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.

Wow! This was a wild ride of manga. The art style had slight vibes of the 90s which I loved. But the story was where it really picked up. I loved the twist at the end, no spoilers though, and how it all played out. I was not expecting it at all which is always the sign of a good psychological thriller. I also loved that it was a contained story. The panels have a good mix of text to art and all in all I really enjoyed this one, so much so I will be getting a physical copy.

As always thank you to Kodansha Comics and Netgalley for the copy to review, my reviews are always honest and freely given.

This manga starts as soon as Ishikura confesses his darkest secret to Asai when he is badly injured. Though at that moment, he starts to become worried that he might try to tell someone about the murder Ishikura committed, and the story begins here.

This manga is a great one at describing how your thoughts can be manipulated by your own hand. Throughout the manga, Asai keeps thinking his friend might murder him because of the confession he made, and that makes him worried about Ishikura. It's a constant battle of what they are thinking versus what is actually going on.

The art in this manga is very detailed and beautiful. It reminded me of previous mangas I've read before, but this one has an originality to it, it made the story feel more alive and even in black and white it felt vibrant.

It was a fast read and a very solid one if you're looking for a fast-paced action thriller, it was great; 3.5 stars.

This was so good!! I had the feeling that there had to be more to the story and I was right. Some might have seen it coming but I didn’t! I thought it was just a story about the slow mental decline of two men as they succumbed to paranoia but then!!!
I really recommend this story. The art is great and the plot has you twisted up in knots until the end. It’s so easy to fall into the anxiety they’re feeling. A well crafted thriller!

I was fascinated by the synopsis and excited to check out Confession. Full disclosure, this was my first foray into manga. Once a confession has been made, it can’t be taken back. Two men are stranded on a mountain in the freezing cold. When one confesses to a horrible act as a ‘deathbed confessional’, both have to carry the burden of paranoia and suspicion as they wait for help to arrive. The art is technically decent but it didn’t grab me or evoke any emotional connection to the characters who were both rather unlikeable. The story itself didn’t hold my attention or compel me to keep reading, which was the greater difficulty. Often lacking true suspense, I lost interest in the story quickly and had to make myself get through it. I have nothing to compare it to in the genre. For manga lovers, this may be just what you’re looking for so give it a shot for yourself.

Psychological thriller of closed space and oppressive atmosphere, in which once the confession is made we see how the two friends are closing in on themselves and thinking about whether or not they should care that the other knows and survives. It was initially published as a series, which would explain that around the middle of the manga there is a part that seems a little repetitive, but once it is solved I got hooked again and had a final surprise. (A one time, I thought it was going to be a dream caused by altitude sickness, because it can't be that the Japanese police are so clumsy).

The drawing is in black and white and the human figures are very recognizable as Japanese, even with the big eyes.

I have seen that there is a version in Italian and French, in addition to English; and also that last year a film adaptation was made.

PS Be aware this is a manga and you have to start reading back to front. Also use double page or you’ll missed some good illustrations.

Thank you to @Netgalley and @Kodansha for letting me receive the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

I didn't hate this manga but I wouldn't say that I enjoyed my time reading it either. This manga was disappointing since the plot sounds amazing.

Sadly it took me two weeks to get back to it and finish it. I just kept not wanting to pick it back up.

The suspense in this manga was not very suspenseful which I think is key to a good thriller/suspense manga.
I didn't care for either of the character which made it hard to care what happened to them. I was going to rate this two stars but the twist at the end convinced me to give it a 2.5 stars.

I honestly don't see my self rereading this. Maybe this manga was just not for me. I do read a lot of thriller novels so maybe I am just picky when a thriller doesn't have me on the edge of my seat. I have read better winter thrillers. I really wanted to love this manga!

I have a e-arc of this manga and the physical of this since I had already pre-ordered it before receiving an e-arc through Netgalley. I am probably going to un-haul my physical copy.