Boy's Abyss

Boy's Abyss is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Ryō Minenami. It ran in Shueisha's seinen magazine Weekly Young Jump from February 27, 2020 to July 25, 2024, spanning 18 collected volumes. The story follows Reiji Kurose, a high school student trapped in a suffocating small town where everyone seems to be hiding something. When a chance encounter with a mysterious woman named Esemori pulls him into a world of dark desires and buried secrets, Reiji finds himself spiraling into an abyss of obsession, trauma, and forbidden relationships.

Minenami crafts a tense psychological drama that explores themes of depression, societal pressure, and the search for escape. The manga's raw depiction of mental health and its unflinching look at the darker side of human nature have drawn comparisons to works like The Flowers of Evil and Welcome to the N.H.K. The character of Esemori, in particular, became a lightning rod for discussion in online manga communities, often cited as one of the most manipulative and compelling female antagonists in recent manga. A four-episode live-action television drama adaptation aired from September 16 to October 7, 2022, starring Yūki Yamada as Reiji Kurose, Miyu Yoshimoto as Nagi Aoe, and Yoshiko Miyazaki as Esemori.[edit]