LONDON, UK – Titan Manga has officially announced its acquisition of the English-language publishing rights for Noriyuki Aiba’s manga adaptation of Uketsu’s bestselling novel, Strange Pictures (also known as Henna E). The first volume is slated for release on June 2, 2026, bringing the spine-tingling mystery horror to English-speaking audiences.
The announcement marks a significant addition to Titan Manga’s diverse lineup, which has been steadily expanding with a range of genres from dark comedy and sci-fi to supernatural horror and fantasy.
Delving into the Mysteries of “Strange Pictures”
Strange Pictures is a chilling psychological mystery that centers around a series of seemingly innocent, childlike sketches. These drawings, however, conceal a web of unsolved mysteries and shattered psyches. The manga adapts Uketsu’s debut novel, which has garnered immense popularity in Japan, selling millions of copies.
The Enigmatic Author: Uketsu
Uketsu, the original author of Strange Pictures, is an enigmatic masked writer who has become one of Japan’s most talked-about contemporary authors. Uketsu is also a YouTube sensation with 1.5 million followers, known for their “sketch mysteries” that have sold nearly 3 million copies in Japan since 2021. The author’s inspiration for the book came from an interest in “drawing tests” used in psychoanalysis, aiming to create a suspenseful work where stories are derived from “scary and eerie” pictures.
The Manga Adaptation by Noriyuki Aiba
Noriyuki Aiba (also known as Kikō Aiba) is the artist responsible for bringing Uketsu’s terrifying narrative to life in manga form. Aiba launched the manga on Futabasha’s Web Action manga website in October 2024, with the third compiled volume shipped in August.
The Interconnected Terrors
The narrative of Strange Pictures is structured around nine pivotal sketches, each initially appearing innocent but revealing a deeper, disturbing truth when pieced together. These illustrations serve as “whodunit clues” to chilling and gruesome happenings, drawing readers into a horrific puzzle.
The stories within Strange Pictures often explore themes of childhood trauma, abuse, and mental health issues, alongside various murders. The book features several dark, macabre stories involving characters like college occult club members, a journalist, and a school teacher, all connected in ways readers must uncover.
Examples of the Haunting Sketches
Titan Manga’s description highlights several examples of these unsettling drawings:
- A pregnant woman’s blog doodles that hide a dire warning.
- A boy’s simple drawing of his home containing a message no child should know.
- A murder victim’s final sketch becoming a crucial clue for an amateur sleuth.
These vignettes provide clues to unsolved mysteries that are eventually linked together, making the reveals at the end even more impactful. The novel has been praised for its interactive nature, allowing readers to lead the investigation into the plot’s truth.
Availability and Pre-orders
The first volume of Strange Pictures will be available in print and digital formats. Fans eager to dive into this unique mystery horror can pre-order the manga from major retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and Forbidden Planet (for the UK).
Titan Manga continues to expand its catalog with diverse and compelling narratives, promising a rich selection for manga enthusiasts in the coming years.
