What do you do when a stalker is after you?

Title: Zashiki Onna
Story & Art: Mochizuki Minetaro
Volumes: 1
Genre: Seinen, Horror

What would you do if one day you find out that you're a target of a very creepy stalker?

Meet Mori. He's a normal college student who lives in an apartment complex. One night, he hears frantic knocking on his neighbor's door (who incidentally is his schoolmate). His neighbor seems too be away, so he goes out to see who is knocking.

He peeks outside and what does he see? A long-haired woman dressed in wet and dirty clothes, with chipped, long nails, and she's carrying a lot of bags. Mori tells her that the guy she's looking for is out when suddenly, she's right at his doorway, asking him if she could use his phone. He lets her, then asks her to leave immediately.

Bad move for Mori. Not only does the woman start calling "him", she diverts her stalking towards Mori...

Zashiki Onna is all about a guy being stalked by a woman. This manga came out long before the term "stalking" was known in Japan. It made people aware of the possibilities and dangers of being stalked. Zashiki Onna is known as one of the creepiest and horrific manga ever, and I totally agree.

The artwork alone sends chills up my spine. Add Zashiki Onna's story and you've got me looking around my room, listening for anything suspicious and continuously humming a very happy tune in my head.

Zashiki Onna is not scary in the same sense that ghosts stories and paranormal tales give you. What makes Zashiki Onna scary is the fact that it could happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. The manga is about a woman who actually hurts anyone getting close to the man she's stalking. I think that's a lot scarier than ghosts and whatnot (although that ghost hanging off someone's shoulders is really unnerving).

I was completely surprised with Zashiki Onna the first time I read it. I certainly think you will too. Forget the spoilers here (since this much can be found about Zashiki Onna in any decent site) and go read the manga now ^_^