Manga Review: The Strange House Volume 1
Mysteries are one of my favorite genres, but the execution sometimes leaves me wary. Coming up with a compelling story which leaves you guessing isn’t easy. When I came across The Strange House, the cover of this manga immediately caught my attention as it had a blueprint of a house on the cover. Combined with the title, I wanted to find out what was so strange about this house.
Official Summary
I’ve always had a fascination with the occult; you might even call it my specialty. I’ve been brought in as a consultant on many supernatural and strange mysteries. But nothing could have prepared me for this house. It seemed so ordinary at first, except for that one room. It had no doors, no windows, and was tucked away, leaving anyone to think it was just a wall. I knew that there was something more to it. It shouldn’t be there, it shouldn’t exist, and yet…
Just what is this house, and what dark secrets does it hold?
Quick Information
Story and Art: Kyou Ayano
Original Story: Uketsu
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Published: August 6, 2024
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Rating: 15+
Series Status: Ongoing
Review
Freelance occult writer Watashi is asked to investigate a two-story house a couple is thinking about buying for their growing family. However, the more he looks into the house, the stranger it all becomes.
In the first few pages of this manga it shows us a two floor house plan. Now being someone who has watched their share of HGTV, I spent several minutes looking at the floorplans and started to notice more and more irregularities. This immediately had me interested. Why is the house built this way? I needed to know more.
The pacing and buildup of this story does a great job leaving the reader in a constant state of unease. We don’t have all the answers to each question the floorplan raises but we know there is something wrong here. The dark atmosphere and suspense builds tension throughout the course of the first volume.
One of the most enjoyable things about this manga is that it treats the house as a character, as if it’s alive and has its own personality. With ever-evolving characteristics and a backstory we uncover piece by piece after each architectural question is answered, the house is a puzzle. For every step forward, the house reveals new mysteries. We end up with only more questions. Who was living here? What was the house’s purpose? These are the questions which drive my interest.
I cannot wait to read the next volume of this series. It has its hooks in me, and I want to know more about this strange, unsettling house.