If you’re a fan of psychological suspense, moral dilemmas, or Kawaguchi’s masterful character-driven storytelling (as seen in works like Zipang and The Silent Service), Confession is an intense, one-sitting read that will linger long after you’ve turned the last page.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC!

I loved this! The art style and the tension this builds really makes the story. Definitely worth a read!

Thanks to both Netgalley and Kodansha comics for the ARC copy. This has not affected my review at all, which are my own thoughts.

I knew I'd loved Confession the moment I saw Kodansha announced it on Instagram. So of course I had to try my luck to get and ARC copy. And, I was proven right! But, as usual, first what is this manga about, and then, my thoughts on it with the good, the bad and the middle ground.

Confession is a psychological thriller manga involving two old friends trapped in a mountain, held together by necessity and driven apart by resurfacing secrets. Ishikura is sure that he'll die up the mountain, inured as he is, so he decides to confess his deepest secret to his friend, Asai, right mere seconds before he (Asai) finds a shelter to wait the storm out. After that, the weight of it all will submerge the two men in a dangerous game of mouse and cat.

I've been wanting to read more thriller manga for a while, and this one hit the spot right off the very first page and to the very end, keeping me on the edge of my seat until it all got revealed in a gripping way. Really, this story is going to stay with me for quite the time. The characters, the art, the development slow but steady of the story... it was all too good.

Ishikura and Asai have been friends for a while, though they're very different from each other, and that makes them clash from time to time, and Ishikura's confession won't be any different. Claustrophobia and paranoia feelings fill the pages from both characters, letting us (the reader) into their anxiety and expectation about what will happen now that their very souls are there in the open for the other to see.

I don't want to say much more because Confession is a manga that it's best enjoyed knowing the bare minimum. That said, I'm of the opinion that is always good to know some things to expect, so: if you like well-defined characters having to confront both each other and themselves in the aftermath of a dangerous revelation, while surviving being trapped in a snowed mountain with the bare minimum and a feeling of impending doom crawling up their spines, Confession is definitely for you.

We're in for an exciting ride full of terror and beauty in each drawing, page by page.

This manga was so engaging right off the bat - a suspenseful story that will keep you on the edge of your seat and claustrophobic until the very end.

Acknowledgements and grateful thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics publishing for the opportunity to read and review this e-ARC: 'Confession by Kaiji Kawaguchi; Nobuyuki Fukumoto'. All opinions are my own and are not a reflection of the publishers and/or author, of which I have no association with.

Four out of five stars (4/5 stars).

Now this is my kind of manga/anime. I do love a horrific story with a great twist.

"Confession is a deeply psychological thriller manga that examines how quickly unexpected vulnerability and the threat of an uncertain future can make men descend into madness." — blurb from the official NetGalley website.

Usually I put a much larger blurb, but I really don't want to give anything away. I really enjoyed this for a black and white manga, usually it has to be a huge, complicated plot that hooks me into graphic novels and manga, I much prefer to read that to look at pictures. But I will make an exception for the likes of this.

Both writer and illustrator obviously work well together as there's no separation between their work, it just flows remarkably well.

I would recommend this if you love thrillers and manga.

This is a fun twisty thriller, where a pair of mountain climbers get stuck at a cabin in a storm after one of them admits a devastating secret. The art style really helped the tension of who was going to make it out of this book alive. The twist at the end was very good and this was a compulsively readable manga.

Stunning artwork paired with a psychological thriller made me unable to stop reading this until I got to the end. I never knew what was going to happen next. I like that I didn’t guess the twists that were going to happen. Also watching the characters slowly unravel and lose coherency was fascinating.

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc

This story threw me for a loop—seriously, what the heck?!

If you love crime stories with shocking plot twists that make you go, Wait… what?!, then this is one you’ll want to check out.
It follows two friends climbing a mountain when one of them gets seriously hurt. Believing they won’t make it, they confess to something shocking. But when they both manage to reach a cabin, emotions are running high, and the tension only escalates from there.

The artwork perfectly matches the tone of the story, enhancing the suspense and emotional weight. A gripping read that keeps you guessing!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC!

This book was really well done!

The story follows two lifelong friends who get lost while climbing a snowy mountain. When one man falls and hurts his leg, and believes he is on his death bed, he confesses to his friend that he strangled one of their girl friends years before. The two eventually make it to a lodge to shelter, and after regretting his confession, the two fall into a suspenseful game of cat and mouse with each other.

I really enjoyed the art style from the artist and I enjoyed the concise story of a one-volume manga.

All i can is the plot thicken everytime. I thinking it was one person only for it be someone else just to be put in pit of confusion and I love everytime minute of it. there were twist and turns everytime. I do wish there was more information on the characters and why they turned out that way.

Originally published in 1998, this psychological thriller seinen manga was written by Nobuyuki Fukumoto and illustrated by Kaiji Kawaguchi. If you like game theory or Death Note, you might enjoy this short manga too.

Stranded alone in the snowstorm, Ishikura who believed he was going to die tearily confessed to Asai that he murdered their mutual friend, who belonged in the same mountaineering club. But Asai managed to bring them both into a nearby shelter and so began the mind games because what if Asai blabbed or threatened Ishikura if they ended up being saved? We saw it mostly from Asai’s POV, where he had monologues with himself, trying to think the way Ishikura could be thinking because the guy had been acting weird. Or was just his irrational fear, because he saw Ishikura in a different light now after that confession?

I really enjoyed psychological stories, so this was definitely right up my alley. There were a lot of references to mountaineering and disabilities relating to height that I am not familiar with. The illustration style was not really my cup of tea, which was why this one was rated 4 stars.

Although a great idea and a good proposal at the beginning, it was still too cliché in the execution, slow pace, and a plot twist at the end that, while nice, didn't work that much for me. The art is definitely dated, but it was okay. All in all, it was a quick, simple reading that didn't do much for me.

An intriguing psychological drama exploring guilt and morality, Confession keeps readers engaged with its tense storytelling and expressive artwork. However, the pacing felt slow at times, and some moments dragged more than necessary. While the themes are thought-provoking, the execution didn’t fully captivate me. A decent read, but not a standout.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

This was filled with suspense and the illustrations were beautifully done. I perhaps enjoyed the illustrations more than the story. The twists weren’t unexpected, which was a shame.

this was SUCH a good thriller manga. it really got my heart racing!! thank you so much for this galley 🥰

Stuck on the top of a mountain and in a blizzard two men have no idea how far they are from the cabin they’ve been hiking to and fear they’ll die in the snow without help. A deathbed confession is made from a character who thinks he won’t make it out alive, but to his surprise his companion saves him. But now that the confession of murder has been exposed the clock starts to tick on if they can trust each other and who will make it out alive!

This had a great twist I didn’t expect to happen! Very tense story!

Thanks Netgalley and Kodansha Comics | Vertical Comics for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.
It was an AMAZING trip.
A true descent into the darkest parts of human sanity in the face of the unexpected and tragedy.

When two friends get stranded on a mountain during a hike in the middle of the winter, one of them makes a confession that will alter their relationship unequivocally. Throughout this one volume, we follow the psychological turmoil of both friends, as they try to survive until help comes.

The wintry setting, the constant snow and the darkness set an incredible atmosphere for this thriller, enhancing the sense of chill and foreboding that comes with the story. The translation was also excellent, as expected of Emily Balistrieri.

definitely a good book. its really just not my vibe. i think its worth reading for sure! personally, i dnf’d this at 70% but other people would for sure enjoy this!!

Confession is a deeply psychological thriller manga that examines how quickly unexpected vulnerability and the threat of an uncertain future can make men descend into madness.

When 2 men go mountain climbing a horrible accident leaves one seriously injured. Sure he was dying he decides to un urden his soul and confess to a horrible crime. Why die with the stain of murder on his soul?
Only problem? His companion does all he can to get them to shelter and call for help. Seems he's not gonna die after all...now what?

Now that's a heck of a dilemma. He's gonna live but only so he can be arrested when he gets down the mountain.

I love the situation Kawaguchi puts the characters in. So you take what you deserve, kill yourself, or get rid of the new witness?

The slow build as each character decides on the others actions and fate is downright palpable. This was so well written and illustrated. You could feel both sets of panic and the howling storm that keeps them trapped together.

Recommended. Published 12/17/2024

Thanks to @Netgalley and Kodansha Comics | Vertical Comics for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.