Thank you to Kodansha and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this volume.

A somewhat dated one-shot. The tense atmosphere did not lend itself well to the manga format. I found myself not caring at all what happened to any of the characters.

Ultimately forgettable.

"Confession" is about two mountain hikers who are stuck in a cabin during a blizzard, with one man confessing to the other something that changed the trajectory of the night. The series plays like a thriller and a cat and mouse chase as it mostly takes place in one night. There was a twist at the end that caught me a but off guard, but it was an okay read and I recommend it if you want something quick to get through.

Confession is a psychological thriller one-shot manga. Two men end up stuck on a mountain in the middle of the blizzard, with one man, Ishikura, badly injured and unable to walk. On the verge of freezing to death, Ishikura confesses to the other man, Asai, about a murder he committed when they were both in college. Asai is horrified, but by a stroke of luck, he finds a cabin close by where they’re able to shelter and call for help. But Ishikura has just confessed his darkest secret, and Asai begins to suspect that Ishikura is willing to kill again to keep it.

It’s a very isolated, claustrophobic setting with only a cast of two characters, but even with these limits, the tension and suspense was built really well. I like how the hints are subtle, how you can’t really tell what Ishikura is thinking but it all feels suspicious and threatening, and with each revelation, the stakes are raised. Some of the reactions are a little confusing at the beginning, but I can understand them by the end.

Some parts kind of made me laugh unintentionally, like Ishikura’s face after Asai finds the cabin close by, and I kind of wonder if the characters might have had a better plan, but I guess considering their condition it might make sense? Some parts just felt like they could be more satisfying, but overall the story was exciting and I read it in one sitting.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!

This would have made a good novel, I think, but the manga format really works against it. The scenery doesn’t add to the tension except in the one scene where the headlamp glow is blurring in the dark. Otherwise, the lack of scenery changes or significant changes in facial expression means that the manga just falls flat. The characters are literally chasing each other in circles and even the scene where one guy is literally stabbing a knife into his leg over and over again because he can’t feel anything goes totally unacknowledged.

We don’t get enough background info on either character or their college days around the time of the original murder. And the manga was so long only to have very little payoff.

Don't you just love psychological thrillers that put you in the perspective of someone going insane? Because I do. They're my favorite type of story.

The story starts with a couple of friends stranded on top of a mountain during a snowstorm after one of them gets injured. Believing he's going to die, he confeses to the murder of a mutual friend, but by pure luck they manage to find a cabin nearby to shelter the next two days while the rescue team arrives for them. The rest of the story focuses on the developing paranoia that arises and continues growing in both characters, as each of them worries if they are going to be killed by the other, or if the crime they just confesed to is going to end up coming to light.

I think the build up of the tension is REALLY well done. The characters start thinking something might be wrong but keep making excuses for what's happening and going in circles again and again, trying to deny what they're experiencing. At the same time, they start making wild conjectures that make no sense except when assuming the worst case scenario. Every single move, noise, breath and face starts looking suspicious to the point that the reader starts getting paranoid too. And every single time you think the character is safe, another problem arises. The stakes keep going up again and again until the very end.

Aside from living inside the mind of the characters and experiencing their deteriorating though process the art starts getting less and less polished? While at the beggining it was your standard 90's manga art style by the end some of the faces look like they came out straight from a Junji Ito manga, which is a nice touch to make us feel the terror they are experiencing even though this is definitely not a horror manga.

This has definitely become one of my favorite reads of the year.

Unfortunately I didn't rate this manga very highly. It's difficult to keep the intense, trapped vibes going in a book that predominantly takes place in one location and Confession became repetitive and dull very quickly.
The characters motives were not well explored and it was all so ridiculous that it was hard to take any of this seriously. The artwork wasn't to my taste either but it's difficult to make this to visually interesting when it takes place during a snowstorm up a mountain.

Book Review: Confession by Kaiji Kawaguchi and Nobuyuki Fukumoto

In Confession, manga legends Kaiji Kawaguchi and Nobuyuki Fukumoto collaborate to deliver a powerful psychological thriller, deftly exploring human vulnerability, the limits of trust, and the corrosive effects of guilt. Set against the stark backdrop of a deadly blizzard, this short but intense narrative digs deep into the psyche of its two main characters, revealing how quickly the bonds of friendship and survival can unravel when haunted by secrets. This manga is a haunting meditation on human nature that will stay with readers long after the final page.

The Setup: A Desperate Fight for Survival
The premise of Confession is deceptively simple. Two men, Ishikura and Asai, find themselves trapped on a treacherous mountain, battling not just the unforgiving elements, but also their own deteriorating physical conditions and, more crucially, the fragility of their mental states. The harshness of nature mirrors the psychological turmoil brewing between them, serving as both a literal and metaphorical battlefield.

Ishikura is grievously injured and close to death, resigned to the fact that he may never make it off the mountain. In this bleak moment, when the line between life and death is blurred, he chooses to confess a terrible secret to Asai, his climbing companion. This decision seems to offer him some solace, a chance to unburden his soul before it's too late. But just as the confession escapes his lips, they stumble upon shelter—proof that survival might still be possible. It is at this exact moment that the dynamics between the two men shift drastically.

The Power of the Confession: Unraveling Trust
Ishikura's confession is the heart of this story, the catalyst that turns what was initially a desperate struggle against nature into a tense psychological game of survival and trust—or the lack thereof. The confession itself is not immediately revealed to the reader, adding to the suspense and keeping the tension alive throughout. Kawaguchi and Fukumoto skillfully build anticipation, allowing the weight of the secret to loom over the narrative, leaving readers to guess how devastating it could be. This technique draws readers in, making them as paranoid and uneasy as Asai, who now carries the burden of this knowledge.

From the moment Ishikura speaks, a dramatic shift occurs in the relationship between the two men. Asai is suddenly forced to confront the question: how well does he really know the man he’s been fighting for survival alongside? This moment, when trust is shaken and suspicion seeps in, is where Confession transcends from being merely a survival story into a full-blown psychological thriller.

Asai is now trapped not just by the environment but also by his thoughts. The once-straightforward task of finding safety and surviving the storm becomes complicated by fear, doubt, and the gnawing sense that Ishikura’s confession may have made him a threat. This breakdown of trust transforms the wilderness into a psychological minefield where every decision feels like it could lead to death—not from the blizzard, but from the companion sitting beside him.

Themes of Guilt, Paranoia, and the Human Condition
At its core, Confession is a study in human psychology. Through Ishikura's desperate need to confess, the manga examines the overwhelming power of guilt and how it can fester in the mind. What makes this story so compelling is that the authors don’t just focus on the confessor, Ishikura, but equally on the recipient, Asai, and how this sudden revelation impacts him. Once the confession is made, Asai's mind becomes a battleground for paranoia, suspicion, and fear. He can no longer look at his companion the same way. This is where Kawaguchi and Fukumoto show their mastery of psychological tension.

The once-clear goal of finding safety becomes muddied by the uncertainty of Asai’s new reality. Should he trust Ishikura? Is his companion as weak and near death as he seems? Or does the confession reveal a deeper, darker side to Ishikura that makes him a potential threat? In this way, Confession forces the reader to confront uncomfortable questions about human nature: how well do we ever really know the people around us? And how easily can trust be shattered by a single revelation?

Minimalism as a Narrative Strength
What makes Confession particularly effective is its minimalism. The narrative is contained within a few scenes, and the setting is stark: two men, a mountain, and a blizzard. This simplicity allows the psychological elements to take center stage. There are no distractions, no side plots or extraneous characters. Every line of dialogue, every glance, every internal thought carries significant weight.

This focused approach also heightens the intensity of the story. The vast, white expanse of the snow-covered mountain contrasts with the claustrophobic mental space that the two men are trapped in. The storm outside is echoed by the storm brewing within their minds. This minimalist setup strips the story down to its essential elements: survival, fear, and the fragility of the human mind under extreme pressure.

Art and Atmosphere
The artwork by Kaiji Kawaguchi is crucial in building the tense atmosphere of Confession. The detailed, realistic art style enhances the reader's immersion into this harsh, wintry environment, making the snowstorm feel as oppressive and dangerous as the psychological stakes. The expressions on the characters’ faces, particularly the subtle shifts in their eyes and posture, add layers of meaning to the already loaded dialogue.

Nobuyuki Fukumoto, known for his psychological and high-stakes stories, brings his signature narrative intensity to Confession. His storytelling style, combined with Kawaguchi’s artwork, creates a visual and emotional experience that feels tight and relentless. Each panel adds to the sense of impending doom, whether from the freezing cold or the crumbling trust between the two men.

Conclusion: A Tense, Thought-Provoking Thriller
Confession is a masterful psychological thriller that will captivate readers from start to finish. By focusing on two characters and their internal struggles, Kawaguchi and Fukumoto create a gripping narrative that explores the darkest corners of human nature. The harsh, snowy landscape serves as a fitting backdrop for the unfolding drama, as the characters’ battle with the elements mirrors the battles within their minds.

The story is more than just a survival thriller—it's a deep dive into the corrosive power of secrets, the fragility of trust, and the primal instincts that surface when survival is at stake. Readers who enjoy stories that explore the human psyche under extreme conditions will find Confession to be an intense and rewarding experience. It’s a haunting reminder that sometimes the greatest dangers come not from the outside world, but from within.