Mansect

by Shinichi Koga

Genres: Manga, Horror, Comics, Graphic Novels, Japan, Graphic Novels Comics, Science Fiction

244 pages, Paperback

Published March 11, 2025

About the author

Japanese name: 古賀新一

Reviews

[Stay Fetters · Rating 4 out of 5]

"What evil lurks in that beast’s soul?!"

Living the Line Books has been releasing some of the best horror manga. Think Ito but more terrifying and disturbing. I’ll always read whatever they release. They’ll never steer you wrong.

This time they take us on a terrifying journey of insects. If you thought it was safe to go back into the woods, you couldn’t be more wrong.

The story couldn’t have been more demented. It grossed me out more than any others I have read. He certainly knew how to get under your skin and I’m here for it. The art was out of this world gross and I loved it. You can really tell that current artists/writers took some pointers from this creator.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Gregor Samsa of Japan is a twentysomething slacker (or NEET, as they say in Japan) obsessed with insects. After getting pranked in the woods by children, his body starts to exude a silky substance from various parts of his body as it prepares to cocoon and metamorphosize into something . . . like the cover image.

Alas, he learns no lesson about the responsibility that comes with great power or even earns a classic portrayal by a wiggy Jeff Goldblum as his new life unfolds. Instead he spreads his curse to others before getting an ending that might have been helped with the addition of Vincent Price and a high-pitched, "Help me! Help me!"

I'm always interested in checking out classic manga from Japan, even if I don't often find them very entertaining.

[Rick Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thesis of Mansect is postulated early into the story: "Insects have existed on Earth for more than 400 million years. What if the powers of metamorphosis lay dormant within the human genome as well?"

Mansect is a grotesque and bizarre horror manga from Shinichi Koga that follows the story of a young lonely man named Hideo. Navigating his own isolation by befriending insects and forming his own destitute bug-infested menagerie, Hideo suddenly undergoes a horrifying metamorphosis. Where cuts should free blood, cotton begins to emerge from Hideo's interiors. Not too long after, Hideo is found by his aunt in a cocoon, his outer body shown to be completely discarded. A fire breaks out in the house, but Hideo emerges unscathed but now as the titular "Mansect", scurrying about the land as a grotesque hybrid bug-humanoid being. The story follows other characters who encounter Hideo's altered form, many of whom undergo their own terrifying body horror transitions as well.

The story has a bit of a limited logical flow to it, with scenes transitioning to new sets of characters with limited introduction, so the reader has to sort of go along with it. But it adds to a hazy dream logic that coupled with the evocative heavy black inked artwork, almost feels like a Charles Burns comic. The horror designs are ripped directly from classic scare comics - perfect for fans of classic EC stories. Probably the strongest of the three manga released under Living the Line's "Smudge" imprint, and masterfully translated by Ryan Holmberg. Unlike the previous two Smudge books, Mansect does not feature any additional notes or contextual essays, which I do feel would have been nice to have here.

[Benjamin Bauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smudge have struck vomit-coated, chitinous gold with Mansect. This is one of the grossest, most horrific volumes of manga I've read in some time. It's less of an overarching narrative than a series of vignettes tied together by the wanderings of Hideo, the titular Mansect, but those vignettes are delectably weird and fucked up. Everything in this book is driven by a nightmare logic rooted in the suffering of its characters, as well as in what seems like Koga's own sadism. The art is stellar, with some close-ups of terrified and demented faces which have seared themselves into my brain. It's also hilarious, in that oh-so-cruel way psychotronic/horror fiction can be. The grotesqueries and erratic logic of the plot reminded me a fair bit of Junji Ito, whom I sure must be aware of Koga's oeuvre. Another slimy entry in Smudge's line of horror manga bangers. Can't wait for Face Meat in May!

[Mariano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great manga from Living the line, perhaps the most interesting manga publisher in the US right now.

An amazing body horror manga, that delves more in how human evolution could not be what we think and how the rest of us would react to it than an actual "classic story" with begging, middle and end.

But the star here are the visuals. Koga's art is visually shocking, not only because of the detailed deformities of the characters, but also because of the horror expressions from the people who face them.

I hope we get a lot more Smudge volumes

[Saphira Adorni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was INSANE

[Oliver Bateman · Rating 4 out of 5]

while lacking the slow-burn depth of a subsequent work like Ito's Uzumaki, Mansect is vague, inexplicable, and quite disturbing body horror on a grand-ish scale (200 pages or so). The plot meanders and it feels more like a collection of disjointed stories, but the central narrative is quite good and the people who read this stuff for fetish reasons certainly won't be disappointed ("voraphiliacs" will certainly love the out-of-nowhere swallowing sequence on pp. 89-90, which isn't repeated/isn't clear how it fits into the story aside from a good "shock scene"). Solid enough, but as I reflect on it after a 20-minute toilet read (seriously - it's fast), I realize there's almost no characterization of any kind, which is why something like Her Frankenstein (reprinted by the same publisher) offers a bit more meat: there's some there there.

[Danté E. Corrales · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a disgusting delight. Shouldn't have read this while eating dinner, but I love to live on the edge. Creepy and interesting, with a main character you feel sympathy for while disliking him at the same time. A very fun read

[Alenna Burleson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This manga follows multiple people and their experiences with insects weather that be becoming one or becoming something more..
The art was done really well and it definitely holds up as it was published in 1975.
The stories were disturbing and did body horror really well.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

A character feels a sense of social anxiety, disorientation, and alienation, leading them to crave a transformation of self. They admire this transcendence in insects. Our character's alteration is interrupted by the supporting cast who misunderstand or just can't stop poking at the oddball. Confusion brings contempt and any chance of completed metamorphosis or reconciliation slips away. Who hasn't been hurt in the midst of a sensitive stage of becoming? The monster is created by the mob and all the personal suffering that results is tragic.

But then again the Mansect does suck people's blood so maybe they really are bad?

You know, standard campy horror stuff.

Theres a lot of fun style in the yucky monsters and elements that can be compared with Kazuo Umezz in terms of pacing and composition. If you like the themes in Frankenstein, you'll enjoy this.

Ryan Holmgren (the translator) never really misses with his projects. I hope he grows extra arms and eyes to do more work faster.

[DOOM · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fuckkk? What a wild ass book! I’m enjoying everything Smudge is putting out. The art is fantastic. I love the line work and shading; it’s super clean and pleasing to the eyes. The quality of the art really makes one sit back, take it all in, and just appreciate the whole artistic process/vision. The whole concept of this book is insane. To me it seems to take inspiration from Kafka’s metamorphosis or movies like the original “The Fly”.

It’s a very creepy book. It definitely made me uncomfortable at times so a big thumbs up for that. I would recommend this book. If you enjoy Junji Ito, body horror, or weird horror content then I believe you will enjoy this.

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

MAAANSEEEECTTT!!! Hahahaha this book sat around for a week before I picked it up and every time I passed by it the title tickled me. It did not disappoint. It's a fun, silly little horror story that's bizarre and a little all over the place. I definitely recommend some other horror greats (Junji Ito, Kazuo Umezz, Hideshi Hino...) before delving this deep into the horror manga genre, but if you're a fan and running out of stuff to read, here you go.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weird, gross, and never really pausing for a moment. It's about a guy who turns into a giant insect, but also turns old, and into a baby, and there's other characters that go through freakish changes. It honestly reads so fast and disorienting that I feel like I dreamt it. It's one thing after another. Also a lot of funny character moments and tons of showpiece splash pages with insane art. I feel like you know you'd be into this just from the cover alone, so check it out.

[Bibliophileverse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mansect by Shinichi koga is a horror graphic novel based on a man who is converted into an insect. On kindle the book is black and white that made me a bit disinterested. The plot becomes confusing towards the middle. Everything seemed to be dragged to reach the end. I was really disappointed with this one.

[Jordan West · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite going a bit off the rails in third act, this is a highly entertaining, pleasingly grotesque body horror manga that melds vintage creature feature chills with the proto-Cronenbergian, and feels like it could've emerged directly from Charles Burns' subconscious.

[Egghead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monstrous mutations
From flesh husks, made to drink blood
Future...or the end?

[Rlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super gross but also cool. Definite old school horror movie gross-out vibes.

[Jeremy Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some really solid horror here. If you don’t like insects then this is a book that’s surely will terrify you!

[Pirate Hat Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The drawings are fantastical, horrible but also mesmerizing. Gripping story, couldn’t put it down!

[Zach Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just now getting a translation? This should get as much love as Kazuo Umezu! Koga's art is similar but more grotesque! Highly recommend for those who like classic horror manga.

[Michael Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Anna Monk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a fun time!

[Wyatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully freaky cosmic body horror from one of Junji Ito’s inspirations. I hope Smudge publishes more of his work.

[Peter Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Metal AF! 🤘

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best things I've read in awhile! Absolutely crazy stuff.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horrific and disgusting (in the best possible way). Great if you like body horror or b-movies.

[Carina Stopenski · Rating 4 out of 5]

koga walked so junji ito could run

[Kaytlyn Snyder · Rating 4 out of 5]

incredibly shocking and gross, even for me. i can't begin to imagine what the reaction was when it was first published in 1975 (happy 50th bday)!

[James Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 50 year old work is a unique and fascinating manga that is both a horror and a theory about the evolution of humanity. Highly recommended!!

[Al Capwned · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smudge is selecting those cult horror manga pretty carefully it seems. Another great one.