric brothers as they try to get their bodies back.

Attack on Titan

Humanity is up against large man-eating monsters called Titans. It is one of the best manga to be written. As the story progresses dark secrets are revealed.

Attack On Titan- Top 30 Dark Manga

Characters over time change their ideologies and their view toward the world. Ranging from hype action to emotional breakdowns the manga has everything to offer.

Check this article related to Eren: https://animeloved.com/blog/best-life-lessons-of-attack-on-titan/

Elfen Lied

The manga follows two central protagonists, Lucy and Kouta. Lucy is a Diclonius, who escapes a research institute. She develops two personalities after getting a bullet to raze.

Elfen lied- Top 30 Dark Manga

The other character, Kouta also has a large gap in his memory. The manga is dark but is mishandled sometimes.

Pandora Hearts

The main character somehow enters a place called Abyss. After surviving there for 10 years he returns back to his reality and everything has changed.

Pandora Hearts- Top 30 Dark Manga

After returning, he set out to find out the reason Why he was dropped in Abyss.

Gantz

It follows Kei Kurono and Masaru Kato, both of them die in a train accident. They become part of a semi-posthumous game. In the game, they track down and kill aliens.

Gantz- Top 30 Dark Manga

The missions they go on often lead to a brutal and gory death. They accumulate points after every mission that can be used to revive a teammate, go back to earth, or upgrade weapons.

Death Note

Death Note-Top 30 Dark Manga

The manga is alL set in a Dark tone. Light Yagami, a teenager stumbles across a notebook called Death Note. Any name written on the notebook dies at the set time. Power corrupts Light and the story follows.

Hellsing

Hellsing- Top 30 Dark Manga

An organization called Hellsing is formed by humans. It hunts down vampires, ghouls and all such creatures. Alucard, the main character of the show is a vampire and yet a member of the organization. He hunts down his own kind.

Black Butler

The Manga follows a young boy named Ciel. He is from a noble family that is responsible for solving crimes in the London underworld.

Black Butler- Top 30 Dark Manga

The Manga gets dark as the story progresses.

20th Century Boys

The story follows a group of friends that are somehow connected to a shady figure called “friend”. The “friend” is doing some dodgy stuff and the main characters take action against this shadowy figure.

20th century boys- Top 30 Dark Manga

As the manga progresses, many layers in the story are peeled. The characters have standout personalities despite being very normal.

Homunculus

The main character Nakaoshi is dead-ass broke. He is approached by a blond-haired man who offers him a shitload of money to undergo surgery. The surgery involves drilling into the head.

Homunculus- Top 30 Dark Manga

He undergoes the procedure and gains the power to see the inner side of all the people. The manga takes on if we should indulge in someone’s else personal journey to self-growth.

King of Thorn

The world is infected by a virus, Some people are sent to cryogenic preservation.

King of thorn- Top 30 Dark Manga

The main character wakes up and finds a world full of flesh-eating monsters.

Monster

Monster- Top 30 Dark Manga

It is a dark manga that dives into complex human emotions. The manga questions what it actually is to be a human and a Monster. It follows a serial killer that can manipulate people into murdering others.

Claymore

Claymore- Top 30 Dark Manga

It takes place in a world filled with monsters called “Yomas”. These Yomas have the power of shape-shifting. To defeat these monsters special soldiers called Claymores are developed.

GANGSTA

It is about two problem solvers called the Handyman. Due to a war going on several people start taking a drug called celebrator to enhance their physical abilities. Their children get these powers and are forced to serve as mercenaries called Twilights.

Gangsta- Top 30 Dark Manga

It takes place in a realistic environment which is interesting to see. It is dark and has a lot of violence.

Chainsaw Man

It is one of the wildest stories you will ever experience. Denji, the main character is on a Devil hunting journey. People hire him to kill devils.

Chainsaw Man- Top 30 Dark Manga

The manga is violent and gets dark to its core.

Vinland Saga

This manga dives into what makes a true warrior. It is dark and the story progresses well.

Vinland saga- Top 30 Dark Manga

No character is spared, families are destroyed and empires build.

Why you should watch this anime: https://animeloved.com/blog/vinland-saga-anime-recap/

Akira

Toyko was destroyed in World War 3 and it is being rebuilt as Neo-Tokyo. The place is filled with horrible gang violence and terrorist groups. A psychic kid is set loose and goes on a rampage.

Akira- Top 30 Dark Manga

There are a lot of characters in the story and all impact the story.

Psycho-Pass

It is a character and theme-driven story set in cyberpunk in 22nd-century Japan.

Psycho pass- Top 30 Dark Manga

In the world, people’s intentions can be measured by technology. So, crimes can be stopped even before they have occurred.

Check this article related to Psycho-Pass: https://animeloved.com/blog/best-inspirational-quotes-of-psycho-pass/

Made in Abyss

It deals with a lot of dark tones and despite its innocent look, it can put off the younger age group.

Made in abyss- Top 30 Dark Manga

The manga is psychologically driven and is a must-read.

Devilman

-It serves as a representation of dark times in history, the war, and the devastation it caused. It was considered a taboo back in the 70s, due to its dark conclusion that was never done before.

Devilman- Top 30 Dark Manga

The manga is meant to disturb its readers with its tragic superhero and his lust for violence and fierce war.

The Flowers of Evil

It is a disturbing psychological read. The main theme of the manga is to let go of your previous guilts and sins.

The flowers of evil- Top 30 Dark Manga

The protagonist seems to be awkward, shy, and not really the type who has the most confidence. Nakamura ends up catching Kasuga doing something that she ends up blackmailing him for the rest of his middle school life.

Fort of Apocalypse

The manga is set in a zombie apocalypse. All the mainstay characters are given adequate panels and chapters to explore their back story.

Fort of Apocalypse- Top 30 Dark Manga

The plot happens in a prison. The characters are stuck by a zombie attack. As the manga progresses darker turns are taken.

Jisatsu Circle

54 girls commit suicide by jumping in front of a moving train. One of the girls somehow survives and forms a suicide club.

Jisatsu circle- Top 30 Dark Manga

The girl’s best friend, Saya tries to uncover the dark secrets of the club. And prevent a similar tragedy again.

Check these Funny Horror anime: https://animeloved.com/blog/best-funny-horror-anime-manga/

Check these Dark Manhwas: https://animeloved.com/blog/best-dark-manhwa/

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