Shigahime is a tragedy before its a horror manga. Through the 31 chapters it pulls the reader along a very rocky path and ultimately I do think going down that path is worth it. The review is going to be formatted with the big negative points first then the comprehensive review after it. Negatives The most obvious and glaring issue for me was the excessive use of nudity. This isnt to say the nudity was pointless as many times it did serve a narrative or thematic purpose but many times the manga would go out of its way to show the nude bodies of its high school aged cast. This above the gore sexual assault and depressing nature is probably what would turn away the most people and its totally fair if it does. Nudity representing vulnerability is common and used well at times in this manga but a lot of the time it was unnecessary. Besides that this manga suffers from lazy writing at times. Using very extreme visuals and actions or having certain characters somehow end up near each other at the perfect moments. While I wouldnt say it ever ruins the experience while reading the manga there were definitely points that made me roll my eyes. There are also some more minor issues like the pacing being off near the middle of the story the ending all feeling a bit rushed the world building never really getting to a point it probably should have and other minor writing things of similar nature. None of these impact the overall experience but the sum of all its faults do hamper the overall story. Writing The dialog is fine. The overall pacing has some flaws but it rarely drags and the increased pace near the end doesnt overwhelm. The logic of the world is simple and consistent and its worldbuilding is the same. There is nothing glaring to complain about but I also find myself struggling to really praise it as well. Exposition is done well and never interrupts the flow on the panels dialog serves its purpose. This will become a trend but the manga does most things fine enough a few things not so well and overall is pretty good. Story Shigahime is a somewhat basic story. Its very similar to Tokyo Ghoul its about a high school boy becoming a monster to serve what is essentially a vampire. Its a very violent and gore filled manga with very few happy moments. It really is fully committed to be a complete tragedy. But nothing about the story or plot ever truly stood out to me. Its pretty easy to follow narratively and it never really tries anything too crazy. In that sense it manages to stay cohesive even if some of the finer details can be missed. The ending while fine also feels very rushed. The pieces of a great conclusion are all there but it feels like moments that should have been spaced out more happen one after the other. I get that the story is ramping up towards its big climax and ultimate finale but with how the pacing is in the first half of the manga the last third of the manga feels way too fast. The main character is also given little time to really sit and reflect on things. The quiet moments of the manga are done well enough but there were simply too few of them to appreciate our MCs shifting morality and mindset. But overall the story does enough to keep you invested and engaged. Characters Probably the strongest part of the manga outside of the art is its characters. The MC is pretty good. His motivations logic feelings and overall ark are done quite well. Miwako is a really good villain. She is a great representation for predators and abusers. The entire familiar system felt earned with how well it managed to carry the themes of control exploitation and obsession. The main rival and love interest are ok. Both improve as characters as the manga progresses but for me Souichi never feels like a complete character for me. Its like there is a great character there but just missing the core piece to make him that character. Chika as the main love interest is fine. But again it feels like there is a piece missing from her character. Hints of her wanting to be controlling and somewhat obsessive arent explored nearly enough for when she also becomes a monster. And her turn from normal girl to complete monster feels unearned and rushed. Even just one more chapter of her transitioning from conflicted to accepting would have done wonders. The characters do eventually hit and you do care about the MC and Chika very early on. They do a good job at being sympathetic characters stuck in a grim tragedy. Art Quite easily the best part of the manga is the art. From character design to angles to paneling to detail etc. The gore is wonderfully drawn and its clear that is where the artists passions are. Each grotesque scene is drawn with such visceral energy. The manga is devilishly stylish at points and its really good at drawing exactly what is needed to highlight a certain part or trait of a character. Miwako is predatory and uses her body as a way to control people so when she is drawn she is drawn exceptionally well each curve done with care. The sheer variety in facial expressions and visual metaphor the artists managed to capture is very good. If you are a fan of gore then this is one of the best manga I can recommend. The character designs themselves deliver essentially every time. From the one off familiars that die in two pages to the important characters we see throughout the whole manga there is a level of thought and care put into each of them. The art is the one thing I can nearly give universal praise to. Even when the manga looks rough it seems to be on purpose for certain characters or locations. The only true knock against it is what I mentioned at the start with how nudity is overdone with the high school aged main cast. Overall Thoughts This manga will range from 5/10 to 9/10 depending on who reads it. I imagine there are people who can identify with the main character or his girlfriend and really appreciate the characters and story on a level I could not. And in the inverse there are people who will see all the negatives I pointed out and then not get into the story because of a lack of care for the characters or general plot. I am somewhere in between. This review likely came across as mostly negative but I did enjoy my time reading this manga. There were enough positives to keep me reading and while the gore at times felt excessive it never truly came across and disgusting. Its nothing special but for the people into the tags and genre you will find enjoyment reading through it.