Unsolved mysteries in horror manga emerge from the enigma and eerie details left behind in a series by the author. While it is hard to find unsolved mysteries in horror manga due to their complexity and vague plotlines, such unsolved mysteries in horror manga often lie in plain sight and fans just need to see how these are placed through the progression of the story.
Such unsolved mysteries in horror manga often revolve around the origins of horror entities, as the author just creates an evil persona and forgets to back it up with proper character development. So, in this article, 10 of the eeriest unsolved mysteries in horror manga will be compiled and explained as to why, to this day, these mysteries remain this way.
Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed in this article solely belong to the author.
Tomie's Immortality, the Origins of the God Hand, and 8 other unsolved mysteries in horror manga
1) Why is Tomie immortal? (Tomie)
The main protagonist of Junji Ito's magnum opus Tomie, the truth behind Tomie's immortality is one of the eeriest unsolved mysteries in horror manga. The story of the series centers around this protagonist as she returns every time she is killed by someone.
Even though she is mostly portrayed as a schoolgirl or model, she often gives the aura of a ghost who cannot pass away. However, the author also explores the idea of Tomei being a genetically modified being, so nothing can be said about how she is immortal.
2) The origins of the God of Hair (PTSD RADIO)
PTSD Radio tells short stories, each centered around humans coping with the curse of the God of Hair, an ancient deity. The deity forbids people from growing their hair and is seemingly angry about something.
Although the majority of the short stories are based on the author's true encounters, the God of Hair is also a part of the manga's premise. However, nothing has been revealed as to how he was born and why he is angry with humans, making this one of the scariest unsolved mysteries in horror manga.
3) Is Remina a ghost or a mentally unstable person? (Ibitsu)
The tale of a girl named Remina who wanders around the streets in her gothic lolita costume, looking for a big brother to rely on, Ibitsu is one of the most underrated horror manga series often overlooked due to its rough art style.
Remina, the central antagonist of the series, is one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in horror manga due to her mysterious identity. She has the aura of a vengeful ghost but her actions also indicate that she can be an escapee from a mental hospital, due to her obsession with finding a big brother.
4) The origins of the God Hand (Berserk)
The story of the manga revolves around Guts, a man who ventures lands fighting demons and sending them to the afterlife. A key group to the plotline of Berserk is the God Hand, a group of 5 sinister beings who manipulate events to achieve their dark agenda.
The group made its first appearance in the Black Swordsman arc, and Griffith, one of the main antagonists, awakened as one of the God Hand during the Golden Age arc. Despite the group having a major influence on the plotline of Berserk, its origins are still surrounded by mystery, making it one of the eeriest unsolved mysteries in horror manga.
5) Does Migi return after the finale? (Parasyte)
One of the best manga series from the 1900s that was brought to the masses as an anime animated by Madhouse, Parasyte is the tale of Izumi who gets infected with a parasite Migi and they develop a symbiotic relationship to end other parasites before they eradicate humanity.
The series concludes with Migi going into hibernation after helping Izumi for the last time, claiming that he might wake up after Izumi's death. However, the series didn't go into a time skip and Migi's return became a mystery, making it one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in horror manga.
6) Why does the curse of the spirals exist? (Uzumaki)
One of the creepiest manga series centered around the curse of the spiral shape that makes a town go senile, Uzumaki is one of the magnum opuses of the horror veteran Junji Ito. There were numerous mysteries in this manga that could be considered strange but the eeriest one is the origin of the spiral curse.
The series commences with a man infected with the spiral curse and ends in the same way, without elaborating as to why it exists in the first place. Was it due to an event in the past, or due to someone's death, such that the spiral curse became such a lethal curse? Unfortunately, this mystery remains one of the creepiest unsolved mysteries in horror manga.
7) Is the Fashion Model a human being? (Shiver (Fashion Model))
One of the most successful short stories of Junji Ito which got a sequel like Tomie, the Fashion Model tells the tale of a fashion model who looks more like a beast released from the depths of hell as she expressed her desire to become a top model.
Despite her having the aura of a scary ghost, she could also be considered a human being due to her body shape. However, the ending of the short story makes her identity an even bigger mystery, as she devours the staff of the movie she will be featured in, making her one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in horror manga.
8) What happens if people don't enter their designated holes? (Venus in the Blindspot (The Enigma of Amigara Fault))
Considered by most fans the best short story of Junji Ito, The Enigma of Amigara Fault features human-shaped holes in a mountain that captivate humans to enter them. As soon as humans enter these holes, they keep moving until their body gets shredded into pieces.
Fortunately, the series explores the idea of not entering these holes as one of the characters expresses their desire to reject this idea. Unfortunately, at night, that character also entered the holes, making the idea of not entering these human-shaped holes one of the biggest mysteries in horror manga.
9) Why can only Miko see the spirits around her? (Mieruko-chan)
Mieruko-chan tells the tale of Miko who can visualize ghosts but avoids making a scene to avoid making the ghosts go berserk. The main idea behind her vision is that she is destined to protect Hana, her friend, from ghosts.
However, the series fails to give clarity as to why she was chosen as the one to visualize ghosts, not anyone else. This makes her vision one of the creepiest unsolved mysteries in horror manga.
10) What happened to Sunao after the climax? (Shiki)
Sunao is the central antagonist of Shiki. The story of the manga features her as the main source of the anomaly that transforms humans into immortal beings called Shiki.
The story ended with her escaping the island alongside one of the island's doctors to another site. However, the series didn't elaborate on what happened afterward. Being a Shiki, Sunao needs human flesh and this aspect needs clarification because killing humans outside the island was not an option, making it one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in horror manga.
Read Also
- 5 Junji Ito manga every horror fan should read
- Is Jujutsu Kaisen a horror manga? Explained
- "Horror anime is saved" — Uzumaki anime's latest trailer gives Junji Ito fans hope
- Junji Ito: Every manga by the most iconic horror mangaka of our time
- Which Junji Ito manga is the best? Peaks of the mangaka's career explored