If you’re in the mood for more supernatural horror manga that offers a similar vibe, fear not! We’ve gathered together 8 books/manga to check out when you’ve completed Attack On Titan. Of course, if you feel we’ve missed any of your favorites, do comment below and let us know!
Land of the Lustrous – Haruko Ichikawa
Similarities – Mysterious World & Acton
Land of the Lustrous is an incredible fantasy drama manga. This manga offers beautifully-drawn visuals, an engrossing narrative, and charming characters. If you adored seeing Eren grow into a more mature protagonist through his countless battles with Titans and human beings, you’ll get a kick out of Phos’s adventure in Land of the Lustrous. Land of the Lustrous delivers a world where crystallized beings called Gems roam the world. They defend their world from evil entities called Lunarians. The Lunarians only desire to harm Gems and use their body parts as decorations. At the forefront lies our protagonist Phos, a gem who seeks to assist people during the war. Unfortunately, she gets denied the right to fight. Phos eventually meets another denied Gem named Cinnabar and they venture out to find a suitable role for themselves. This manga knows how to keep viewers entertained with its beautiful fights and several plot twists. The mystery surrounding the Lunarians gets more intricate and fleshed out as the series progresses. If you’re looking for a world that’ll have you speculating and charmed, give Land of the Lustrous a shot.
Kaiju No. 8 – Naoya Matsumoto
Similarities – Giant Monsters Vs Humanity
Kaiju No. 8 is what happens when you mix shonen tropes with the concepts of Godzilla and Pacific Rim. It’s set in a world where giant monsters roam the planet and destroy everything in their paths. A military unit called the Defense Corps aims to stop the monsters’ evil deeds. After murdering these kaiju, sweepers come into to dispose of their corpses. Our protagonist Kafka Hibino is a sweeper who’d rather fight alongside the Defense Corps. While cleaning, a parasite-like kaiju enters his body and transforms him into a humanoid monster. With these new powers at his disposal, Kafka plans to fulfill his childhood desires. Attack On Titan and Kaiju No. 8 feature humans and monsters fighting each other. The monsters vary in design, species, and ability. Fans will adore this manga’s sharp art style and detailed fights. They’ll leave you on the edge of your seat. Kafka is like Eren in many ways. He harbors a beast that helps him fight off monsters in hopes of protecting humanity. The side characters receive enough development and spotlight to make them feel interesting to follow. Fans who adore giant monsters and humans clashing with each other should give this manga a shot.
Chainsaw Man – Tatsuki Fujimoto
Similarities – Nightmarish Imagery & Extreme Violence
Chainsaw Man has attained a cult-like following thanks to the advertisement it received from Mappa’s anime adaptation. This manga leans into comedy moreso than Attack On Titan but offers similar degrees of gore. The characters all have intriguing abilities and distinct personalities, making them feel memorable and refreshing to follow. The series’s artwork looks chaotic and captures Chainsaw Man’s tone well. If you liked how brutal and deep Attack On Titan became over time, you’re in for a splendid ride with Chainsaw Man. This series follows a boy named Denji who teams up with a small Chainsaw Devil named Pochita. He aims to raise enough funds to pay off his deceased father’s debt. One day, Denji and Pochita follow a yakuza boss into a warehouse. Denji’s dumbfounded that the man set them up for failure as he reveals he’s working with the devil he wanted Denji to slay. Some zombies come out and murder Denji. Pochita grants Denji his powers to restore him and help him defeat the devil and the former yakuza. The following day, a woman named Makima and her associates arrive and find Denji. Makima allows Denji to work for Public Safety and attain the life of his dreams. He accepts the offer and we follow Denji’s new venture into the world of professional devil hunting.
Knights of Sidonia – Tsutomu Nihei
Similarities – Epic Battles & Characters
Knights of Sidonia is Attack On Titan in space. This series introduces various sub-plots to keep things fresh and exciting for readers. The characters are complex and slightly comedic when they want to be. Tsutomu Nihei knows how to build tension and you’ll find yourself shaking in your boots about our casts’ safety. It’s set in the distant future where Earth has been wrecked by aliens called Gauna. Despite fleeing into space, humans can’t escape Gauna’s wrath. Not all is doom and gloom as humanity has created mobile weapons called Gardes to stand against them. One such pilot is our protagonist Nagate Tanikaze. Nagate proves himself a valuable asset to humanity’s fight against the Gauna. After he’s given the chance to pilot the strong Garde Tsugumori, Nagate aims to protect his homeland of Sidonia from a cruel fate. Like Attack On Titan, we follow another protagonist who’s given powers necessary to defend humanity against an other-worldly threat. The manga continues inserting more intricate elements to keep you hooked. If you’re looking for an incredible sci-fi version of Attack On Titan, Knights of Sidonia won’t disappoint.
Berserk – Kentarou Miura
Similarities – Brutal Worlds
This manga has inspired many creators over the years. With its mature storytelling, well-developed cast, and nightmarish imagery, Berserk aims to delight those seeking stories centered in gritty environments. In this tale, we follow Guts, a man who joins a powerful syndicate led by a noble warrior named Griffith. We jump forward in time to see Guts become a formidable ally to Griffith’s delight. He’s helped Griffith win several battles, leading him to feel proud of his abilities and effort. Although Guts is happy about their accomplishments, he’ll realize that hidden darkness wishes to change his life around for the worse. Like Eren, Guts will encounter many foes and obstacles that’ll help him grow in mind and strength. The people he comes across all harbor menacing personas but different thought processes. Berserk’s world captures a more medieval aesthetic than Attack On Titan’s in design and scale. Kentarou Miura’s art style is more dynamic and polished compared to Isayama’s work. If you’re looking for a gritty manga that doesn’t hold back on its mature themes and action, you’re in for a ride with Berserk.
Claymore – Norihiro Yagi
Similarities – Action, Horror, Suspense
Claymore features violence and imagery that leaps above what you’d find in Attack On Titan. With its brutal tone, powerful characters, and gritty world, this is a female-centric series that’ll impress you. This story is set in a world where dangerous creatures called Youma walk the planet. One of them enters a village and prays on innocent villagers. Their terror doesn’t last long, as a half-youma and half-human warrior named Clare vanquishes the beast. She saves a boy named Raki’s life but couldn’t save his family from the attack. Raki gets banished from his home and travels with Clare on her quest. Clare is regarded as a Claymore and readers will receive more intel about her past and mission as the story unravels. Like Eren, Clare’s quest is fueled by tragedy and revenge. She’s a no-nonsense type of woman who trained herself to forgo her former human emotions to give her the strength necessary to slay the woman who murdered her former mentor. With darkness and sadness looming over Clare like a wandering hawk, this is a depressingly dark journey that’ll keep you invested.
Devilman – Go Nagai
Similarities – Action, Characters, Story Structure
Devilman saw a massive resurgence in the year 2017 with Netflix’s anime series Devilman Crybaby. This allowed modern fans to take in a storyline that went on to influence many famous works. That said, Devilman and Attack On Titan aren’t that different from each other. Both contain gruesome imagery, emotional storytelling, and characters who evolve after receiving strange powers. Devilman follows Akira Fudou and his childhood friend Ryou Asuka. Ryou informs Akira of his father’s research, revealing that demons exist and plan to claim possession of Earth. Akira attends the Black Sabbath party with Ryou to merge with a demon. Although this event causes Akira to suffer from a near-death experience, he unifies with a demon called Amon to survive. Together, they become Devilman. With this newfound strength, Akira must overcome several fights with demons who hope to bring about humanity’s end. Devilman contains a good chunk of scenarios that’ll get you pumped and depressed. It’s phenomenally written and littered with dramatic turns that you’ll never expect. Give this one a read if you’re interested.
Tokyo Ghoul – Sui Ishida
Similarities – Themes & Action
While Attack On Titan’s anime took a break after its insanely popular first season, many fans flocked to the interwebs to find the next big series. Despite it taking a while for the show to hit the ground running, Tokyo Ghoul managed to fill the void Attack On Titan left. While the anime received a mixed reception, fans adored the manga from beginning to end. This series has an enchanting gothic art style. From its incredible character designs to well-executed emotional segments, Tokyo Ghoul left fans wanting more after each new chapter was released. The series’s protagonist Kaneki Ken starts as a pathetic and whiny person but develops into a hardened individual by the story’s end. Like Eren, Kaneki receives a supernatural ability that’s forced upon him. This power also changes the way Kaneki acts and feels toward people. It takes him a while to adapt to his new lifestyle. When he does, fans will argue that he becomes a more enjoyable character whose fun to follow. If you were turned off by the anime’s interpretation of Tokyo Ghoul, then it’s best to give the story another shot by reading Ishida’s manga. So there we have it, our 8 books/manga to read after you finish Attack On Titan. What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
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