Berserk, Ganta: 7 mangas for an adult audience

At Hitek, we love manga. While we often talk about shonen, we are also big consumers of seinen (as evidenced by our many selections). Today, we are returning to these seven manga which, due to their respective themes, their violence or their approach to sexuality, are not to be put in everyone's hands.

#1 Berserk, by Kentarō Miura

Often cited; as the greatest manga in seinen history, Berserkis an absolute masterpiece of dark fantasy. Renowned for its boards teeming with details and magnificently drawn by Kentarō Miura, Berserk develops an extremely dark and violent plot. The mangaka, who died in May 2021, did not skimp on scenes of violence that were often extremely graphic, and addressed in his work subjects as complex as the damage caused by religious fundamentalism and sexual violence.Like violence, sexuality is addressed in a very direct manner. Berserk may be a reference for millions of readers around the world, but it is not recommended to put it in everyone's hands.

#2 Gantz, by Hiroya Oku

Published; between 2000 and 2013,Gantztells the story of Kei, a young man who dies in an accident. But he wakes up in a strange room, surrounded by people who are also dead. Kei and his companions of fortune discover that they are forced to participate in a deadly game that is led by the mysterious black sphere named Gantz in the middle of the room. In addition to addressing issues as complex as human nature and the absurdity of our existence, this sci-fi manga adapted into an anime is full of scenes of great violence and very explicit sex scenes.

#3 Ushijima, the shadow usurer, by Shohei Manabe

Do you have an idyllic vision of Japan? Ushima, the shadowy loan shark by Shohei Manabe is here to destroy it. This seinen published between 2004 and 2019 in the pre-publication magazine Big Comic Spirits tells the story of Ushijima, a 23-year-old man who runs the company Buy Buy Finance. Ushijima isyamikin, a loan shark, that is to say he lends money in the short term at extremely high rates. Without any taboo, Shohei Manabe explores in this work the dark sides of Japanese society, and more generally of capitalist societies. A great manga! (We also recommend the mangaka's next work, Kujō the Implacable.)

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#4 Uzumaki, by JunjI Itō

Unanimously considered As the absolute master of horror manga, Junji Itō is a true star, as evidenced by the many adaptations of his work in recent years. Incidentally, the release of the anime Uzumaki (or Spiral, in French) is the opportunity to discover this truly disturbing horror story: the life of a small Japanese town falls under the effect of a curse, its inhabitants becoming obsessed by spirals which are more and more present. A metaphor for the horror resulting from capitalist societies that turn us into selfish individuals, Uzumaki is a powerful manga that should please fans of the genre.

#5 Vagabond, by Takehiko Inoue

While Takehiko Inoue left his mark on the world of shonen with Slam Dunk, considered the best sports manga, the Japanese artist is aimed at an adult audience in Vagabond, which tells the fictionalized story of Miyamoto Musashi, the most famous samurai in Japanese history. Sometimes very violent and including some sex scenes, Vagabond is a masterpiece of writing, crossed by the philosophical reflections of its main character. Above all, like Berserk by Kentarō Miura, Vagabond deeply marks by the beauty of Takehiko Inoue's drawings.

#6 Elfen Lie, by Lynn Okamoto

Published; between 2002 and 2005 in the pages ofWeekly Young Jump, Elfen Lied is the work of Lynn Okamoto. Mixing SF, horror and romance, the manga tells the story of Lucy, a young mutant with telekinetic powers, who escapes from a laboratory where she was held captive. Injured and having lost her memory, she finds refusal in Kōta, a young student with a tragic past. The manga, which addresses very difficult subjects (including that of sexual violence through certain characters), contains gore scenes, numerous sexual allusions and other nude scenes. If its end was Much criticized because it was considered abrupt, Elfen Lied remains a reference for many readers.

#7 Last hero Inuyashiki, by Hiroya Oku

Already; known forGantz, Hiroya Oku is the author of several seinen.Last Hero Inuyashiki, adapted from in an animated series by the excellent studio MAPPA, is one of them. Ichirō Inuyashiki is a 58-year-old man completely ignored by his family. One day, he is killed in an explosion. .. before waking up as a nearly omnipotent cyborg. While Mr. Inuyashiki tries to harness his powers for good, a young man who suffered the same fate as the his own, uses his own to destroy. As usual, Hiroya Oku delivers a complex and nuanced story, of great graphic violence, with resolutely trash.