MENACE

Menace is a manga series created by Haruto Umezawa, originally serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump during the mid-1990s. Umezawa, who is perhaps best known for his work on the delinquent-themed series BØY, utilized Menace to explore gritty, suspense-driven storytelling within the seinen-adjacent landscape of the era. The narrative focuses on high-stakes tension and dark character archetypes, reflecting the artist's signature bold linework and kinetic action sequences.

The series emerged during a period of transition in Shonen Jump, as the magazine sought to experiment with more mature themes beyond the standard battle-shonen formula. Umezawa’s design approach for Menace emphasized sharp contrasts and expressive, slightly exaggerated anatomy that characterized much of his portfolio. While the series did not reach the same long-term cultural ubiquity as his earlier hits, it remains a notable example of Umezawa's stylistic evolution and his attempt to bridge the gap between classic delinquent tropes and psychological thriller elements.