Kara Dennison
March 11, 2025 
Just because we’re coming out of the darker part of the year doesn’t mean we’ve left behind our love of thrills and chills. And fortunately, three new manga and comic releases coming in March and April will keep us well-stocked with unusual stories all the way into spring! Tuttle Publishing, with its focus on Asian culture and philosophy, is preparing to release a trio of story collections retold in comic form.
From classic horror to real-world chills to more down-to-earth stories, read on to find which of these deserves a spot on your manga shelf. Though the answer may easily end up being all three!
Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s Hell Screen
This new manga release pulls from a series of classic influences. First published in 1918, the original story is a retelling of the 13th-century story collection Uji Shui Monogatari. Retold and brought to life in manga form by artist Mihiro, this new edition of Hell Screen is a vivid, unsettling take on what is ultimately very human horror.
Told by a largely unrelated party, the story follows the talented but unpleasant artist Yoshihide and his lovely daughter Yuzuki. When asked to paint a screen depicting images of hell—a task befitting someone who prefers grotesque subject matter—Yoshihide begins exploring hellish real-world inspirations. With only Yuzuki coming to his defense, Yoshihide continues to torment those around him in search of artistic inspiration. By the end, his demands result in horrifying consequences. Save for a few unusual visions, Hell Screen is absent any true paranormal influence. The monsters here are human, making for a difficult but rewarding read for fans of historical horror.
Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s Hell Screen goes on sale March 25.
Read more coverage here.
Tales of the Kyoto Ghost Story Priest
True crime lovers, this new manga is for you! Tales of the Kyoto Ghost Story Priest hails from Daiun Miki, a very real Zen Buddhist priest who mixes his teachings with stories he’s collected over the years. The 11 stories collected in this volume cover mundane topics ranging from dates gone wrong to unethical legal battles. Some stories have horrific, lingering endings; others are surprisingly wholesome, such as the tale of the mother kokeshi doll.
Manga artist Tatsuya Morino spent a decade as an assistant to horror manga legend Shigeru Mizuki, and his vintage horror style fits perfectly with Daiun Miki’s stories. The arrangement of the seemingly unconnected stories is also fantastic, as characters from previous tales will appear unexpectedly later in the story. If you like your scares a little more grounded in the real world, you’ll love this collection.
Tales of the Kyoto Ghost Story Priest goes on sale April 1.
Haruki Murakami Manga Stories 3
While this new manga release isn’t strictly horror, it does strike a deliciously unsettling chord. This volume marks the third in a series of comic adaptations of the works of legendary Japanese author Haruki Murakami. While the first and second volumes adapted a total of seven stories, Volume 3 features two: “Scheherezade” and “Sleep.” The first is a sleepy, open-ended story of a homebound man and his assistant, with whom he also shares a physical relationship. As she spins him tales of her teenage indiscretions, breaking into the home of a high school crush, her charge begins to wonder whether her attentions are out of affection or duty. And in “Sleep,” a housewife discovers that she no longer requires sleep. These late-night reading sessions and outings turn into musings on her nature and her place in the world.
Pairing these two stories in a single hardcover volume was a stroke of genius. Both benefit from the broad stretches of pure visual, brought to life by the iconic art of PMGL. The two stories are immersive, slow-moving, and wide open. That breathing room leaves readers space to imprint their own thoughts on the lost and lonely characters. This is a fantastic first step into Murakami’s writing, and Jean-Christophe Deveney’s adaptations heighten the impact of Murakami’s already exceptional stories.
Haruki Murakami Manga Stories 3 goes on sale April 1.
Read more coverage here.
