Mochizuki's art style is stunningly detailed, amplifying the creeping dread that permeates the pages. The pacing, however, is uneven at times—moments of brilliance are occasionally bogged down by slower sequences. The characters, while intriguing, could have benefited from deeper development to truly pull me into their struggles.

What I appreciated most is the way Mochizuki blurs the line between reality and the supernatural, leaving you questioning what’s truly at play. While it didn’t fully hit the mark for me, it’s undeniably a solid read for those who enjoy a mix of psychological depth and gothic horror vibes.

Would I recommend it? Yes, especially if you’re looking for something different and moody. Just keep in mind that its slow-burn approach might not resonate with everyone.

This is a story about a college student getting haunted by a huge woman whose real identity is never revealed. It starts off quite scary. The book has left a lot of questions unanswered though. It is a nice scary manga but I wish that the questions were not left unanswered.

A college student named Hiroshi’s normal routine changes when a strange woman begins to bang incessantly on his neighbor’s door day and night. He is unsure why she keeps trying to reach his neighbor, Yamamoto, when he clearly is not home. The strange woman’s rapt attention then turns to Hiroshi after he shows her the briefest of kindnesses.
It is exciting when a novel written over 30 years ago is translated into a different language for a whole new group of readers to enjoy. This one has a slow build up, but just like any good horror story, you never can be sure what will happen next.

Review to come in February closer to the release day on blog and other places.

I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.

I always LOVE a spooky/creepy/scary manga so when I saw this one on Netgalley I knew I had to get it. It sounded just way too good.

In this one we meet a guy named Hiroshi who late at night hears someone knocking on his neighbour's door. He gets curious as it sounds quite frantic, but boy I can tell you already he wishes he hadn't opened that door. That lady gave me all the red flag alerts when we saw her. She just radiated scariness. You just knew she was bad news. But Hiroshi talks to her and that is that for the night. But the next night it is not his neighbour's door, but his. Yep. And so things escalate more and more and we see that this girl has latched herself to Hiroshi. And Hiroshi.... well sure, he is a gentleman but also an idiot. I really had to step back for a moment when he just trusted his spare key to that person. I mean, wtf, dude. She has been hounding you for the past days, and sure she is annoying, but to give your key to a stranger? NOPITY NOPE NOPE. But maybe that is because I am a girl and already not really trusting of much. XD But yeah, things get more and more creepy and harrowing for Hiroshi, especially when the lady starts to get jealous because of a girl that Hiroshi likes. And then there is his friend who is all about protecting Hiroshi. So yeah, threats everywhere!

Also, this lady looks like a normal lady... but she is unfazed by anything happening and she walks superfast in an unnatural way. I was definitely invested and was wondering how things would go from here. Would Hiroshi get out of this situation? Alive? Or Dead? Or worse?

Well, I won't spoil it, but I didn't like the open ending or well, I have mixed feelings on it. On the one hand we get some more information on things (and so never open your door if you hear knocking and you don't know who it could be) + Hiroshi's neighbour, but on the other hand, Hiroshi???

I did like that throughout the spooky/creepy stuff we also get to meet Rumi, the girl Hiroshi really likes (and she likes him though she wants him to be just a bit more proactive, haha), see Hiroshi go through his daily life (college/work).

I have to say that at one point I lost a bit of motivation to cheer for Hiroshi. We find out that he and his best friend used to bully a girl at his school to the point of her almost committing suicide. That is just a big icky NOPE for me.

The art was quite fun, the style fitted well with the manga and the woman was drawn very creepily. Plus, hello, that cover is just so NOPE.

All in all, I hope that many more horror manga from Japan will be translated, I want more of this!

Oh what a terrifying story!

This is definitely a horror that relies on the mundane and realistic horrors of life to scare the absolute shit out of you. We are following a young university student as he is being stalked by someone and the absolute havoc that wreaks on his life. Obviously, to amp up the horror in this the stalking situation progresses from 0 - 60 in 3.5 but it was still so tense and anxiety inducing to watch.

What a beautifully illustrated graphic novel!!

I wasn’t sure how well this would translate into English, but it was wonderfully creepy and scary. Definitely not one to read at night!

Hauntress is an absolutely captivating read from start to end. We follow Hiroshi as as he is startled by relentless banging and calls for his neighbour from an intimidating woman he does not recognise. When informed that the person she is after is clearly not home the woman sets her sights on Hiroshi. This book is thrilling, bewitching and deliciously horrific! I’m so glad to have Hauntress in an English translation finally.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Minetarō Mochizuki for providing me with an ARC of Hauntress in exchange for my honest review.

Hauntress is an unsettling horror manga with a creepy, classic art style that complements the story's eerie subject matter. The blend of humor amidst the dark theme of stalking creates an interesting contrast that keeps the reader engaged. The portrayal of stalking is disturbingly realistic and thought-provoking, especially the way it highlights the victim's struggle to be believed when seeking help.

The depiction of the titular woman is truly chilling, evoking comparisons to the iconic figure from The Grudge and leaving a lasting impression of dread.

Despite its strengths, I rated this manga 3 stars due to certain elements that felt implausible, such as a character giving their house key to a stranger. Additionally, the ending left me feeling quite confused, which detracted from the overall experience.

However, I found Hauntress to be an enjoyable and spooky read, particularly appreciating its vintage art style, which adds a unique charm to the story.

Hiroshi is a college student who lives on his own. One late night, he hears ringing coming from the hall, and, curious as he is, he opens his door. There’s a woman outside. She’s tall, with long hair, and skeletal fingers. And she’s looking straight at him. Hiroshi closes the door, but he doesn’t realise that he’s opened the door to much more.

Japanese horror is peculiar, and I find that it’s very hit or miss. Stories often play with everyday objects and our expectations, turning the ordinary into the bizarre. While Hauntress was definitely creepy, I, personally, didn’t find it scary. At least not unless you count the last two pages. I think if you enjoyed Dragon Head, you’ll likely enjoy this one too.

In Hauntress college student Hiroshi hears a mysterious woman ring his neighbour's doorbell all night. When he goes to investigate, the woman decides to set her sights on Hiroshi.

"Don't get between us."

This manga is a brand new translation of a 30 year old story. Apparently it introduced Japan to stalker media. And in my opinion it does so very successfully. The art style including close-up shots of eyes and smiles with plenty of shading feels genuinely creepy. With the mystery of what is really going on leading us through the story, there is a constant tension not only caused by our antagonist's actions, but also her unknown motivations.

While I felt entertained and creeped out for most of the story, sadly the ending really let me down. It felt less intentional, and more like "I don't know how to end this". While I don't expect a horror manga to hold my hand, I wanted something more than what we got.

"Pain and suffering mean nothing if happiness awaits."

Hauntress might be for you if you enjoy a quick horror story with creepy visuals focused on stalking.

what a lovely traumatic experience. was i annoyed at times? yes lol but i was creeped out which is what this book serves.

Echoes of Spielberg’s movie Duel.

Never thought a graphic novel could instil such drama and raw terror, surely it is just a comic book? Pictures it seems can paint a thousand words.

The incessant ringing of the phone and the pounding on the door. Resounding sounds like the smashing of the truck’s bumper into the back of the car.
We have come along way from K-POW, BLAM and ZAP.

I believe this work, when first published in Japan helped create the idea of stalking. It begins with the presence of this unknown person outside one’s home and it’s a frightening image.

I believe the fear is translated directly into our consciousness. Simply because the victim appears an innocent individual. We identify with him, indeed he is almost a substitute for the common man, he could so represent that average person. It could be us in this story, facing an uncertain future against a threat and an opponent with unpredictable violence and an ability to recover from injury and get back up to dog our every step.

This assailant gives no clue to motive, and appears mentally unstable. Yet has a mantra about forgiveness and apologising. The violence is intimidating and random. Rational argument does not work, it is relentless and shows no scope for respite or resolution.

Raises issues around bullying, suicide and support within society. How ideas of monsters, ghosts and urban legends can impede addressing societal issues.

A rollercoaster of a read, a draining experience and an unresolved outcome.
Read it if you dare.

This one is very much not my vibe. I’m not a fan of the art style (even Rumi who was supposed to be cute just looked really weird) and the MC and his friends are super annoying. I think Sachiko was sufficiently unsettling (though I kind of wish some of that didn’t rely so much on her unusual appearance)

Very cool manga published in 1993, and quite good for those times.
It still holds up.
A college student’s fate changes when he encounters a strange woman.
3.5 stars.
Enjoyable, thrilling, and interesting.

You hear the doorbell constantly ringing next door in the middle of the night.
Will you be curious enough to check who it is?

I would give this a 3.5 stars, so rounding it to three.
This was a great horror manga. I read it in one go.
It's more psychological, which I prefer, and gave me a good creep.

While the concept itself is nothing new nowadays, one should keep in mind that this was published in 1993 and was a novel idea back then. I also read that this is credited with introducing the concept of stalking to Japan. Now, do with that information what you would like, but I think it just emphasizes the point that this was a novel concept for its time.
Reading this in 2025, it still felt fresh enough and withstood the test of time.
I am glad that there's finally an English translation, so this can reach a wider audience.

My downside is that I was slightly annoyed by the characters - who would give a stranger a spare key to their apartment?!
I am also seeing a lot of readers being annoyed by the confusing ending, but I do think that sometimes it is fun to leave such stories on an ambiguous note. I have mixed feelings about it.

I noticed people comparing this to Junji Ito, but unlike Junji, I think that this story was very realistic and that is what made it ten times scarier for me.
I know I will have trouble sleeping this evening.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

With thanks to Netgalley for this ARC.

Wow! What a thrilling and chilling read.

One day, you open your front door and suddenly... Your life changes.

This is a great horror manga to devour in one sitting. It's chilling and tense and I slightly regret reading it at night. Despite being originally released in 1993, it's a timeless piece of work and still holds up well, so I'm thrilled they chose to translate this to English so more people can enjoy it.

The only slight downside for me is the ambiguity of the ending, but sometimes a little mystery to keep you guessing can be fun!

I think this would be perfect for fans of Junji Ito and horror books in general - more for those who prefer the psychological to the more in your face horror.

Thoroughly enjoyed & will definitely be checking out Minetaro Mochizuki's other works. Now wish me luck sleeping...

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this frightening delight!

I read this in one sitting and loved it! As is stalking isn't terrifying enough, adding the mysterious flare to it makes it MORE terrifying. I'm so glad this was translated. I loved the art style and would be thrilled to own this once it's published. Hoping to see more translated works!

This manga was so interesting! I loved the art and it definitely lent itself to the eerie and tense story. I only wish that the story was longer and maybe included more explanation for certain things, then again, I suppose the mystery adds to some of the horror. I would definitely read more from Mochizuki and am glad this work is finally translated to English to reach a wider audience.