Being a prequal to a movie it has an unfinished quality that I don't hate but at the same time it didn't make me want to watch the movie. I do wish the plot was less predictable.

2.5*
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for acces to the eARC! all opinions are my own.

i know that this is supposed to be an introduction for a movie, it still fell flat for me. i wanted more from it. the purpose of it wasn't quite clear so everything just felt random and rushed. left me quite confused. the art is good tho.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Sexual assault, depiction of sexual assault between minors, mental illness, violence, minimal gore, and child neglect.

Toxic Daughter: Chi-chan truly packs a punch in this standalone prequel story!

I'm not usually a fan of horror genres, but occasionally a story piques my interest. This manga was a perfect example. It had me hooked from the first chapter!

The story focuses on Chi, a young girl suffering from mental illness who has been bullied from a young age because she is unapologetically different from her classmates. Sadly, this difference runs deeper than just liking odd things, such as making jewelry out of dead bugs - there is a violent darkness hiding just beneath the surface. This darkness isn't just in Chi, but also in her classmates.

As the manga progresses, we are introduced to Yua, Chi's childhood friend, and Kodai, their classmate. From the start, you can see that Yua still cares about Chi but distances herself so her association doesn't get her bullied by her peers. Unfortunately, because she is shy and has a submissive nature, she can easily be taken advantage of by individuals like Kodai.

Kodai is not only a narcissist, but he is also the stereotypical first-born male child who requires the approval and praise of everyone around him. His standing in the community has plateaued, so when he notices how worried everyone is about Chi and her obvious attachment to Yua, Kodai takes this chance to persuade Yua that he genuinely wants to help. His goal is to help Chi overcome her tragic struggles and reintegrate into society as a functioning teenager. Because Yua has a crush on Kodai, and she wants to see Chi turn her life around, she accepts his offer to help Chi.

Unfortunately, when Kodai and Yua are both injured by Chi, Kodai's seemingly flawless plan begins to fall apart. At this point, Kodai's dark and violent tendencies come to the surface, leading him to repeatedly sexually assault Yua as a way to regain control of the situation and punish her for revealing how she was injured, despite his instructions not to tell.

Shuzo Oshimi does an absolutely incredible job of weaving these dark tales together. Throughout the story, Oshimi draws readers into dark scenarios that provoke thoughtful reflection on human nature, the pressures teenagers face to achieve perfection and make the right choices, the consequences of failing to meet those expectations, and the harsh reality that mental illness isn't discussed enough.

Overall, this standalone manga is a light horror story for both older teens and adults. Due to the topics depicted, I would not recommend this for audiences under 14-15 years old.

Shuzo Oshimi's "Toxic Daughter: Chi-chan" is a captivating exploration of the complexities of family dynamics and the struggles of adolescence. The story dives deep into the tumultuous relationship between a mother and her daughter, highlighting the emotional turbulence that can arise from love, expectations, and the quest for independence.

One of the strengths of this manga is Oshimi's ability to portray raw emotions with stunning artistry and well-crafted dialogue. The characters are incredibly relatable, especially Chi-chan, whose journey of self-discovery resonates with anyone who has faced the pressures of fitting in while also seeking their identity. The illustrations enhance the narrative, capturing the intensity of Chi-chan's feelings and the subtlety of her interactions with others.

While the themes are heavy, it's the realism that makes the story impactful. It doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of their relationship, but it also offers moments of levity and insight that balance the narrative. Some readers may find the pacing a bit uneven at times, particularly in the development of secondary characters, but overall, the depth of the main characters compensates for this.

Overall, "Toxic Daughter: Chi-chan" is a thought-provoking read that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. Oshimi has crafted a nuanced tale that reflects the challenges many face in their familial relationships, making it a worthwhile addition to any manga lover's collection.

This book is horrific. Before you read this manga, definitely read the trigger warnings.

This manga definitely delves into dark themes. The characters face abuse and it leads to horrific situations. There was a lot that was packed in this volume.

This manga will definitely stay with me for a while.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC and this is my honest opinion.

This is a deeply unsettling and eerie horror manga that leaves you feeling uneasy in the best way. It’s perfectly creepy, suspenseful, and filled with slow, haunting tension.
The story follows Chi-chan, a girl who goes through a traumatic incident and vanishes—only to return changed. She drifts through life collecting bugs, while people around her whisper that she’s creepy or disgusting. Her former childhood friend Yua tries to reconnect and help her, holding onto the hope that the Chi-chan she knew is still in there somewhere.
But that hope doesn’t protect Yua from the darkness surrounding Chi-chan. The story takes a sharp, violent turn that really drives home the horror.
This is not a light read, but it’s a chilling, memorable one.

Toxic Daughter: Chi-Chan is a prequel one-shot of a japanese movie out in this 2025 called Toxic Daughter, and created by the same hands who has given us Blood in the Tracks and The Flowers of Evil. It completes its function in terms of giving us an anticipation of the quoted picture, wanting to know more about the same villain both productions have in common, but as a story itself I felt this sense of lack of conclusion, of unexplored themes and developments. It is interesting to observe how Chi-Chan creates a struggle between strangeness and manipulation, where the second is seen as the worst and brings the first towards tragedies, a fact empowered by the expressive character design and the melancholic, country folk style.

I thank NetGalleys and Kodansha Comics for giving me a review copy in exchange for an honest review!


FINAL VERDICT: ⭐⭐⭐

Dark and emotional, this manga made everyone both a villain and a victim. In a world where there is no right answer, and everyone has ulterior motives, this story feels all too real, and it’s incredible because of that.

This was... interesting. Firstly, the art was great and it made me very curious.

The story too had a lot of potential but it leaves everything in the air and it's a prequel for a horror film. Is this... just marketing?

This was interesting. Apparently, this is a prequel to a movie of the same name. And this prequel gives us the inciting incident that caused the toxic daughter to run away from home. This is not a happy story. It is horror. Trigger warning for Rape. This makes me want to see the movie. This ends so ambiguously and just says the movie tells us the rest. I can’t say I honestly like this, but I can’t say I didn’t like this. I feel like I’ve been given an amuse-bouche and I’m ready for the main meal

This was a very interesting read, I wasn't sure about it to start with, but it definitely hooked me in after a couple chapters. The storyline was fascinating and unexpected, the writing was well done, and the art style was dark and matched the tone perfectly. I cannot wait to read the next installment of Toxic Daughter.

This was a weird story that takes a very dark turn. Characters who initially seem like they're just trying to do the right thing quickly reveal sides you weren’t expecting. The plot dives into heavy, often disturbing topics, and at times it can be quite graphic. One of the most striking themes is the question: are people helping because they genuinely care, or are they just trying to look like good people?

The art style perfectly captures the grimy, unsettling tone of the story and really ties everything together. If you’re someone who appreciates stories that explore the darker sides of human nature, this one might be right up your alley.

What really makes this story so compelling to read is the art. The artwork in this manga is so detailed and creepy. It is something that sells the storyline and keeps you reading till you’ve finished the story in one sitting.

Chi has an unsettling obsession with bugs and with her classmate and friend Yua. This is a story of the rekindling of their friendship and the way it becomes a twisted and dangerous thing. Chi is a loner and is misunderstood and mistreated. But, some people have become far too twisted to try and save.

I had such a fun time reading this and it was creepy and unsettling to read. I think the manga does a great job of presenting the story it set out to tell. I think fans of Junji Ito and horror manga’s will have a great time reading “Toxic Daughter Chi-Chan”!

Thanks NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for this arc

3/5 stars

This was a really intriguing manga that had me hooked - until the last chapter. I wasn't expecting it and that could've been quite triggering for some people especially with how out of the blue it was. I also didn't realize that this was essentially going to be such a cliffhanger for a one shot. Sure it's the prologue for a movie but I didn't expect it to be so open ended with what was happening with each character at the end. This was a miss for me

short and scary beyond gore shock factor, which is really refreshing and unexpected to see! i really enjoyed flowers of evil and blood on the tracks - the slightly more realistic manga style always makes for a much creepier horror experience - so i knew i would like this art, and i wasn't wrong!

it perfectly evokes empathy even with such a short story, and wonderfully illustrates the sense of loneliness and displacement following these characters around.

Two kids try to befriend a strange neglected girl that barley shows up to school. She's a bit creepy and has violent tendencies yet they persist until it goes too far. The story was unsettling because chi-chan was unpredictable and you did not know what she was about to do next. It was an alright horror one shot until the end were it all went down hill. For some reason there's a poorly handled child on child rape scene. Wouldn't recommend

Toxic Daughter: Chi-chan is about a girl who loves to collect dead bugs. Her estranged childhood friend Yua and her classmate Kodai try to connect with her to encourage her to attend classes, but just because someone is nice doesn’t mean their intentions are pure.

Toxic Daughter: Chi-Chan was a really nice read especially for those who enjoy horror mangas. I enjoyed every bit of it. It felt a bit too short but that was because I flew through it haha! But the writing was really intriguing and eye-catching. It was really fast- paced as well! We love a good fast-paced book!

This is also my first time reading a book by this author so, I was very happy with this book, and will definitely be picking up other books by this author.

Overall, great book! Very enjoyable and a great book to read, if you are feeling a short read, or just don’t know what to read, then this is the book for you!

As a long-time fan of Shuzo Oshimi, I was especially excited to check out their latest work "Toxic Daughter: Chi-chan" and, once again, I was blown away by both their story-telling and their artstyle. Definitely check out content warnings just in case (as this is a fairly dark story), but the less you know about the plot before starting it, the better. Quite literally my only complaint was that it was fairly short and I wanted to know more, so I will definitely check out the movie follow-up that has also come out recently.

Toxic Daughter: Chi-chan" is a dark manga about a peculiar girl, Chi-chan, who likes to collect insects. She has virtually no friends except for Yua years ago — until one of her classmates, Koudai, wants to befriend her with Yua's help. For a quick story, the first half of the story actually feels a bit slow and repetitive. This makes sense as this is a spin-off to the horror film "Doku Musume" (2024) — the manga feels somewhat incomplete and almost serves as filler.

However, I overall enjoyed it and the pacing does pick up, turning this creepy narrative completely twisted. It's a brutal tale about the danger of friends' intentions, and what happens when you treat righteousness as a virtue to enhance your status. People should definitely look up the trigger warnings because some scenes are abruptly disturbing.