Holy - Horror Comic Anthology Vol. 1

I read the first volume of the horror manga anthology Holy. It contains a bunch of one shots published from 1969-1989 (the anthology itself is from 1993) from multiple famous mangaka like Osamu Tezuka, Suzue Miuchi, Hideshi Hino, Suehiro Maruo, and more! Some mangaka I’ve read some from before, some I knew about but had never read anything of theirs, and others didn’t know anything about at all, so it was an interesting sampler across two decades. I’ll just go in the order the anthology went in, with some very quick thoughts on each. Mostly just wanted an excuse to post screenshots from them. --- A man in the back of a taxi cab looking stressed out while the driver is laughing and driving up a mountain on a rainy night.

A man in the back of a taxi cab looking stressed out while the driver is laughing and driving up a mountain on a rainy night.

**Bypass no Yoru (Osamu Tezuka - October 10, 1969)** A taxi driver picks up a murderer, but the murderer has no idea the ride he is in for. This one was alright, the twist creates some tension on how it’ll end, but does kind of feel like it wraps up too quickly. Actually the first Tezuka manga I’ve ever read. Two girls giving menacing looks overlooking a classroom with flames around. Shiroi Kageboushi

Two girls giving menacing looks overlooking a classroom with flames around. Shiroi Kageboushi

**Shiroi Kageboushi (Suzue Miuchi - October 1975)** A girl moves and goes to a new all-girls school and becomes too interested in the always empty seat in her class. She gets haunted by the girl who died there 5 years ago. Standard school ghost story. The first Miuchi manga I’ve ever read. I should read Glass Mask, but it’s also extremely long lol. Man watching what look like little clay creatures reenacting various scenes where he was cruel.

Man watching what look like little clay creatures reenacting various scenes where he was cruel.

**Shouninkei (Daijiro Morohoshi - January 5, 1988)** Weakest of the bunch. Guy who treats everyone around him terribly gets shown this by rats turned into little creatures reenacting his actions as well as experiences his own potential death. Had never heard of Morohoshi before, but did not really care for this one. A family watch happily until they see a big mouse eat a bunch of cats then look horrified.

A family watch happily until they see a big mouse eat a bunch of cats then look horrified.

**Hatsuka Nezumi (Hideshi Hino - October 1970)** A boy gets a pet mouse, but turns out an animal that was supposed to be prey is actually the predator. Hideshi Hino is the mangaka I’ve read the most before out of this anthology, with Suehiro Maruo a close second, and this one’s fun. This is more his childhood nightmare style of horror than anything with a deep emotional core, but very enjoyable nonetheless. A man working on some kind of engine with tons of electricity swirling around.

A man working on some kind of engine with tons of electricity swirling around.

**Denkichou (Suehiro Maruo - 1985)** Guy who hates his life and fixates on machines gets “what he wanted”. This one shot feels pretty breezy overall, but the art is easily my favorite out of the whole anthology. A girl looking out of her window with a worried expression. It is raining with eyes in the darkness looking back at her.

A girl looking out of her window with a worried expression. It is raining with eyes in the darkness looking back at her.

**Ame no Hi ga Kirai (Shungiku Uchida - July 1989)** Girl experiences various cruelties that add up until there’s just no way of holding them. In terms of atmosphere and story, probably my favorite one shot in the anthology. I had never heard of this mangaka before, but now I definitely want to look more into her work. It also feels like it contrasts well with Shiroi Kageboushi in that that one’s a very traditional school ghost story, whereas this plays with that expectation and instead mostly just presents mundane cruelty. A woman being dragged into the water by some cloth. There is a ghost woman watching her happily.

A woman being dragged into the water by some cloth. There is a ghost woman watching her happily.

**Onen (Kazuichi Hanawa - 1979)** Woman who has a curse from kappa that gives her a rash whenever she looks at a frog. Never heard of the mangaka before, but this one’s alright. A man looks shocked at what a boy is telling him. A woman falls out of a window with that little boy standing at the window.

A man looks shocked at what a boy is telling him. A woman falls out of a window with that little boy standing at the window.

**Kawaisou na Mama (Moto Hagio - May 1971)** Man goes to visit former lover who has just died, reminisces about his regrets, and learns of how she passed. Have been meaning to get around to reading a Moto Hagio manga, and this got me more interested in doing so. Just a solid one shot. **Conclusion** Overall I enjoyed the one shots in this anthology with some misses or just okay ones. There’s apparently a second volume, but it is not available digitally, so don’t know if I’ll ever read that one. Also interestingly there was a disclaimer at the end of the book talking about how they’re aware that some of these contain offensive representations/language towards mental illness and queer people. I'm guessing this got added whenever the digital version got released. I didn’t think there was anything particularly egregious in that respect here, but I appreciate the consideration anyways. Though I think they should’ve put the disclaimer at the start of the book.