If you're a fan of horror anime/manga and video games, chances are high that you've heard of the game Corpse Party. The premise is very enticing, luring you in with a mystery—a group of high school students (plus a little sister and a teacher's assistant) do a ritual that's supposed to keep them together forever. But something goes wrong, and they're instead somehow transported to an alternate dimension, locked inside of Heavenly Host Elementary School, which was demolished after the murder of three young children. The high school was built on top of the ground where Heavenly Host used to stand, and there's something verywrong with it. Upon waking up in their new location, the students soon learn that the school is filled with students from various schools...and they have all been brutally murdered. Now they have to try to find out how to return to their own dimension while solving the mystery of the Girl in Red, all while trying not to be killed.

I actually think that the manga version is better than the game version, just because the game has some little details that can be overlooked if you don't know what you're doing, but they're included in the manga. These details aren't necessary to enjoy the story, of course, but they do flesh out the world a little more, and the story is better for their addition.

The art is well done, but definitely not for the squeamish. There's an abundance of blood and gore, along with sensitive topics that I won't list here. The setting does a good job of both drawing you in and making you want to run as far away as you can, and the creepy atmosphere is present right from the start.

Now, that being said, there are a few things I didn't like. For one, every single girl is in love with the main character, including his little sister. That was not necessary to add to the story. If anything, it just detracts from it. Two, there are a couple of scenes that never get explained. While the story does a good job of tying up loose ends for the most part, they missed a few that I would have liked to see clarified. And finally, I'm pretty sure the creator has a urine fetish. It shows up far too often to be comfortable with if you don't share that particular kink, and there's absolutely no reason for it.

In all, it's worth a read if you don't want to devote the time to the game, but just be aware that it's not for everyone.