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OMORI 1
Not yet published
Expected 17 Mar 26Teenage Sunny, a nonverbal shut-in (or hikikomori) dealing with the death of his older sister, leaves the house for the first time in years when his old friend Kel appears suddenly on his doorstep. At the same time, Sunny's dream-world alter ego Omori embarks on a quest with Kel and their friends Aubrey and Hero to search for Basil, a missing member of their group. Together the party must navigate the perils of this strange world, as well as their complicated feelings and repressed memories, to move forward and find what they've lost…!
208 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 17, 2026
2 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received this book from the publisher (Kodansha) on Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
What a fucking mess. When they said based on the game they mean play the game or else you are fucking confused and have a headache at the end. NOT RECOMMENDED.
Review (reaction + GIF) coming in 14 days on my blog.
What a fucking mess. When they said based on the game they mean play the game or else you are fucking confused and have a headache at the end. NOT RECOMMENDED.
Review (reaction + GIF) coming in 14 days on my blog.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Who I would recommend this book to: Fans of the OMORI game who are hungry for more content or interested in experiencing the story in a different form
Who I would not recommend this book to: Those who intend to but have not yet played the OMORI game
I would like to preface this review by acknowledging that this manga is an adaptation of an RPG. I recognize that there are all sorts of limitations and challenges when it comes to adapting a work from one format to another and appreciate the amount of thought that must go into a project of this sort. As a huge fan of the OMORI game, I was both excited for and skeptical about the release of this manga adaptation. There’s no denying that with the game as its source material, the bar was set high for this manga and, in my personal opinion, it just didn’t really deliver.
I’ll start by highlighting some of the aspects of the manga that I did enjoy. One touch I really liked is that the chapters are named after particular tracks from the game’s OST. (I even listened to those tracks as I read their namesake chapters, which added to the atmosphere). I liked that a good amount of the dialogue seems to have been lifted directly from the game and also enjoyed other little details throughout the volume that nod to the game (like the confetti surrounding the characters after they triumph in battle).
Now on to some of my criticisms. I realize that with it being an adaptation, some degree of modification and rearranging was inevitable. That said, I feel that the choice to begin the manga in FARAWAY TOWN detracts from the suspense and build-up of the original story. I’m not sure how many total volumes there are expected to be in this series, but I imagine the author was tasked with condensing the story to fit a certain number of volumes. Even so, I have to wonder whether rearranging the story in this particular way was really the only solution. Also, the pacing does feel somewhat off and the storyline disjointed in a way that I feel would be very confusing to readers who have not played the game. By contrast, I feel like a lot of the original story’s impact lies in its very intentional pacing and how it keeps the audience guessing. I was also really disappointed about how little emphasis was placed on WHITE SPACE. There was only one extremely brief scene featuring WHITE SPACE and I don’t feel that it succeeded in conveying its eerie vastness.
I do hold out hope that the manga will improve as it progresses and will be reading and purchasing all of the volumes. Admittedly, because I am such a fan of the game, I may be viewing the manga through a somewhat overly critical lens. One thing I can confidently say, however, is that I would recommend playing the game first so that you can experience the story as originally intended — it truly is a work of art. I would love to someday see an OMORI graphic novel made by OMOCAT/the original team of artists.
I would like the thank Kodansha Comics for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. The above is an honest review and all opinions are my own.
Who I would not recommend this book to: Those who intend to but have not yet played the OMORI game
I would like to preface this review by acknowledging that this manga is an adaptation of an RPG. I recognize that there are all sorts of limitations and challenges when it comes to adapting a work from one format to another and appreciate the amount of thought that must go into a project of this sort. As a huge fan of the OMORI game, I was both excited for and skeptical about the release of this manga adaptation. There’s no denying that with the game as its source material, the bar was set high for this manga and, in my personal opinion, it just didn’t really deliver.
I’ll start by highlighting some of the aspects of the manga that I did enjoy. One touch I really liked is that the chapters are named after particular tracks from the game’s OST. (I even listened to those tracks as I read their namesake chapters, which added to the atmosphere). I liked that a good amount of the dialogue seems to have been lifted directly from the game and also enjoyed other little details throughout the volume that nod to the game (like the confetti surrounding the characters after they triumph in battle).
Now on to some of my criticisms. I realize that with it being an adaptation, some degree of modification and rearranging was inevitable. That said, I feel that the choice to begin the manga in FARAWAY TOWN detracts from the suspense and build-up of the original story. I’m not sure how many total volumes there are expected to be in this series, but I imagine the author was tasked with condensing the story to fit a certain number of volumes. Even so, I have to wonder whether rearranging the story in this particular way was really the only solution. Also, the pacing does feel somewhat off and the storyline disjointed in a way that I feel would be very confusing to readers who have not played the game. By contrast, I feel like a lot of the original story’s impact lies in its very intentional pacing and how it keeps the audience guessing. I was also really disappointed about how little emphasis was placed on WHITE SPACE. There was only one extremely brief scene featuring WHITE SPACE and I don’t feel that it succeeded in conveying its eerie vastness.
I do hold out hope that the manga will improve as it progresses and will be reading and purchasing all of the volumes. Admittedly, because I am such a fan of the game, I may be viewing the manga through a somewhat overly critical lens. One thing I can confidently say, however, is that I would recommend playing the game first so that you can experience the story as originally intended — it truly is a work of art. I would love to someday see an OMORI graphic novel made by OMOCAT/the original team of artists.
I would like the thank Kodansha Comics for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. The above is an honest review and all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I think I would have appreciated it even more if I had played the game beforehand. While it’s absolutely possible to enjoy the manga on its own, some familiarity with the source material (or at least a bit of light research) makes the experience smoother. Without that context, certain transitions and emotional beats can feel abrupt.
The manga moves between a surreal dreamscape and a heavier reality, and that contrast carries the emotional weight of the story. The storytelling is intentionally fragmented. You are not given clear explanations upfront. At times, it feels disorienting. I actually read this late at night and genuinely wondered whether I was too sleepy to follow what was happening. The truth is, the confusion is partly deliberate. The structure mirrors the protagonist’s internal state.
Omori is not an easy read and that’s entirely the point. What begins with a soft, almost childlike charm slowly unravels into something far more fragile and deeply unsettling. At first, it doesn’t even feel like horror. The art style is cute, the tone is whimsical, and aside from one quietly disturbing element, it seems almost gentle. But that sense of safety doesn’t last. The story shifts abruptly. Scenes change without warning. What once felt playful becomes unstable, and that instability is where the real horror lies.
This is not a book for fragile souls. Beneath its soft aesthetic, it explores heavy themes like depression, trauma, repression, and self-destructive thoughts.
And despite the discomfort, I genuinely liked it.
The manga moves between a surreal dreamscape and a heavier reality, and that contrast carries the emotional weight of the story. The storytelling is intentionally fragmented. You are not given clear explanations upfront. At times, it feels disorienting. I actually read this late at night and genuinely wondered whether I was too sleepy to follow what was happening. The truth is, the confusion is partly deliberate. The structure mirrors the protagonist’s internal state.
Omori is not an easy read and that’s entirely the point. What begins with a soft, almost childlike charm slowly unravels into something far more fragile and deeply unsettling. At first, it doesn’t even feel like horror. The art style is cute, the tone is whimsical, and aside from one quietly disturbing element, it seems almost gentle. But that sense of safety doesn’t last. The story shifts abruptly. Scenes change without warning. What once felt playful becomes unstable, and that instability is where the real horror lies.
This is not a book for fragile souls. Beneath its soft aesthetic, it explores heavy themes like depression, trauma, repression, and self-destructive thoughts.
And despite the discomfort, I genuinely liked it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I want to start off by saying I hadn’t known the video game or had any added context. Omori ended up not being for me but I can definitely see why people enjoy this fandom. I didn’t mind the art style, some of my favorite art panels are the more horror themed ones because those were the ones that stuck out to me the most aside from that I thought that the characters looked a little too alike and it was hard to pick out who was who without a character saying the name of who they’re talking to.
The timeline of things and the whole alter ego thing was confusing to me because one moment we’re in one timeline then suddenly we are in the next. I feel like I couldn’t really focus on either timeline because it all felt a bit too jumbled up for me. They feel blended together and I couldn’t really bond with the characters when it felt like timelines were being jumped every other page. Overall this is just a manga that doesn’t stick out to me personally. Thank you to the publisher for my complimentary review copy.
The timeline of things and the whole alter ego thing was confusing to me because one moment we’re in one timeline then suddenly we are in the next. I feel like I couldn’t really focus on either timeline because it all felt a bit too jumbled up for me. They feel blended together and I couldn’t really bond with the characters when it felt like timelines were being jumped every other page. Overall this is just a manga that doesn’t stick out to me personally. Thank you to the publisher for my complimentary review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
**Received a copy via NetGalley for review**
I wish I could appreciate this Manga more than I did. The artwork was really well done and I genuinely wanted to be immersed in the story but apparently there is some back ground that you have to have before reading this in order to really understand the story. I really struggled to keep up with what the story was trying to tell me and by the time I got a handle on who the characters were, I had missed out on part of the story. I wish the author had approached this manga with the understanding that there would be people without prior knowledge coming in to it - this really could have been a great story to wind myself up in if I had really had the whole story on page.
I wish I could appreciate this Manga more than I did. The artwork was really well done and I genuinely wanted to be immersed in the story but apparently there is some back ground that you have to have before reading this in order to really understand the story. I really struggled to keep up with what the story was trying to tell me and by the time I got a handle on who the characters were, I had missed out on part of the story. I wish the author had approached this manga with the understanding that there would be people without prior knowledge coming in to it - this really could have been a great story to wind myself up in if I had really had the whole story on page.
March 3, 2026
Thank you to OMOCAT, the publisher, and Netgalley for this e-ARC of the 1st volume of the OMORI manga. I am truly grateful to read the manga adaptation of one of my favorite games of all time!
OMORI 1 does an interesting job of interweaving the real-world segments with the ones inside the main character, Sunny’s, mind. It’s clear that when things seem to get stressful, he retreats into his head where he feels safer. I’m excited to see how the rest of the game will be adapted into future volumes.
If you like psychological horror, this is the manga for you. This was 5 stars and I’ll be sure to recommend it to my friends!
OMORI 1 does an interesting job of interweaving the real-world segments with the ones inside the main character, Sunny’s, mind. It’s clear that when things seem to get stressful, he retreats into his head where he feels safer. I’m excited to see how the rest of the game will be adapted into future volumes.
If you like psychological horror, this is the manga for you. This was 5 stars and I’ll be sure to recommend it to my friends!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Amazing read!!! Love the storyline!! I heard of the game but never tried playing it before so this is me trying to get into omori. The characters are soooo cute!! The story are cute and dark. I wonder what really happened to mari. What make their friendship breaks. What that ghost is. Love the story!! Can’t wait for more!!!
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Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for giving me the chance to read this book in advance~
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Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for giving me the chance to read this book in advance~
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I loved experiencing the story of OMORI in a different medium from the one I was originally introduced to. The art style looks really good and captures the atmosphere of the story well.
However, the fighting scenes in the manga didn’t work as well as I had hoped.
The characters and especially the relationships between them, are still very fun to explore, which is one of the highlights of the adaptation.
However, the fighting scenes in the manga didn’t work as well as I had hoped.
The characters and especially the relationships between them, are still very fun to explore, which is one of the highlights of the adaptation.
Want to read
March 3, 2026As someone who was emotionally devastated by the game, I welcome a manga adaptation!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews