Mieruko-Chan has an interesting history. It was originally published on the author’s Twitter account. Two weeks after the first chapter was published, he received an offer to make it a full-fledged series. Now, it’s been published in book form. As a first-time reader, it’s easy to see why it has such a wide appeal. In short bursts and focus on horror imagery, it’s a good manga if you’re looking for a scare. Just don’t look deeper than that or you might be left confused like I was.
Miko sees her first spirit (Mieruko-chan Pg 4)The plot is easy to summarize: Miko can see dead people and has to make sure the spirits don’t notice. Trust me, these ghosts are hi-de-ous. Monsters are the main draw for this manga, and it delivers in spades. With hollow eyes, rotting flesh, and impossible anatomy, these creatures are terrifying. Horror manga doesn’t make me jump out of my seat or keep me up at night, but these creatures will stick in my brain or a while.
The human characters are not as memorable as the spirits, but you still feel for them. Since Miko is the only one who can see them, she has to go through all the trials of dealing with the monsters herself. The monsters are constantly around, so she has to deal with them throughout her normal life. You can’t help but feel sad for her as she cries tears of horror in front of her friends, who don’t know why she’s so emotional.
The manga wants to be about the teen female experience, but the book’s use of fanservice left me befuddled. Normally I look over things like this, but here it pulls you out of the horror and possible messages. Among the terrifying visuals you get weird angles that show off skin or panels where the girls’ shirts are partially see-through so you can see their detailed bra. If this book is trying to convey the often unseen, or at least unspoken, things female teenagers have to deal with, it’s contradicted by how the author decides to depict the female characters. If he did turn down the fan service, I would have enjoyed this book much more.
This "The Sixth Sense with Junji Ito monsters" will no doubt be a hit. The images are spooky and instantly shareable, and it’s impossible to not feel sorry for Miko. If you come for the images and stay for images or look past the fan service, then it’s worth checking out.
Mieruko-chan Manga Volume 1
One day, Miko suddenly started seeing grotesque beings that others couldn't. Her response was not to run, not to face them, but to do everything she can to completely ignore them! Can she keep a straight face and continue her day-to-day life while surrounded by horrifying monsters?
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