BOSSY BOSS (ENGLISH VERSION)

Excellent so far, please complete the story can't wait ...

Story: 8/10  
Fuan no Tane is an anthology of horror short stories, ranging from ghostly encounters to urban legends and superstitions. The tales are concise, offering little to no explanation for the events that unfold, which is precisely what makes this manga exceptional. It's the unsettling atmosphere each story evokes that leaves a lasting impression.  

Art: 8/10  
The artwork is outstanding. Ghosts are crafted in deeply disturbing ways—some mere shadows, others faceless—and each spectral presence is uniquely terrifying in its own right.  

Character: 7/10  
There are no central characters in this manga, as it consists solely of short stories. However, all entities, whether monstrous or human, are vividly portrayed, bringing their chilling experiences to life.  

Enjoyment: 8/10  
I thoroughly enjoyed these narratives. They diverge from the conventional terrifying plots we often encounter. The brevity of the stories ensures that while nothing overtly horrifying occurs, they still leave readers with a lingering sense of unease and discomfort. These tales won't haunt your dreams, but they certainly won't leave you unaffected either.  

Overall: 8/10  
If you have a taste for horror, consider giving this manga a try—it's absolutely worth your time.

Fuan no Tane (Seeds of Anxiety) presents 72 supernatural tales of differing intensity. These narratives echo urban legends or personal anecdotes shared among friends, each offering varying degrees of resolution. For those who grew up in the 90s, think "Freaky Stories" but with mature content and, naturally, in manga form.  

The absence of introductions or conclusions encourages readers to craft their own. Some chapters will leave you questioning, a handful are heartwarming, others harrowing, and a few might have you rolling your eyes (yes, it can feel formulaic or repetitive at times).  

Dig deeper, and you may uncover how the series examines themes of everyday life in ordinary settings, with nuanced commentary on societal attitudes toward isolation, loneliness, mental health, and suicide.  

I particularly appreciated the inclusion of photographs of real locations scattered throughout the volumes. The idea that these unsettling events could have occurred in those very places heightens the tension (akin to "based on a true story"). After all, Nakayama does hint that "sometimes, there is some truth hidden in an urban legend."  

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I am writing this for anyone who comes across this manga and feels instantly disheartened, even though this review may never reach anyone's eyes.  

While the top reviews do contain some truth, as one might easily mistake it for a straight horror anthology akin to Ito's work, when you look at the title of this collection (Seeds of Anxiety) and consider its content, I'm more inclined to think that the author's aim with most of these shorts was to depict small, naive anxieties or paranoias from our daily routines rather than to create an atmosphere for a ghost story. For instance, when late at night, you glance at your window or peephole expecting to see something there, imagine unspeakable horrors lurking in your communal spaces, or are tricked into sensing the supernatural due to your eyes' blind spots.  

Because of this, I think the criticisms in other reviews, while valid, should be considered from this perspective.  

Of course, I'm still not someone who would fiercely defend it tooth and nail. While it does have its share of interesting and creepy stories (five or six for me) that made it worthwhile, most of them were only mildly entertaining or even silly and not particularly memorable. However, it's a very quick read, so I'd say give it a try. I believe those prone to paranoia will certainly find resonance in this work.  

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Get ready for Cocktease the manga... The reason I'm giving this a 4 instead of a 3 is that I genuinely appreciate some of the artwork and ghost/monster designs. The issue I have with the story is that, while a collection of short stories in a manga can work, it's challenging to make it effective with only 2-5 pages per story. Unfortunately, this isn't one of those successes. There's no tension building, just shock—and not even particularly exciting shock.

It's safe to say that practically every short story in this collection follows a formula: "here's your setting and characters, which you'll know nothing about," "scary face or dead-all-along or I'll-ignore-the-big-bad," "end." There's little variation. One surprisingly wholesome short story stands out—it's about a brother who uses what seems to be a harmless cursed bear to share the beauty of the outside world with his sister who couldn't go outside. While the bear being "cursed" was likely meant to be creepy, it didn't feel that way and was funny enough to be the only short I felt had enough room to breathe.

Almost every other story feels like it could have been interesting if given time to immerse you and didn't end so abruptly. Instead, we get the punchline and the height of the action but nothing else. This might have been intentional, aiming to constantly show you the "peak" without resolution (perhaps another reason behind the name "Seeds of Anxiety"), but here, it doesn't work. It leaves you feeling like you're missing larger chunks of the story, like fast-forwarding through a movie to only the best bits and ignoring everything else.

All in all, if you're just looking to collect some spooky manga panels, this might offer what you're after. Don't expect good 5-10 second stories, though—you'll likely be disappointed.

The tales are quite unsettling in a non-violent manner.  
I catch myself checking over my shoulder while reading this.  
I would certainly recommend this manga to anyone seeking a chilling read.  

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I believe the primary criticisms of this manga are that the stories are too brief, leaving insufficient room for character development. While these points are valid, I feel the tales are akin to campfire ghost stories, which are intentionally concise yet engaging. Personally, I think it achieves this goal quite effectively. If you approach these stories as quick, chilling anecdotes, you'll likely appreciate them more.  

Definitely a good choice for a bedtime read when you're in the mood for a light dose of horror without committing an entire day to it. It doesn't demand excessive focus, making it perfect for casual consumption.  

One drawback regarding the story length is that some were so short that it was difficult to grasp what was happening. Additionally, a few narratives felt repetitive. However, since they were so succinct, it wasn't much of an issue because a fresh story was just a page or two away.  

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I heard this was one of the scariest manga around, which is why I decided to check it out.  

I read the entire thing in one sitting, not because I loved it, but because some of the stories were incredibly short.  
Short as in a single page for some, while the longer ones had little to no dialogue.  

The first story hooked me, and I was excited for a collection of chilling tales. Unfortunately, the better stories were greatly outnumbered by those where essentially nothing happened.  

The artwork was solid, so some moments did manage to creep me out.  
However, the art couldn't compensate for the lackluster chapters.  

If you're searching for scares, you won't find much in this manga.