Toxic Daughter is classic Shuzo Oshimi: haunting, provocative, and psychologically charged. Known for his deeply unsettling explorations of adolescence and identity, Oshimi returns with another disturbing portrait of teenage fragility—this time wrapped in the eerie mystique of a girl who carries death in her hands and darkness in her gaze.

Chi is not your typical outcast. She’s a walking contradiction—silent and intense, strange and magnetic. When she shows up at school clutching a handful of dead bugs, it feels like more than a cry for attention. It’s a warning. Kodai, the school’s golden boy, sees her as a project, a lost cause worth saving. But Oshimi doesn’t deal in saviors or redemption stories. This is a tale about boundaries—and what happens when you cross them in the name of curiosity, pity, or something more dangerous.

Yua, caught between past and present, becomes the emotional linchpin of the story. Her connection to Chi is complicated—tender, guilty, even fearful. As she’s pulled back into Chi’s orbit, it’s not just Chi’s darkness that threatens to consume them all—it’s the rot in the world around them, the quiet cruelty of conformity, and the illusion that anyone is really “normal.”

Oshimi’s art is, as always, stunning—moody, expressive, and loaded with emotional nuance. His use of visual metaphor and panel pacing builds a creeping dread that never quite explodes, but instead seeps in, page by page. The horror in Toxic Daughter is not supernatural. It’s psychological. And that’s what makes it so effective.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for a digital ARC of this manga in exchange for an honest review!

Toxic Daughter: Chi-chan is a horror story that explores the pressure to “fit in” and meet societal expectations and what happens to those we cast out for being different.

While the plot of this manga is interesting and fast-paced, and certainly unsettling, it leaves a bit to be desired in terms of character. This one-shot manga is meant to be a prequel to a film with the same name (which, I should note, I haven’t seen), but if this is meant to be Chi’s backstory, I think the mark has been missed. Her fascination with bugs, the neglect from her parents, and her friendship with Yua all could have been a bit more developed in my opinion. The ending certainly leaves a lasting impression though, and while I did see the twist coming, I appreciate how it subverts the “outsider”/creepy kid trope.

Having read almost all of Shuzo Oshimi’s Blood on the Tracks series, I see a lot of trademarks of his work in Toxic Daughter: Chi-chan. Oshimi’s art style always impresses me with how expressive and haunting it is despite its simplicity; there’s a sort of quiet violence that permeates his work that makes it so fascinating. Also, so much of his horror is rooted in children grappling with horrific and very adult situations. As a society, it is ingrained in us to protect our youth, so what is more uncomfortable than seeing children as the main actors in a story about humanity’s darkest, most depraved tendencies? Oshimi’s focus on childhood trauma and the loss of innocence creates a kind of horror that is deeply disturbing, not by what is actually drawn on the page, but by what it forces us to see in society itself. This is far from perfect, but if you’ve enjoyed Oshimi’s work in the past, or if you’re into the quiter, more psychological kinds of horror, this is definitely worth a try!

TW for sexual assault and rape.

A child with a fascination with dead bugs and two classmates trying to "fix her". What could possibly go wrong?

This manga is not for the faint of heart, from its grungy and dark artstyle to the grotesque plot. "Toxic Daughter Chi-Chan" follows a girl who agrees with her classmate to try and make Chi-chan, a girl who doesn't quite fit in with society, normal. They try to convince her to come to classes and to fit in with everyone else. With a pair of scissors and dead bugs at the ready, Chi-chan goes against their wishes and distances herself again and again.

The pacing was excellent and the characters were established greatly. The subtly in the beggining that everything was going to go wrong was strong and kept me hooked while reading. I fell in love with the art style from the start. The way the bugs were drawn was beautiful.

I'm often very picky of my books and find it easy to critique works. This one made me struggle to find anything negative to say. The only thing I would say was I wish we could see a snip bit of what Chi-chan's up to next at the very end. Other than that, the book was amazing and left me disturbed (in a good way). I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a dark story and a grungy art style.

CN. Bullying, Abusive Parents, Neglect, Blood, Eye Injury, Sexual Assault

I received an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

I understand that this a a prequel to a horror movie that is supposed to explain the back story of the titular Toxic Daughter, Chi.

I don't know if it's my autism or this manga/ comic, but I didn't get it or enjoy it very much at all.

Chi is an odd child, for reasons not especially explored. She is fixated on bugs, especially dead ones, and lives a life of suffering and neglect. She was abandoned by her only friend because of the bullying and is clearly not cared for by her parents in any way. Honestly, these things hit very close to home for me, but the way they were presented wasn't even that distressing for me, beyond them seemingly being a simple reason for her aberrant and violent behaviour. This read to me as lazy and ignorant.


This is a general synopsis that contains potential spoilers:

The story follows the friend that abandoned Chi and the boy she has a crush on as the boy takes it upon himself to try to help Chi, more out of a neurotic need to please his teacher and parents than any care got Chi as a person. Chi has no regard for the boy who goes out of his way to cover up injuries to himself and others she causes, which leads to him being shamed. He decides to take this out on the friend in some incredibly unpleasant scenes and ends up getting attacked by Chi.

I just...don't get it. It's zero to a hundred with sexual assault out of nowhere.

This wasn't for me.

Beautifully illustrated with an eerie vibe throughout, thanks to the unpredictable Chi-chan. At first I thought someone really should take those scissors away, but I was glad she had them by the end!

thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc!!

this was so dark, but i think in a way this does talk about the different sides people take in society when something bad happens, twisting it into a horror version of it. Kodai represents the small percentage who wants to stand up for those who are weak and unlucky, and the way he frames things in his mind is so twisted that whatever he does is enacting 'justice' in a way and i thought he was probably the most interesting character, though at his core he truly is the most selfish. (what he did to Yua is unforgivable)

Chi and Yua's friendship is probably the most interesting seeing as they are childhood friends befors Yua left her behind to avoid being bullied. the blind trust that they still have in each other when it matters speaks volumes to how 'sandbox love' shapes someone for years to come.

all in all a super creepy and dark oneshot that makes me actually want to catch the film to see what happens to Chi next!

Toxic Daughter Chi-chan is the manga prequel to Poison Girl (Doku Musume), a film inspired by a chilling 2011 anonymous message board story. While the movie follows a family haunted by a scissor-wielding urban legend (Chi-chan), this oneshot asks a more disturbing question:

How does society create its own monsters?

The Girl with the Scissors:

Chi is a lonely girl who struggles with fitting in. She carries a pair of large scissors and wears distressed clothing. Her macabre fascination with dead insects made her a target for bullies—so much that even her only friend, Yua, also abandoned her. Years later, Yua (the protagonist of this prequel) and Koudai decide to “reintegrate” Chi into school life, and the two attempt to reconnect with Chi.

But good intentions can pave the road to hell.

Overall thoughts:

What begins as an awkward reunion quickly descends into something far more sinister.

What unfolds in this story isn’t just about reconnecting—it’s also about power, guilt, and the lies we tell ourselves to feel better. A pretty smile. A helpful gesture. The urge to “do the right thing” without ever being asked. These seemingly kind acts can mask something more manipulative—and dangerous.

Who is the real danger lurking here? The girl society labeled as creepy and unstable, or the society that failed her in the first place, and then ostracized her?

The manga’s clinical, clean art style contrasts with its disturbing narrative. There is much more than meets the eye. Chi’s scissors aren’t just a weapon—they’re metaphors, as she cuts through society’s ugly truths.

This psychological horror tale explores how Chi reflects the darkness hidden in the people around her. She may be simple-minded and cruel, but she has one thing the world in this story lacks: honesty.

It’s meant to make you uncomfortable. The story deliberately withholds key information, and then later slowly unveils it. The plot keeps you engaged, guessing at every beat, unsure of who to trust—or what anyone truly wants.

Who is this story for?

Toxic Daughter: Chi-chan is for fans of psychological horror stories that’s more about what isn’t said. You’ll need to read between the lines and sit with the discomfort the manga wields as a storytelling weapon.

Just keep in mind: this oneshot is one half of the story. The other part is revealed in Poison Girl, the Japanese film adaptation. So if you’re okay with following up with the movie, you’ll get the full picture. Otherwise, enjoy this story as an introspective oneshot!

See you in the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for the e-arc!

It’s been years since Chi, a mysterious outcast and borderline dropout, and her childhood friend Yua last spoke. One day, Chi shows up to school with a handful of dead bugs and starts a commotion that gives Yua’s classmate, golden boy Kodai, an idea: he’s going to bring Chi back into the fold, and he needs Yua’s help to do it. But good intentions can lead to bad places, and the darkness in Chi may be more dangerous than they ever imagined.
I am used to Oshimi's art style and cryptic storytelling, and this did not disappoint. I think that this being a collaboration with a director adds a bit of cinematic feel to the story. I did think the pacing could have been better for how long it is, but overall it wasn't a bad one-shot.

The lacing was off, the story was not there and I was just missing so much from it. Thus could have been good

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy!

I am a huge fan of Shuzo Oshimis work and I was surprised to see this has actually been made into a film! But not sure if I could physically watch this one due to the themes.

This manga in particular has some disturbing themes of SA and CA so please always check for TW further when reading this!

I always love how creepy and disturbing Oshimis mangas are and this one did not honest of the disturbance.

The art style is one of my favourite things from Oshimi, as I love how they show the more gruesome scenes through the art. For anyone who likes Junji Ito you will definitely enjoy this too.

I’d definitely like to continue reading this if it does become a series!

dark, disturbing and horrifying, a prologue one shot of the original series and horror film
Yua and classmate/crush koudai try to save delinquent classmate chi
chi is disturbing, neglected and obssessed with dead bugs
after a visit to chi's house, a hoarders maze with catonic parents, chi starts to attend school again
but after a series of haunting dark attacks, yuas life is turned upside down and wonders if she will be free from this darkness

I was curious to see how this one would go since I'm not overly versed in Japanese classic horror. (I have read some shonen horror but not much.) Honestly didn't find it all that terrifying since I do like bugs and bug jewelry was a thing with the British aristocrats at some point in history (don't remember but it might have been around Victorian). Also kind of felt that Chi's actions were somewhat justified. But I guess I'm the wrong audience for this one.

Toxic Daughter: Chi-chan is another intense, emotionally layered hit from one of my favorite authors, Shuzo Oshimi. It pulls you in with his signature mix of psychological tension and raw, uncomfortable honesty. The story feels personal and haunting in a way only Oshimi can deliver. It’s a slower burn, but totally worth it—and the art, as always, nails the mood perfectly. Dark, weird, and gripping in all the right ways.

Toxic Daughter subverted my expectations. From the creepy cover, I was ready for pages of spooks, gore, and blood. And while there is some blood, the story itself gets unexpectedly dark. Though Chi-chan is a strange girl with violent tendencies, you start to feel sorry for her as the story unfolds. We get hints of her upbringing and a life full of bullying. It's a story that makes you question how people are vilified based on their appearance and unconventional lifestyles. While I liked it, it left me unsatisfied. Character motivations were not very clear. Why do two classmates take it upon themselves to help Chi-chan? Why is Chi-chan obsessed with scissors? What makes her act this way? If this were a series, I would keep reading just to learn more about this bizarre character.

TRIGGER WARNING FOR R-PE AND SA BASICALLY ON PAGE. (No actual depictions of genitalia or nudity but it's very clear what is happening and that it is non-consensual).

This was an interesting manga. I'm curious as to what exactly is going on with Chi and why she is like that.

I'm not sold on her title as toxic daughter, to me she didn't seem toxic. I wonder if her parents are that way because of her or the other way around, I'd be curious to find out in another issue (This is currently a one-shot)

Kodai got what he deserved. Chi could clearly see it way before everyone else. Kodai's family are toxic too. I'm with Chi on this. I'd definitely check out more issues of toxic daughter because I want more back story and I liked the art work. I think I'd prefer to read this in full manga format, I don't think it translated well to PDF. It may be fine fully converted to ePub but I would suggest picking this up in paperback, manga style where it's read right to left.

Toxic Daughter is a billed as a Shonen manga but I really don't think it's for a young male audience. I feel like it's either Seinen because of the violence throughout and the depiction of SA and r-pe, or Josei because the hero in this story is a girl and Josei can be gritty and contain such themes now.

3.25 stars

Wow, thanks for the chance to read this, it’s my first manga by Shuzo Oshimi and I’m excited to explore more now! Even though this was very short, I was very invested and the storyline was really intense. It made me feel horrified and moved at the same time.

For my liking this was way too short. I would have loved to see more of Chi-chans home life, but maybe there is more of that in the movie itself. I liked the art and the idea.
Prequels often explain a bit of the characters background but there is nothing like this here and overall this felt like something that just wants to shock the reader with no depths to the story.

notreally to my taste, but surely someone will like it.

thank you netgalley and publisher for the arc!

I picked up this book because the cover and title gave me that 2000's era horror vibe, and it did not disappoint.

Manga has always had a talent for picking up that magical sense of the transition between childhood and adolescence, and Oshimi proved a master of the craft in this book. Chi-chan reflects the sense of the childhood friend you gradually move away from, the one who isn't quite right. Kodai reflects the kid who seems to have it all together, who knows exactly what he is supposed to do it, and magically does it at the right time. Yua as our protagonist, represents the reader, torn between two friends.

While it's easy to see Chi-chan as the misunderstood villain in this piece, Toxic Daughter Chi-chan is a great story showing the coming of age of children still capable of blatant cruelty compared to the smiling masks we adopt as we "grow up."

Toxic Daughter is one of those stories that’s as unsettling as it is captivating. From the very beginning, Chi’s character stands out as a bizarre, almost spectral presence. Her odd fascination with bugs, combined with her strange haircut and despondent eyes, immediately sets her apart from the other kids. The panels that show her lurking just outside the social circles—both literally and figuratively—are haunting, giving off that sense of otherness that makes her feel like an outsider in a world she doesn’t quite fit into.

Then comes Kodai, whose true motivations for wanting Chi back in school are unclear and, honestly, pretty unsettling. His overly pushy and smiley demeanor toward Yua gives off some serious spidey senses, and his actions towards Chi feel off, though it's hard to pin down exactly why. This creates a tense atmosphere where you’re constantly questioning what everyone’s true intentions are.

There are actions taken by the children that are deeply disturbing, and it’s hard to shake the lingering discomfort they leave behind. Toxic Daughter is a prequel, and while that adds an element of mystery to the story, it also left me wanting more. Specifically, I wanted to understand Chi more—why she is the way she is, what makes her tick, and what’s behind that eerie, quiet demeanor. The lack of clear answers in this volume only deepens the intrigue, but I hope we get more in the next installment.

Ultimately, this is a dark, thought-provoking story that keeps you on edge. If you're drawn to psychological tension and unsettling characters, Toxic Daughter will definitely leave its mark.