An optically anisotropic pitch, which is suited for manufacturing particularly high compressive strength carbon fibers in a stable fashion, with satisfactory productivity and continuously, and also a method of manufacturing high compressive strength carbon fibers using the optically anisotropic pitch.The optically anisotropic pitch for manufacturing high compressive strength carbon fibers is composed of a benzene soluble component (BS) and a benzene insoluble component (BI) and has a Q value (i.e., weight-average molecular weight divided by number-average molecular weight) of 1.6 or below, a number-average molecular weight ratio of the benzene soluble component to the benzene insoluble component of 2.5 or below, an aromatic carbon fraction factor (fa) of 0.8 or below, a C/H atomic ratio of 1.85 or below and an optically anisotropic phase of 90% or more.