Back then, it took me a while to watch Another anime and later on reading Another manga.

And the reason for that? It was only because Another was a horror anime. Well, at least that was what people were saying whenever Another anime was popping up in the conversation.

When I think of horror anime, I always thought that the anime would be about ghosts or creepy supernatural element.

Okay, it’s true that Another really does contain creepy supernatural elements. But the supernatural element in Another isn’t as terrifying and scary as the poltergeist.

I enjoy watching anything supernatural. But I tend to stay away from anything that is spooky. It’s because of this reason that I stayed away from Another anime for quite a long time, thinking that it would be a spooky anime.

Fortunately, it turns out to be that anime wasn’t as spooky as I thought. In fact, it became one of my favorite anime too.

Years later after watching the anime, I decided to give Another manga a try.

And guess what? I’m loving the manga too.

It may only be an old manga. But all I can say for now is it’s still worth considering if you’re looking for a new book to read.

What Another manga is all about

Here’s the book description that I got from Bookwalker.

In the spring of 1998, Koichi Sakakibara transfers into Class 3-3 at Yomiyama North Middle School. But little does he know…his new class has a horrible secret. When he takes his seat in class for the first day of school, Koichi is unsettled by his fearful classmates. Despite this atmosphere and warnings from fellow students, Koichi is drawn to the beautiful, distant Mei Misaki, another classmate. But the closer he tries to get to her, the more mysterious she and their class become. And when a fellow student dies a disturbing death – the first of a long chain of deaths – Koichi seeks to learn the truth behind the curse of Class 3-3. But can he get answers before the curse kills him?

What attracts me to the manga in the first place

Not going to lie here that my very reason that got me attracted to Another manga is that I already watched the anime before.

Even if I didn’t watch the anime, I will still give this manga a try because of its interesting premise. It’s right up to my alley, anyway. So, it shouldn’t be surprising to so many of you if you’ve been reading my blog long enough.

Yes, I admit that it took me long enough to watch the anime back then. It was only because I had this notion that horror anime is similar to horror movies in the west.

And that means it must be so scary that you end up wetting yourself in the pants or something.

That’s what I think about horror movies in general especially the old ones since they were using the actual ghost when they were filming the movie.

What makes Another manga worth reading

Well, it has a lot to do with how the story evokes spookiness within anyone who reads it.

Imagine the person you’re talking on the phone suddenly died when the elevator crashes into the ground. And not long after that, your classmate died when the sharp tip of her umbrella pokes into her throat when she falls from the stairs.

What’s more, they’re all happening within a short period of time. And it doesn’t look like it’s a coincidence too no matter how hard you look at it.

I can go on and on about all sorts of things that are happening around Koichi. But you’ll get the idea of how spooky it is when people around you start to die one-by-one in a short span of time.

You can also blame their bad luck for having such accidents befallen onto them.

But the fact that any of these accidents can happen to just about anyone is what makes the whole thing feel disturbing.

The more the story gets deeper, the more questions and mysteries are popping out.

You just can’t help but glued yourself to the story because you want to know how this charade will end. And before you know it, you’re reaching the final page of the book.

Also, let’s not forget that the artwork is beautiful too. It’s hard to resist a manga that has a beautiful art style and can also bring terror to life.

What I didn’t expect when I read the manga

If you’re like me who watched the anime first before reading the manga, you’ll be surprised to know that the manga is much shorter than the anime version.

And it also means that fewer people are dying too unlike in the anime where almost 80% of them are dead towards the end.

Yes, the situation in the anime is much more grim compared to the one in the manga. And it’s also more horrifying too since some of them are dying in a much more brutal way.

So, what’s with this story extension anyway? Does the manga have so many plot loopholes that they have to add more filler scenes in it?

Well, I wouldn’t go so far to say that the manga has so many plot loopholes. It’s just that the original story may not be long enough for 13-episodes anime. Rather than sticking to the original story, they have to add more depth to the story to make it long enough for one season.

It’s also another way to make the supernatural force more impactful too. Not going to lie here that they did a good job because the filler scenes are just as disturbing as the original scenes in the story.

Who should read this manga

If you’re the kind of person who enjoys reading thriller and horror manga and light novels, then you’ll certainly enjoy reading Another manga.

Of course, you may feel that Another manga is mild if you’re used to watching the Hollywood version of the horror movies. Or horror movies that are based on your local folklores and culture.

But for the manga in the same genre, I will have to say that the manga is mind blowing. You can’t help but keep on reading because you want to know how the story will end.

Where to buy Another manga

As always, you can get the manga in print or in digital format on Amazon. You can get the manga in whichever format you prefer right here:

Buy Another manga on Amazon

Can’t buy the manga on Amazon? You can also get the manga in digital at Bookwalker too. You can get the manga right here:

Buy Another manga on Bookwalker

Just to let you know that the English version of Another is available as an omnibus. As for the Japanese version and also for other languages, the series is available as a separate, four-volume book instead.

Over to you

What do you think about Another manga? Are you interested in giving the manga a try after reading about it on my blog? Let me know about it in the comment below.