Maoni, or マオニ, is a Japanese horror manga by Usamaru Furuya, originally serialized in 2003. The story is set in a contemporary Japanese city and revolves around a mysterious, childlike figure in a demon mask who commits a series of brutal, seemingly random murders. The narrative follows a police detective, Sugimoto, who is assigned to the case. As he investigates, he becomes obsessed with the killer’s psychology and the cryptic symbols left at the crime scenes. Simultaneously, the manga explores the lives of the killer’s victims and bystanders, revealing their hidden anxieties and societal pressures. A secondary plot involves a young woman, Yuki, who has a disturbing connection to the masked assailant from her past. The narrative arcs alternate between Sugimoto’s procedural deductions and the killer’s perspective, which is depicted as surreal and detached. The story builds toward a confrontation that blurs the line between pursuer and pursued, culminating in a revelation about the killer’s identity and motivation tied to childhood trauma and urban alienation. The manga concludes with an ambiguous resolution, leaving the cycle of violence potentially unbroken.