Dark Souls is getting a new manga. There are already quite a few mangas and comics based on the grisly soulsborne game, but here’s hoping that this one finally makes use of all the horrifying creatures that lurk in this world.
Yen Press announced the new manga via Twitter: “The Flame is lit. A nameless woman wakes. A must-have for any FromSoftware fans, Dark Souls: Redemption brings us back to its haunting, familiar world in this original Dark Souls story.” You can also pre-order the manga now on Yen Press’ website.
One of the several iterations we’ve seen in the last few years includes an Elden Ring manga a few years ago, which was packed with gags and jokes as it took on a comedic slice-of-life vibe. The adaptation was done by Nikiichi Tobita, who is known for the equally funny A Cursed Sword’s Daily Life.
I enjoyed it for what it was: a lighthearted read, and it was funny to see a point of view that was ridiculously clued into the experience of the average player. Plus, it definitely helped that you could get the first couple of chapters for free. But I did still miss the grotesque monstrosities, body horror, and general uneasy vibe that I love from the games. So here’s hoping the new Dark Souls manga makes full use of everything on offer and isn’t just a string of gags.
Luckily, it seems like this original story will take things a little more seriously. It follows the story of an unnamed woman and a warrior who is bound by an oath to protect her: “He safeguards her against the dangers that draw near with the same ferocity he does the secrets of his past,” the description on the Yen Press website reads. “The Gray Cinders gather in their tower, called by the fire to complete their solemn duty. A colossus, incarnate of death, stirs with the bones beneath the scarred grounds. And a nightmare scourge of a bygone era returns to exact its toll. The fate of this land hangs in the balance as their journey unfolds.”
While this description doesn’t guarantee horror and grotesque blood, guts, and gore, it does sound promising. The prospect of a Dirty Colossus is horrifying enough for me with its fat maggot-like growth for a head and the brown slime that covers it. And I’m looking forward to finding out what this “nightmare scourge of a bygone era” ends up being.
