It’s kind of sad that there aren’t more dark, gritty science fiction stories out there. But it’s cool to see that people really dig them when they do pop up.
Adding that spooky, mysterious vibe to fiction always kicks things up a notch. That’s probably why dark romance is so popular it’s got that extra edge that regular romance doesn’t always have.
Dark, creepy themes in any story, whether it’s a book, movie, or whatever, tend to grab more attention. They’ve got this way of getting under your skin and making you think deep thoughts.
They take you on a different journey compared to the usual stuff, and that’s what fans love about them. This is why a super creative story that mixes mystery with believable science stuff is what makes top-notch science fiction.
When you throw in some darkness and make people question their existence, it takes the story from good to incredible.
But you know what really kicks it up a notch? Adding cool pictures and art. That’s why manga and manhwa hit home so hard with their fans.
1) Evolution: Road To Space Monster
Evolution: Road to Space Monster is like the manhwa version of the game Alien: Isolation or the Alien movies, but with a twist. Instead of following the humans, it’s all about the alien’s perspective.
Picture a sci-fi game set in outer space with all the usual stuff: action, suspense, and super-detailed artwork. The difference here is that the main character is actually the bad guy of the series.
It’s a unique take that might leave you torn between loving it or not so much. In Evolution: Road to Space Monster, moral and ethical questions take a back seat because the main character is an alien whose survival depends on killing and eating humans.
Every life he takes makes him stronger, helping him climb the ladder within the system. It’s a bit like Solo Leveling, but here, we’re seeing things from the perspective of a monster heading its world.
2) L.A.G.
L.A.G. takes the power-scaling genre manhwa to a whole new level. It’s like the grown-up, darker cousin of popular series like Solo Leveling and Omniscient Reader.
It follows a similar structure, with the main character facing all sorts of disturbing and gruesome challenges for his character development and growth.
L.A.G. throws in some sci-fi elements and ramps up the violence to the max. L.A.G., the stage is set in a super high-tech building with tons of floors, each one like a level in a game.
Our heroes and other characters are trapped inside this building and have to battle their way through hordes of monsters to reach the bottom floor and break free.
Life in L.A.G. is like a never-ending loop. Every time someone dies, the whole thing resets, starting the game all over again.
3) Never-Ending Darling
Never-Endling Darling seems like your run-of-the-mill drama manhwa at first glance, with its unique art style being the only standout feature.
It sneaks in a subtle sci-fi scenario with lots of little details and mixes in elements from other genres too. It’s like a rollercoaster of surprises that keeps you hooked from start to finish.
Never-Endling Darling dives deep into biology and DNA cloning, but in a way that’s subtle yet unsettling. The main character, Yun Ha-im, is head over heels for a guy who makes a living by cloning people.
Despite the weirdness of their situation, their life seems pretty normal, and they’ve been happily together for five years.
That is until Ha-im discovers her own dead body in their home, along with a note telling her she’s not real. Talk about a plot twist!
4) Monster Child
In anime and manga, it’s pretty common to see stories about supernatural kids and teens locked up because they’ve got these crazy powers they can’t control.
Elfen Lied is a prime example of that. Usually, they end up busting out and causing chaos until they meet someone they can trust.
Monster Child follows a similar path but dives deeper. It’s not just about the powers; it adds a bunch of heavy psychological stuff and other intense themes into the mix.
Monster Child tells the story of a high-school dropout who’s down on his luck. He just lost his job and is scrambling for cash.
Then, out of the blue, he meets this shady guy who offers him a large of money for showing up at a certain spot. Even though he’s skeptical and cautious, he’s so desperate for cash that he reluctantly agrees to the dodgy deal.
Turns out, his gut feeling was right on the money. After accepting the offer, he gets drugged and wakes up in a creepy room covered in bloodstains.
And to make matters weirder, he’s not alone. There’s a strange baby named Charlotte with him. He’s not just fighting to save himself but also to protect this baby from whatever horrors are lurking in the shadows of that room.
5) Gepetto
In the distant future of Gepetto, humanity faces the fallout of a risky decision. They’ve gone and made their robots way too human-like, with heaps of personality and feelings.
But there is a surprise these robots start getting out of hand and team up to grab power. It creates chaos however, against all odds, humanity fights back and regains control over these AI armies, reclaiming their territory in the end.
Now that the dust has settled after the war and humanity has come out on top, they’re faced with a whole new set of problems.
Their economy’s in shambles, and they’ve got no resources left to rebuild. But here’s the kicker: Dr. Gepetto, the genius behind those super advanced robots, has a dark secret up his sleeve. And if it gets out, it could kick off another disastrous conflict, making things even worse than before.
6) Dogma
One of the big hitters in the dark fantasy sci-fi anime scene is Ergo Proxy, a cyberpunk-themed series. It dives deep into the idea of robots becoming self-aware and grappling with human emotions out of the blue.
Enter Dogma is cut from the same cloth a cyberpunk-themed dark sci-fi story that’s so creepy, it keeps readers on edge but totally hooked at the same time.
What sets Dogma apart from other books and anime in the same vein is how it handles the relationship between humans and robots.
Instead of the typical setup where robots are just slaves to humans and eventually revolt against mistreatment, Dogma flips the script.
It shows a world where humans and robots are more on equal ground, which adds a fresh twist to the usual narrative.
Humans want to attain the strength and physical resilience robots have, and robots want human emotions. It’s an odd relationship that is dealt with, through layers of philosophical themes and existential dread for both parties.
7) Automata
Automata is like the ultimate example of a dark sci-fi manhwa that’s been mixed just right. The art in Automata is all about futuristic stuff, with crazy tech gadgets, super advanced humans, and a really unique spin on artificial intelligence.
It’s like the art fits the story perfectly. Kim Dazzi, the creator, is famous for their dark, gritty art style and their way of flipping generic fantasy and supernatural ideas on their head.
TACIT, another one of their works, is also a masterpiece in its own right. Automata dives into a world where everything relies heavily on machines and technology.
But here’s the kicker: machines are just machines, made up of bits and pieces of metal and screws. They can’t take care of themselves they need humans to keep them in tip-top shape.
In this story, though, fixing up these machines is no walk in the park. It’s actually super risky and needs experts with some serious powers to pull off.
In Automata, these pros have a wild trick up their sleeves: they can move their minds to a place that’s like a middle ground between the real world and the machine world.
But here’s the catch: if by some unlucky chance they get stuck in this middle space, there’s no getting them back. They’re just stuck there, like glitches or viruses in the system.
8) Beware the Villainess! (2020)
Beware the Villainess! starts off when a tired college student has a car accident and wakes up as Melissa Fodderbrat, the villainess from a famous romance book.
With this new life, Melissa doesn’t want to be the bad guy anymore. She promises to live her life fully and try to avoid any bad luck that comes her way.
With cute artwork and funny jokes that always land, Beware the Villainess! is a delightful romantic comedy featuring a refreshingly independent female lead.
While the romance part might be a bit slow, and the connection between Melissa and her destined partner isn’t perfect, the series is still enjoyable to read. It’s not afraid to break away from typical romance story patterns.
9) When The Villainess Is In Love (2020)
When The Villainess Is In Love is about Emma, whose soul switches with her favorite book character, Princess Libertia.
Libertia is cursed and destined to die, so Emma wants to change that fate. She also wants to help the other characters in the book, and she can’t help but fangirl over how good-looking they are.
The Villainess’ new personality makes her get closer to characters like Eugene De Volton, Kain De Eirik, Herrace, and Daniel.
At first, it might seem like there’s going to be a love triangle with lots of interests, but as the story goes on, it’s clear that only one guy will win Libertia’s heart.
The manhwa explores themes like sisterhood, love, trust, and how Libertia tries to change her favorite characters’ fate.
10) Empress of Another World (2016)
Empress of Another World tells the story of Sabina, a typical college student who suddenly finds herself in a whole new world after a truck accident.
Sadly, she gets caught up in the tricky politics of the cruel royal court when she’s sent to be one of the Emperor’s concubines.
The story kicks into high gear when the Emperor is killed on the same night, and Sabina makes a deal with the murderer, the handsome Crown Prince Lucretius, to survive and hopefully find a way back home.
Even though they seem like an odd pair, Sabina and Lucretius slowly fall in love, keeping readers engaged until the end.
In general, Empress of Another World is a great series with a wonderfully crafted romance, lots of excitement, and a fantastic ending.
11) Ellin’s Solhwa (2019)
Unlike many romance manhwa set in the West, Ellin’s Solhwa takes place in the East. This makes for a really special story with amazing artwork, interesting characters, and writing that keeps you interested the whole time.
The story is about Ellin, a woman in her mid-twenties, whose life gets really tough after her mom dies. Ellin has the same sickness as her mom, and her life isn’t going well until one day she collapses while dealing with a difficult customer.
When she wakes up, she’s in the body of Solhwa, the fourth wife of a tough king in a place called the Xyaran Empire.
Even though the idea seems common, Ellin’s Solhwa is actually a really exciting mix of romance and drama. It’s definitely a hidden gem and one of the best historical romance manhwa out there.
12) A Stepmother’s Märchen (2019)
The timeline of A Stepmother’s Märchen begins after the sad death of Marchioness Shuli Von Neuschwanstein.
She travels seven years back in time with the knowledge of what will happen in the future. Shuli aims to earn the trust of the Neuschwanstein children so she can change the sad events that happened in their past.
The story of A Stepmother’s Märchen is really special because it shows beautiful family moments and introduces characters you’ll really care about.
The plot is interesting and keeps you hooked. As the story goes on, the relationship between the main characters, Shuli and Nora, brings a lot of warmth and excitement.
It’s a beloved historical manhwa because of its great storytelling, characters you’ll love, and amazing artwork.
13) Bring the Love (2019)
Leah Hildebrandt is the oldest daughter in her family, known for being smart, beautiful, and super talented. But when her younger brother is away, Leah has to marry someone for political reasons to keep her family’s reputation intact.
What starts as just a political marriage ends up turning into something deeper and more meaningful.
In a type of story where many love interests are not so nice, Bring the Love is different because Roxant, the main guy, is actually perfect despite his tough reputation.
The story also does a good job with the other characters and their relationships. Even though the art might look different at first, the story is so good that it doesn’t matter. It’s a great choice for anyone who wants a nice, happy romance story.
14) Revenge Wedding (2020)
Mercedia Sasha is known as the prettiest woman in the Empire, but she really doesn’t want to get married.
However, she ends up stuck on an island with Admiral Demetriu Cyprosa, a famous war hero. They have to get married to leave the island.
Luckily, they both have a reputation for being not so nice, which strangely makes them a good match.
The strong connection between Demetriu and Mercedia makes this series really addictive.
Revenge Wedding is great from beginning to end, with stunning artwork, lots of funny moments, and romantic scenes that will keep you hooked. Plus, the main character isn’t afraid to be a bit vain or petty, which adds to the fun.
15) The Villainess is a Marionette (2021)
After being killed, the main character of The Villainess is a Marionette finds out she’s been transported into the fantasy world of a web novel called The Lady of the Black Rose.
In this world, she becomes Kayena Hill, the elder sister of the Emperor of Eldyme and the villainess of the story.
She realizes Kayena’s life isn’t much different from hers. Feeling sorry for Kayena and her situation, she decides she’s had enough of being controlled and promises to live her life freely, without being manipulated.
So, Kayena starts her journey to break free from her puppet strings, and she finds love on the way. Although it may have some small issues with how fast things happen and how they’re done.
The Villainess is a Marionette is visually amazing. The art and character designs are stunning, making it worth reading despite its flaws.
Honorable Mentions
Ienai Koto The Animation
Unlocking Her
