Adapting a manga into an anime is not easy, but horror manga poses a particularly arduous challenge. Horror manga often have detailed artwork, weird imagery, and rely on page turns to deliver jump scares, all of which can be difficult to translate onto the screen. For better or worse, many people have tried to turn these terrifying manga series into anime, with mixed results.
No matter how popular, plenty of horror manga never get an anime adaptation precisely because they are hard to adapt to television while preserving the spirit of the source material. Other difficult-to-adapt works have received anime adaptations, sometimes multiple, but with lukewarm to negative receptions.
6Uzumaki
Iconic Junji Ito Body Horror Manga That Got a Surprisingly Well-Received Anime Adaptation
Junji Ito is one of the most beloved manga artists of all time so it’s no surprise that people would want to adapt his works onto the screen, big and small. Unfortunately, as theJunji Ito Collectionwould prove, his works are best enjoyed through the print medium, due to their detailed body horror scenes.
So far,the 2024 adaptation ofUzumakiis the only Junji Ito adaptation that has received mostly positive reviews, which is surprising considering the manga’s intricate artwork and its greater focus on the weird atmosphere than on character development. Unsurprisingly, however, a substantial budget was necessary to make the anime possible.
5Hideout
Highly Detailed Art Style Would Be Difficult to Translate Into Animation
Hideoutis apsychological horror mangathat follows a man’s descent into madness as he tries to murder his wife. Not only does the series have a detailed art style reminiscent ofBerserk, but it uses page turns to deliver its most shocking moments, and thus their impacts would be lost in a screen adaptation.
Additionally, the claustrophobic atmosphere and psychological breakdown of the protagonist would require careful pacing, and it’s all too easy to over-simplify or rush things in an anime adaptation.
4Jagaaaaaan
Graphic Body Horror and Extreme Violence Would Be Hard to Get Past Japanese Censors
Many horror manga don’t get anime adaptations because of their graphic content.Jagaaaaaan, hard-to-Google title aside, is a supernatural horror manga chock-full ofgrotesque body horror, extreme gore, and mature themes. Studios could face a unique challenge trying to adapt these intense scenes in a way that fits Japanese TV networks' regulations.
The manga’s intricate artwork would also pose a challenge and require a massive budget to animate. DespiteJagaaaaaanhaving a rather passionate fanbase, it is understandable that anime studios would not want to take the risk of turning it into an anime.
3Doubt
Unique Pacing and Mystery Plot Would be Hard to Convey in an Anime Without it Feeling Convoluted
An anime adaptation ofDoubtwould probably do extremely well, given the popularity ofother ‘survival game’ showslikeSquid GameandAlice in Borderland.But its mystery plot is best enjoyed through the pages of a manga than the screen of a computer or a TV.
For one,Doubtrelies on intense, slow-burn psychological horror and mystery rather than gory action. There are clues to the story’s big mystery scattered throughout the manga, meaning some re-reads are required to piece the whole puzzle together. An anime adaptation would need to approach these elements carefully if it wants to maintain the same level of tension.
2I Am A Hero
Realistic Artwork and Lack of Dialogue Means It is Best Enjoyed as a Graphic Novel
WhileI Am A Herodid receive a live-action film adaptation in 2016, it is unlikely to ever receive an anime. A big reason for this is the manga’s art style, which is far more realistic than what one would get from the medium. Itsgritty zombie apocalypse settingwould always fare better in a live-action format than a traditional anime.
The series also has a decompressed storytelling style, focusing more on psychological and existential elements with very little in the way of dialogue or action, unlike other zombie-focused media. Much of what makes the manga an engaging read would likely be lost in even a well-animated series.
1Berserk
Intricately Detailed Artwork, Mature Themes, and Complex Storytelling Pose a Monumental Challenge for Anime Adaptations
Berserkhas received multiple anime adaptations, but none have garnered the same level of critical acclaim as the manga.Berserkhas been called ‘unadaptable’ bymany manga fans, and for good reason.
Not only is Kentaro Miura’s highly detailed art style difficult to replicate in animation, but the series' lengthy arcs, graphic content, and complex lore make it extremely hard to adapt faithfully. Previous adaptations have been criticized for feeling rushed, toning down the story’s controversial themes, and for the 2016–2017 adaptations, in particular, poor use of CGI.
