The Yen Press Holiday Gift Guide: Books for the Person Who is Still Celebrating Halloween

Christmas is right around the corner, but doesn't it feel like it was just Halloween? For some people, Halloween really is every day, even during these holly jolly holidays. So what do you get for someone who would rather revel in the dark than enjoy the twinkling lights of the season? Luckily, there are plenty of spooky, scary, and gross-out titles to appease such tastes!

Mieruko-chan

Your gift recipient may want to see spooky spirits all the time, but poor Miko doesn't! Unfortunately for her, she can't seem to avoid them, even though she's trying to ignore them in the hopes that they'll lose interest and go away. Since this is a newer release, there's a good chance your horror-loving buddy might not have gotten their hands on it, plus it mixes some humor in with all the gruesome monsters.

Sadako at the End of the World

Another recent release, this one-shot manga features Sadako -- yes, that Sadako, from The Ring. Follow her and her two new friends as they meet the very last people on earth...and Sadako does what Sadako has to do! There's some creeping dread here, and also a little wholesome friendship thrown in, for that reader who wants it both ways.

Ibitsu

Sadako isn't the only urban legend in this line-up! There's a certain girl in gothic Lolita garb waiting by the garbage dump to ask you a question.... This is a great one for anyone who can appreciate a truly twisted sister! This is an all-in-one manga, so one book provides the whole story for your lucky recipient.

Phantom Tales of the Night

Do you know the kind of person who sees the beauty in horror? The kind who could talk about the spectacular lighting in the blood-soaked scene of the horror flick you're watching together? Then Phantom Tales of the Night is for them, for sure. The mysterious innkeeper of the Murakamo Inn trades sanctuary for secrets, but he's not all he seems to be...and sometimes his protection a worse fate than your darkest fears. Gorgeously illustrated, this title is sure to tickle the fancy of the fanciest horror fan!

King of Eden

How about the reader who likes their horror with a healthy side of mystery? In King of Eden, a deadly virus and strange fires are plaguing the world. And somehow, there's one man always at the scene...just who is he, and how can the chaos be stopped? This is another double-sized manga that was recently released, so there's a lot of meat there for a lucky reader to sink their teeth into!

Zo Zo Zombie

Okay...so maybe Zo Zo Zombie isn't really scary. But it's definitely Halloweeny, right? And besides, sometimes you just like cute monsters getting up to wacky antics. If you know someone who likes the lighter side of the macabre, or are thinking of a precocious kid who wants a bit of morbidity with their potty humor, this is the series for them!

Face it, not everyone loves the cheery caroling, the chestnut-roasting, or the peace-on-earth stuff that goes along with the winter holidays. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't show those people that we care, and that we're paying attention to their interests, no matter how creepy those interests might be.

To the Halloween hangers-on: Happy (Haunted) Holidays!