Kohei Horikoshi, the mastermind behind the smash-hit manga My Hero Academia, has returned to the spotlight with a fresh project. Titled Quit Laughing, Shijima, this new one-shot debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump. Pitched as a horror tale, Horikoshi’s latest endeavor delivers an entertaining supernatural romp featuring familiar adolescent leads and unsettling monsters, though it ultimately misses the chilling mark set by genre-defining horror classics.
Ever since My Hero Academia wrapped up a couple of years ago, the running joke among fans online has centered on an "unemployed Horikoshi." Freed from the grueling demands of a weekly serialization schedule, the creator treated his audience to a steady stream of gorgeous artwork highlighting his immense talent. Behind the scenes, however, he wasn’t resting. Having expressed interest in tackling the horror genre as far back as 2022, Horikoshi has finally delivered on that promise.
Set in Konoshiro City—a bustling seaside locale boasting a somewhat amusingly specific population of three million—Quit Laughing, Shijima follows Azumi, a high schooler wrapping up his second year who prefers coasting through life without stressing over the future. He carries a torch for Shijima, a bubbly classmate whose booming laugh has made her a town favorite. Azumi, however, harbors an unusual secret: he can perceive the grotesque, humanoid entities lurking in the local bay. One day, one of these monstrosities breaches the coastline, seemingly tracking Shijima, who abruptly stops attending school the very next day.
While the setup isn’t entirely groundbreaking, it immediately hooks the reader. Horikoshi’s signature knack for character design shines through, with the creature concepts standing out for their sheer originality and creep factor. Unfortunately, the narrative quickly treads familiar territory. Anyone acquainted with stories like The Wicker Man, Midsommar, or Higurashi: When They Cry will easily spot where the plot is heading.
As it turns out, Shijima has been designated as a human sacrifice to appease a bay-dwelling deity that blesses the town with prosperity. A tight-knit circle of families oversees this grim tradition, conditioning Shijima to view her grim fate as an elite honor—which explains why the entire town treats her with such reverence. Upon discovering the truth, Azumi rushes to her rescue, slaying the creature while professing his love.
Using established tropes isn’t inherently bad—after all, they form the bedrock of storytelling—but Quit Laughing, Shijima handles its chosen genre somewhat awkwardly. Aside from the human sacrifice hook and the striking monster designs, very little about the manga actually feels like horror.
Japanese urban horror possesses a rich lineage across various media, from Junji Ito’s Uzumaki and Silent Hill f to The Summer Hikaru Died. These works share a common thread: taking comfortable, ordinary environments and warping them into uncanny reflections where terror slowly bleeds through the seams. This particular brand of horror leans heavily into psychology, peeling back the veneer of the mundane to expose a festering reality underneath.
For instance, A Questionnaire on the Mouth—a recent Shonen Jump Plus short manga by Sesuji and Shuzo Oshimi—begins innocuously as a casual group interview before devolving into a deeply unsettling narrative of psychological torment and body horror. It is tense, eerie, and masterfully paced; qualities that Quit Laughing, Shijima sadly lacks.
Then again, measuring Horikoshi against heavyweights like Junji Ito or Shuzo Oshimi might be setting the bar unfairly high. Transitioning to an entirely different genre and pacing after spending a decade immersed in superhero action is a massive hurdle, even for an artist of his caliber.
Ultimately, Quit Laughing, Shijima works best when viewed not as a horror story, but as a pilot for a supernatural action series. Viewed through that lens, the ending hits all the right notes, leaving the door wide open for a full serialization announcement. The characters are endearing and relatable, and the climax—where the protagonists team up to vanquish a beast while declaring their affection—radiates classic My Hero Academia energy. Emotional resonance remains Horikoshi’s greatest strength, and he doesn’t require a multi-volume epic to prove it.
One specific thread within the one-shot carries genuine weight. Readers initially meet Shijima as the school’s most popular student, but a flashback reveals she was once bullied for her "unusual" teeth. Gradually, the narrative exposes a darker truth: her popularity is entirely manufactured because she is destined to be a sacrifice. Her family and the entire town have subjected her to systemic psychological abuse to make her willingly accept the role of a victim. It is a grim, compelling twist that demonstrates how Japanese horror can weaponize the mundane to highlight society’s most twisted elements.
Yet, this thematic depth takes a backseat by the finale. The one-shot closes with Azumi striking a rooftop pose reminiscent of Deku from My Hero Academia, positioning himself as a supernatural vigilante sworn to dismantle cruel traditions like the one that targeted Shijima. It may not satisfy die-hard horror aficionados, but it leaves plenty of reason to look forward to whatever Horikoshi creates next.