Junji Ito has undeniably shaped horror manga as we know it, following in the footsteps of legends like Kazuo Umezu, while also forging a path of his own, full of unforgettable series from full-lengths to adaptations and short story collections. His unique and instantly recognizable style has made him a household name among not only manga fans but horror fans worldwide. From dental tech to one of the most prolific creators of our time, Junji Ito has had a massive impact on horror. His works are filled with highly detailed, stylized panels, unsettling atmospheres, and gore that’s strangely beautiful. But there’s always more to his stories than what meets the eye.
Watching interviews with Junji Ito has given me a better understanding of him and his work. If you are struggling to get into Junji Ito, I highly recommend doing this, especially his episode on Urasawa Naoki no Manben. He’s been labeled a horror master by nearly everyone, including his publishers, and while I agree after reading all his series, there’s more to him than just that title. He comes across as this down-to-earth, likable guy who genuinely loves creating his quirky world of horrors, which makes me love his works even more.
Junji Ito’s stories, though horror-filled, often have a playful, campy, and imaginative side to them, morphing from horror into comedy and social commentary. In an interview with Naoki Urasawa, Ito admitted that perhaps he’s never really grown up, and you can feel that endless child-like sense of wonder, albeit a twisted one, in his storytelling. While his stories bring these bizarre, out-there terrors to life, he tells them in a way that feels oddly believable, even when they’re often far beyond our usual understanding by blending reality with the uncanny. He has a knack for making the everyday uncertainties or fears we may have felt anything but ordinary and this is part of what makes his works so interesting.
From cosmic horror to body horror, psychological, supernatural stories, and sci-fi horror, Junji Ito has explored nearly every horror subgenre through his unique lens. And while reading his works, you can tell he’s a true horror fan at heart. He pays homage to his influences, like Kazuo Umezu, but still manages to keep his works completely original, carving out his own space in the genre as few others have before. When you see an Ito manga it’s instantly recognizable.
This is just a glimpse of what Junji Ito brings to the table, but I’ll let his works speak for themselves. In this post, I’ll be diving into all of his series available in English, starting with his 12 short story collections, followed by his two adaptations, and wrapping up with his seven full-length works. I’ll also share my personal favorites and the best starting points for newcomers along the way. If you’d like an inside and all-around look at all of Junji Ito’s manga, be sure to check out my video on YouTube below as well.
Guide to Junji Ito Video
Junji Ito Story Collections
Junji Ito is known for his short story collections, with 12 released in English and more sure to be on the way. Junji Ito has said in interviews that he likes doing short stories because they lend themselves well to horror, but also because it allows him to get his ideas out in a concise way.
Since it’s hard to talk about short stories without giving too much away, I’ll go over what’s inside each collection and highlight my favorite stories. Since there are so many collections, it can be hard to know where to start, and collecting them all can get pricey. With that in mind, I’ll also let you know the ones I recommend getting into most.
Soichi: Junji Ito Story Collection
Soichi: Junji Ito Story Collection is a collection of ten short stories all about Junji Ito’s well-known and twisted prankster, Soichi. While he shows up in a few new stories in Smashed as an older version of himself, this collection is about Soichi’s origins. It covers his times as a kid and teenager, showing the early days and antics at home. Included are stories where he torments his siblings and cousins when they visit from Tokyo, messing with his classmates, and even working with his teacher, who tries to help him and sees himself within Soichi as a once troubled kid.
One of my favorite stories involves Soichi and his older brother, who’s trying to study for exams but can’t because Soichi is driving him nuts with constant noise. Instead of just dealing with the problem head-on, their dad decides to hire a construction company to soundproof the room. Of course, though, things go sideways as Soichi takes this chance to prank his brother in a truly over-the-top way. Soichi’s pranks are always elaborate and just twisted enough to still be hilarious, so it’s an entertaining read.
His family just brushes off his actions like he’s some rebellious, odd kid, who you know, only puts nails in their mouth and shoots them out at people, talks to dolls, refers to himself as Lord Me, and curses anyone who ignores or makes fun of him, to name a few. They spoil him, which only adds to the humor, but also adds this layer of concern, as you the reader know, just how dangerous Soichi could later become if someone doesn’t step in. There’s a layer of seriousness to Soichi when you think about it. Even though it’s all written in good fun if you’re someone who’s ever felt out of place—like me—you might find Soichi relatable at times. He’s an extreme version of the black sheep in a family or the misfit in the class, but there’s something about him that can hit close to home, even though he takes it to a whole other level.
Soichi is a messed-up prankster and misfit who is in love with everything dark, but there’s something about him that’s fun to watch. If you’re a fan of Soichi, this collection is a must-read. But if you’re not a fan of Soichi, you might want to skip this one since it’s all about him. Some may find him annoying, but I enjoy watching his twisted little pranks play out. Whether or not you pick up this collection, though, will depend on how you feel about Soichi as a character.
Smashed: Junji Ito Story Collection
If you asked me on any given day what my favorite Junji Ito collection is, one day I’d say Shiver and another day I’d say Smashed. Smashed is full of stories I love because they’re either twisted or wacky in the best way possible. It has this perfect balance between serious and comedic stories, which Junji Ito is so well-known for. This collection has 13 short stories: Bloodsucking Darkness, Ghosts of Prime Time, Roar, Earthbound, Death Row Doorbell, The Mystery of the Haunted House, The Mystery of the Haunted House: Soichi’s Version, Soichi’s Beloved Pet, In Mirror Valley, I Don’t Want to Be a Ghost, Library Vision, Splendid Shadow Song, and Smashed.
My favorite story in this one has to be Earthbound. It’s about people who mysteriously become tied to certain locations, and the twist in this one is perfect—probably my favorite twist in any of his short stories. I also really loved Death Row Doorbell, which explores the concept of forgiveness and grudges in a really interesting way. It’s about a family who was terrorized by a gang, resulting in the death of two family members, and it dives into how they cope with that trauma. Then there’s The Mystery of the Haunted House, The Mystery of the Haunted House: Soichi’s Version, and Soichi’s Beloved Pet, which all involve Soichi—a boy, whose rebelliousness turns into terror.
In these stories, Soichi is older and runs a haunted house that moves from town to town. We get two versions of the story, one from a third-person perspective and another from Soichi’s, plus a story about Soichi and his family’s pet cat. There’s one panel in Soichi’s Beloved Pet that’s one of my favorites. Soichi’s stories are a bit silly at times, but I enjoy this about them. In Mirror Valley is another good one. It’s about two groups in a village that begin to hate each other and start putting up mirrors that reflect the other group’s faces at them. I Don’t Want to Be a Ghost was also interesting. It’s about a girl found with blood on her face by a guy driving near the woods. He thinks she’s a ghost, but when he takes her to the hospital, she seems normal…until things take a dark turn later when they start seeing each other.
The last three stories—Library Vision, Splendid Shadow Song, and Smashed—are some of my favorites in the collection. Library Vision explores obsession to the point of madness, focusing on a character who constantly checks his mother’s library, terrified that a book might go missing. It’s a bit more psychological, and I loved the mystery behind it.
Splendid Shadow Song is about a girl who can’t get a song out of her head after hearing it performed by a street musician. It dives into how noise can affect our well-being, and it was one I enjoyed.
Finally, Smashed is about a guy who brings home nectar from South America that tastes better than anything he’s ever had. He shares it with a friend, but the locals give him one warning: don’t be seen while enjoying it. The consequence is grim if you are. The final panel of this story is good, and the buildup is great too.
There were a few stories I didn’t enjoy as much as the others, but they were good, like Bloodsucking Darkness, Ghosts of Prime Time, and Roar. Bloodsucking Darkness is about a girl with an eating disorder who meets a guy trying to help her in a pretty strange way, while Ghosts of Prime Time was my least favorite of the collection. It’s about a comedy duo who somehow makes everyone laugh like they’re possessed even though they aren’t funny at all. And Roar is about an MC who has a vision of a flash flood that destroyed a village.
They aren’t bad, but they just don’t hit as hard as the others, but the ones that did make this collection one of his best. Especially Earthbound—it’s one of the best stories Junji Ito has ever written. With Soichi popping up multiple times and stories like Death Row Doorbell, Library Vision, Smashed, and Splendid Shadow Song, this collection showcases why Junji Ito is so good at what he does.
Dissolving Classroom
Dissolving Classroom is a collection of short stories, but the first five focus on the same siblings—Yuuma and his little sister Chizumi—who move from town to town, leaving horrors in their wake. If you’re into devilish stories, these five are worth reading for that alone. Alongside those, there are two additional stories at the end, The Return and Children of Earth, which are both just six pages each. They’re short but have some interesting panels.
I liked this collection, especially for the stories about Yuuma and Chizumi. Yuuma is this young man obsessed with the devil, and he gets some weird satisfaction out of apologizing to people, while Chizumi is an absolute terror. Their chapters have some pretty gross panels, and in Uncanny, Junji Ito mentioned he wrote these stories during a time when he was constantly apologizing to people. It was his way of expressing how annoyed he was with doing so. The final story with these two wraps things up nicely as well.
Overall, Dissolving Classroom is a good collection. Not my favorite, but not the worst. I wouldn’t recommend this as a first read, but if you’re already a fan, it’s worth checking out.
Shiver: Junji Ito Story Collection
Shiver: Junji Ito Story Collection collects 9 short stories, plus a bonus story at the end. The stories included are Used Record, Shiver, Fashion Model, Hanging Blimp, Marionette Mansion, Painter, The Long Dream, Honored Ancestors, and Greased, and Fashion Model: Cursed Frame.
Out of all the stories in Shiver, Hanging Blimp is my favorite. It’s about these creepy doppelgängers that show up to taunt and hunt people, but the twist is that they have these massive balloon heads. The designs and artwork in this story are some of Junji Ito’s best, and it’s one of my favorite short stories of his.
Next up for me is Shiver, which is about accursed jade stone. Whoever owns it is cursed, and the way the curse plays out is terrifying. I also enjoyed Used Record. It’s about a haunting tune on a rare record that people end up killing each other over. The reveal in this one was great. Also included is Fashion Model. It’s about a fashion model, but she’s not what you’d expect—she has a sinister, unique look. I liked her character design. I also recommend reading Fashion Model before jumping into Smashed since there’s a connection to another story in that collection that makes the experience even better if you read this one first.
Another familiar face makes an appearance in Shiver—Tomie. She shows up in Painter, a story about a painter who becomes known thanks to his muse, but when Tomie enters the picture, demanding he capture her true beauty, things, as expected, don’t go according to plan.
Marionette Mansion was good too. It’s about a family of traveling puppeteers, but when the father dies, one of the sons decides to live as a puppet himself, he and his family are now controlled by puppeteers in the rafters. The idea of losing autonomy and being entirely controlled by others creeped me out.
The Long Dream is about a man who has dreams that last longer and longer, some feeling like years. The thought of dreams lasting an eternity, even though they’re only an instant in real life, is unnerving.
Honored Ancestors was also memorable for me. It’s about a girl who loses her memory, and as her friend helps her recall what happened, the horrifying events that caused her amnesia come rushing back. The body horror and imagery in this one are incredible. It touches on the idea of passing memories and hopes through generations in a terrifyingly unique way.
Then there’s Greased, which grossed me out. One panel has stuck with me because it was so sickening. The story is about a family living above a barbecue shop, where grease covers everything—walls, clothes, skin. The thought of all that grease sticking to you made me feel so uncomfortable, and the imagery in this one captures that feeling. And finally, included is a bonus story, which is an extension of Fashion Model.
Shiver is one of Junji Ito’s most well-rounded collections, in my opinion. It has a bit of everything that makes him such an amazing creator from body horror and monster stories to psychological horror, social commentary, and more. There were few, if any, stories that didn’t hit the mark for me, which is why I consider it one of his best. When paired with Smashed, Shiver is even better. I recommend reading Shiver first, because there’s a story in Smashed that’s connected to one in this collection, and reading them in that order enhances the experience.
Venus in the Blind Spot
Venus in the Blind Spot collects ten short stories, including two adaptations of Edogawa Ranpo’s works, The Human Chair and An Unearthly Love, as well as originals like Billions Alone, Venus in the Blind Spot, The Licking Woman, Master Umezz and Me, How Love Came to Professor Kirida, The Enigma of Amigara Fault, The Sad Tale of the Principal Post, and Keepsake.
The highlights for me were Billions Alone, which is an eerie story about people being found sewn together into horrifying clusters of sorts. I loved how it explored loneliness and the need for human connection but made the idea of connection feel more terrifying. The Human Chair also was a highlight for me because it’ll make you think twice before sitting in a chair again—it captures the paranoia of the main character perfectly. Venus in the Blind Spot was another favorite. It’s about a UFO research group whose members all mysteriously lose the ability to see the girl at the helm of it all. There’s a twist, of course, and it delivers.
An Unearthly Love was creepy too. It’s about a woman who suspects her husband of cheating after hearing him whispering affections to someone else. But when she tries to catch him, the truth is far more disturbing than she imagined. Then there’s The Enigma of Amigara Fault. Man, this one got to me. The human-shaped holes in the fault line are weird enough, but watching people crawl into them…It’s unsettling, especially if you’re claustrophobic. And Keepsake was a great example of a story where characters are forced to face the consequences of their actions—a man finds a baby in the grave with his late wife, and things unravel from there.
I also enjoyed Master Umezz and Me. It’s more personal, giving us a peek into Junji Ito’s early love for Kazuo Umezu’s works, like The Drifting Classroom, which is one of my favorite horror manga as well, and Cat Eyed Boy. It was nice seeing how those works shaped Ito and learning about his childhood experiences with manga.
The other stories weren’t bad either, just not as memorable for me. The Licking Woman is exactly what it sounds like, it’s about a woman who licks people. This one was gross and the imagery was good. The Sad Tale of the Principal Post was super short, but I liked how it touched on the idea of living to support the ones we love in a morbid way. How Love Came to Professor Kirida had an interesting setup, with a misanthrope professor who belittles an admiring student, which later comes back to haunt him, but the payoff wasn’t as strong as some of the other stories.
All in all, Venus in the Blind Spot is a solid collection with plenty of creepy, unsettling tales. It’s up there for me, though I still love Shiver, Smashed, Fragments of Horror, and Tombs more. That said, though, the Edogawa Ranpo adaptations and stories like Billions Alone and The Enigma of Amigara Fault make this collection well worth picking up if you end up enjoying the collections I recommend later on for beginners.
Lovesickness: Junji Ito Story Collection
The Lovesickness collection fittingly kicks off with “Lovesickness,” which follows Ryusuke and his return to his hometown, where people obsess over “Crossroads fortunes” given by random passersby. When a mysterious, handsome boy appears, tragic deaths occur, and Ryusuke tries to stop him. This was my favorite story in this collection because it highlights society’s obsession with idols through a dark and twisted lens.
Other standouts in this collection are “The Strange Hikizuri Siblings,” which is more slapstick, “The Rib Woman,” which has gruesomely beautiful art, and “Phantom Mansion,” which uniquely explores the concept of pain.
The art in this collection is classic Junji Ito—wonderfully gory, chilling, and beautifully detailed, so it doesn’t disappoint in this regard. Although I will say that Lovesickness sits somewhere in the middle of Ito’s collections for me, it’s still worth reading for the standout stories alone. I wouldn’t recommend it as your first Junji Ito short story collection, there are others here I’ll recommend first, but if you’re already a fan of his work and enjoy his short stories, it’s one to check out.
Tombs: Junji Ito Story Collection
Tombs: Junji Ito Story Collection is another release that has 9 short stories in it, including Tombs, Clubhouse, Slug Girl, The Window Next Door, Washed Ashore, The Strange Tale of the Tunnel, Bronze Statue, Floaters, and The Bloody Story of Shirosuna.
I think Tombs overall is one of his strongest and it has some of my favorite short stories by Junji Ito, including Tombs, which takes a look at what it means to truly be at peace in death and the dangers that come with disturbing said peace, Clubhouse, which showcases group divide and groupthink in a truly effective and chilling way. It highlights what it means to be in the middle, and it’s about choosing sides, and more importantly, the horrors that can happen if you don’t. To me, these two were fresh ideas and they explored human nature in a way that I found to be interesting.
Slug Girl had some panels I’ll never get out of my head. When a creator takes something you normally find to be adorable, in my case snails, and then suddenly makes you terrified of them, it’s a successful story. I can’t say what scene of this one disturbed me most but when you see it, you’ll know. Washed Ashore highlighted the unknowns of the deep sea. I find it fascinating, but this one sets home the idea that we truly don’t know what’s within the deep sea.
The weakest stories, for me, in this collection were The Window Next Door and Bronze Statue, which highlight the concept of beauty and one of the character’s pursuit of it, but the others I mentioned, along with Floaters, which showcases our fear of our deepest secrets being out there and known in a mortifying way. I enjoyed that one as well as The Bloody Story of Shirosuna, which was an out-there yet well-executed tale about a town whose people are all anemic and a young doctor who goes there to investigate. The horrors he finds there wrap this collection up in a nice way.
Overall, Tombs is one of his strongest outings in the short story department. Still not as good as Shiver or Smashed, but it’s up there with my top stories being Tombs, Clubhouse, Slug Girl, and Floaters.
Deserter: Junji Ito Story Collection
Deserter: Junji Ito Story Collection is one of the more recent collections from Junji Ito, featuring some of his earliest works from as early as 1987, just after the release of his first published work, Tomie. It includes 12 short stories: Bio House, Face Thief, Where the Sandman Lives, The Devil’s Logic, The Long Hair in the Attic, Scripted Love, The Reanimator’s Sword, A Father’s Love, Unendurable Labyrinth, Village of the Siren, Bullied, and Deserter.
As someone who’s read all of his works, it was amazing to see the beginning of his career, how much he’s grown over the years, and those early glimpses of the genius he would become, all while enjoying some great stories.
The ones that made this collection worth reading for me were The Long Hair in the Attic, Where the Sandman Lives, A Father’s Love, Scripted Love, Village of the Siren, Bullied, and Deserter. The Long Hair in the Attic is about a girl who grows her hair long for a boy, and the hair ends up kind of growing a mind of its own. The imagery in this one is incredible. Where the Sandman Lives is a grisly tale, showcasing the early days of Junji Ito’s body horror. A Father’s Love stuck with me because it tackles the pressure of living up to your parents’ expectations, and how sometimes parents try to live out their own failed dreams through their kids, even when the kids want something completely different.
Scripted Love is a unique and creepy breakup story about a playboy who sends videos of himself to the girls he breaks up with. It’s weird, but of course, that has some unexpected consequences. Village of the Siren is one of those remote village, cult-worship stories, which I’m always into, and it had some great ideas. Bullied got under my skin. It’s about a girl who has two sides — one sweet and innocent, the other sadistic and cruel — and the ending is just chilling.
And then there’s Deserter, which follows a deserter being harbored by a family who secretly resents him and makes him think the war is still going on. The twist in this one got me. Some of the others, like Face Thief — which is about a girl who steals other girls’ faces — and Unendurable Labyrinth, which looks at the dangers of devout faith, were still good but didn’t hook me as much as the others, while Bio House and The Reanimator’s Sword were the ones I liked least in the collection.
One thing that stood out to me about this collection, though, was getting to see how much Ito’s artwork has improved over time. You get to see where he started and it’s amazing to see how far he’s come since then. If you’re new to Junji Ito, this wouldn’t be the first collection I’d recommend, but if you’re already a fan, it’s worth reading.
Alley: Junji Ito Story Collection
Alley is a collection of ten short stories, including Alley, Descent, The Ward, The Inn, Blessing, Smoker’s Club, Mold, Town of No Roads, Memory, and Ice Cream Bus. My favorites in this collection are Alley—its final scene genuinely creeped me out, Blessing for its unique take on the fear of letting go, and Descent, which dives into the dark side of obsession and overworking oneself, and Blessing, which explores our fear of letting go, but also the persistence that one has for the one they love. The guy in it keeps trying to get a Father’s blessing to marry his daughter, and picturing being in his shoes, made it feel like a nightmare. Plus, it has a nice twist at the end. The Ward had some unique monster designs too and there was something about the hospital setting that made it eerie for me.
I think Alley is one of Junji Ito’s stronger collections. While I’d still rank Shiver and Smashed, Fragments of Horror, and Tombs, higher overall, this one has plenty of standout stories and some panels that I’ll never forget, especially from Alley, Descent, Blessing and The Ward, and Mold for that matter. For some reason, I’ve always been terrified of mold and I’m a clean freak, so Mold made me feel uncomfortable, but if I had to pick the one that stuck with me most, it would be Alley.
That’s the thing about Junji Ito that I feel is pure genius, but it’s also the reason that some people may struggle to connect with some of his short stories. Unless you are disturbed or scared by the particular concept or element of human nature that he’s exploring, it may not affect you as much as it would someone else.
But, as seen in the exploration of his stories so far, he explores a lot of ideas, so there’s sure to be something that will chill or haunt you along the way. As always, though, I don’t think horror has to be scary to be good. Many of Junji Ito’s manga are good because they have a deeper meaning behind them, but if you are in search of something that will make you feel uneasy, keep this in mind while reading.
Fragments of Horror
Fragments of Horror contains eight short stories: Futon, Wooden Spirit, Tomio: Red Turtleneck, Gentle Goodbye, Dissection-chan, Black Bird, Magami Nanakuse, and Whispering Woman.
My favorites are Tomio: Red Turtleneck, Gentle Goodybel, Black Bird, and Dissection-chan. Gentle Goodbye offers a twist where a family’s loved ones remain as afterimages, giving them more time to grieve. Black Bird follows a missing hiker who survives thanks to a mysterious woman feeding him strange meat, but of course, there’s more to the story than meets the eye. Dissection-chan is about a girl obsessed with dissections, eventually desiring to be dissected herself. The panels are gruesomely beautiful.
Overall, Tomio stood out the most for me. It’s a well-thought-out story with amazing panels to match and the thought of having to hold your head on made me feel deeply uncomfortable. I also enjoyed Whispering Woman, which tells the story of a girl plagued by indecision and a woman who helps her manage life. It touches on overwork, abuse, and the lengths people go to ensure the well-being of their loved ones.
Futon was great, though not the strongest. I liked its portrayal of a man becoming a hikikomori due to the horrors he sees and the consequences of his actions, which come back to haunt him. The two stories I didn’t enjoy so much were Magami Nanakuse and Wooden Spirit. Magami Nanakuse follows a fan obsessed with an author who’s fascinated by tics, but it didn’t have the same impact as the others. Wooden Spirit was about a woman who was essentially infatuated with a house, and it fell into the bizarre for the wrong reasons category for me.
Overall, though, Fragments of Horror is one of Junji Ito’s best collections, especially with stories like Tomio, Dissection-chan, and Gentle Goodbye. Despite Junji Ito’s doubts in the afterword at the end, it’s clear he hasn’t lost his touch for horror.
The Liminal Zone
The Liminal Zone is a collection of short stories that Junji Ito wrote during the pandemic, so it’s one of his latest releases, but they are inspired by old ideas he’s collected in a notebook over the years. He also didn’t have a page limit for these short stories given that they were written for an app instead of a magazine. Included in this short story collection are four new stories, Weeping Woman Way, which follows a girl and her significant other as they try to understand why she can’t stop crying, Madonna, The Spirit Flow of Aokigahara, and Slumber so it’s a shorter one, with Liminal Zone part 2 on the way next year.
Personally, this isn’t one I’d recommend to newcomers because I found it to be one of his weaker short story collections overall. Weeping Woman Way was the strongest one in this collection, and I felt this one alone made it worth the read if you are already a fan of his works. I liked Slumber too, because it explores the fear that we don’t truly know what happens when we are asleep and the guy’s life becomes a waking nightmare.
Sleep is meant to be relaxing, but as Junji Ito says in the afterword, reality always sets back in when we wake up. The other two, Madonna, which feels a lot like a witch story or a convent/religious type horrors like Immaculate, The First Omen, or The Nun, and The Spirit Flow of Aokigahara were a bit wacky, particularly The Spirit Flow of Aokigahara. I love Junji Ito’s works because they are many times out there and quirky in the best way possible, but perhaps The Spirit Flow of Aokigahara was a bit too wacky for me. Streamlined humans taking spirit baths that’s all I’ll say.
All in all, if you are a newcomer I’d recommend others, like Shiver, to get started, but if you are a fan of his already, it’s one you’ll want to check out for Weeping Woman Way alone.
Frankenstein: Junji Ito Story Collection
Frankenstein: Junji Ito Story Collection primarily adapts Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, but it also features 10 other short stories: Neck Specter, Bog of the Living Spirits, Pen Pal, Intruder, The Strange Tale of Oshikiri, The Strange Tale of Oshikiri: The Walls, The Hell of the Doll Funeral, Face Firmly in Place, Boss Non-Non, and Hide and Seek with Boss Non-Non. Frankenstein itself takes up 186 pages of this collection.
The main attraction in this one is, of course, Frankenstein, which stays pretty faithful to the events of the original aside from one change he made involving the bride, which I won’t spoil. While I enjoyed seeing Junji Ito bring it to life with his beautiful artwork, I felt he could have pushed the boundaries more, especially with the gore and events in the story. But, I understand the hesitation one may have in changing the classic that is Frankenstein. Nonetheless, the art is stunning, and it’s interesting to experience Shelley’s story through Ito’s lens.
Apart from Frankenstein, the standout stories for me were about a boy named Oshikiri. He appears in multiple stories, and he’s a cheeky character in the best way. These stories explore multiple dimensions and the horrors that unfold as a result. I also really liked The Hell of the Doll Funeral, where children suffer from a phenomenon called “dollification.” The concept was creepy, the panels were amazing, and though it was only six pages, it left me wanting more. It’s a story I’d love to see expanded into something longer.
All in all, if you’re a fan of Frankenstein and want to see Junji Ito’s take, this collection is worth reading. If not, since it makes up the majority of this collection, there are other story collections that I’d recommend getting into first.
Junji Ito’s Adaptations
Next, I’ll go over Junji Ito’s adaptations and full-length releases. While Frankenstein: Junji Ito Story Collection is a partial adaptation of Frankenstein given that it collects other short stories, these next two, Mimi’s Tales of Terror and No Longer Human are full adaptations.
Mimi’s Tales of Terror
Mimi’s Tales of Terror is based on a collection of urban legends from Shin Mimibukuro created by Hirokatsu Kihara and Ichiro Nakayama. I’m not familiar with the original material, but Junji Ito mentions in the afterword that he took quite a few liberties with these stories, so it might be different from the source. If you’ve read the original, please let us know in the comments below!
This collection follows a girl named Mimi and the creepy situations she gets caught up in—from living in an apartment with a tall, silent woman to an apartment balcony that overlooks a cemetery, where things mysteriously shift at night. There’s also a beach haunted by the ghosts of drowning victims and another story where a friend ropes her into solving the disappearance of her family in a cryptic room they find underneath their house while renovating.
The strongest however for me were Seashore and Just the Two of Us, so the second half of this one is a lot stronger than the first. This one also comes with a bonus story Monster Prop that doesn’t feature Mimi at the end which I enjoyed as well. It’s about a group working to make the next scariest horror prop for a haunted house and it has a chilling ending.
What’s cool about this one is that the characters are the same throughout—Mimi, her friends, and her neighbors—and as she moves, travels, and meets new people, the settings change, which keeps things interesting. Mimi seems to always attract the supernatural, which makes for some entertaining stories. I liked that she isn’t always the one haunted—sometimes it’s the people around her—which adds some unpredictability as well.
I enjoyed Mimi’s Tales of Terror, but if you’re new to Junji Ito’s adaptations, I’d recommend No Longer Human first, but this one is a fun read. Most of these stories end with open endings with no clear resolution, which leaves you wondering what happened. I don’t mind open endings, but they have to be near perfect for me to enjoy them—like Oldboy, for example.
If you’re not into unresolved stories, this one might not be for you. But if you like a story that lets your imagination take over, it’s a quick, interesting read. Junji Ito himself said he loved the original because it left things open for interpretation, without giving hackneyed explanations about the existence of ghosts. I will have to see if there’s a way I can get my hands on the original because I have a feeling I’d appreciate this one even more if I give it a read.
No Longer Human
The final adaptation I want to talk about is No Longer Human, based on the story by Osamu Dazai. In my opinion, this is hands down the best adaptation Junji Ito has done so far. Like Frankenstein, I’ve read the original, and it was fascinating to see how Ito put his own spin on it. As you’d expect, he leans more into horror, though No Longer Human is already terrifying from a psychological perspective.
If you’re looking to dive into one of his adaptations, this is the one I recommend most. It ranks high on my list of all his releases. That said, beware before diving in—this one is explicit and mature, and it tackles some really heavy topics, just like the original. It’s a tough read at times. I’ve read three versions of this story: the original, and the two manga adaptations—one by Junji Ito and the other by Usamaru Furuya. While they’re some of my favorites, I don’t have any plans to reread them anytime soon because of how they make me feel.
What makes this story such a perfect fit for Ito’s style is that so much of his work revolves around the fear of people. No Longer Human features an MC who’s also deeply afraid of others, and Ito captures that sense of dread, But if you’re looking for Junji Ito’s traditional quirky brand of horror, it’s not here—at least not in the usual sense. This one has a much more serious tone, and it’s more subtle, and more psychological than anything else.
As for how it compares to the original, Ito kept things pretty faithful to the original but did take some creative liberties. He expanded on certain plot points to flesh out the story more in manga form, and he added some twists at the end of chapters that weren’t in the original. I liked what he did with the story. He added more explanation, giving us deeper insight into some of Dazai’s experiences and relationships, which worked well for the manga.
He pushed the imagery in a unique direction, making the MC’s demons appear to him and showcasing his emotions and thoughts in chilling ways. The way he portrayed Ōba being haunted by ghosts of his past was a nice touch. Dazai’s original leaves a lot of things open to interpretation, and since it’s a semi-autobiographical work, it’s pretty heavy. Junji Ito keeps its tone, but adds more, making it so readers don’t always have to read between the lines.
If you are curious about the original, I highly recommend it—it’s one of my favorites. But if you’re wondering if you need to read it to enjoy Ito’s adaptation, no you don’t. No Longer Human plays into that fear of people concept that Junji Ito is so well-known for, and I appreciate how different this series feels within his body of work. If you’re looking for a more long-form story from Junji Ito that has a literary feel (thanks to it being an adaptation) while also diving deep into the darker, seedier side of humanity, this one is worth the read.
Junji Ito Long-Form Works
Next, I want to go over all of what I consider to be Junji Ito’s full-length or long-form works.
Tomie
Starting with Tomie, which follows, well, Tomie—a femme fatale and immortal succubus with long black hair and a beauty mark under her left eye. She can seduce just about any man, even drive them to murder—usually resulting in herself as the victim. The unnerving part, though, is that no matter how many times she’s killed, Tomie always comes back. She’s that quintessential horror character you just can’t kill, multiplying and regenerating like a parasitic virus of sorts. She can even infect other women, taking them over until she snuffs out every resemblance and cell that made them.
From a design and concept standpoint, Tomie is an amazing character, and the gore in her story is some of the best Junji Ito has ever drawn. The ways she comes back and the twisted ways her lovers try to kill her are all messed up, but the artwork is just beautiful, especially in the later chapters.
Tomie highlights humanity’s desire to love and how that love can twist into a deadly obsession. But it also shines a light on the ickier parts of human nature—her self-absorption, her need to be doted on like a deity. She demands the best, wants to eat the best, and believes no one is better than her. This makes for some really interesting, surprising stories. The way she seduces her lovers and how their obsession unfolds is different every time, depending on their personalities and the nature of their relationship with her—whether it’s a boyfriend, a father, or even a young boy she tricks into thinking she’s his mother.
The original Tomie short story was submitted for the Umezu Awards 37 years ago, so you’ll notice the artwork in those first 34 pages and even the chapter that follows looks different from the later chapters. Keep in mind that Tomie (the first chapter) was Junji Ito’s first published work back in 1987. But as you read on, you see his art improve drastically after those initial chapters. Some of the later stories were written as late as 2001, so you see his skills evolve, especially in this Deluxe Edition.
The Deluxe Edition is an absolute tome by the way with over 752 pages. It includes the original Tomie, plus Tomie Part 2 and Tomie: Zen, which were released in Japan, so it’s the most complete release you can get in English. Tomie is easily one of Junji Ito’s most interesting characters, and the horrors that surround her, as well as what happens to her and those around her, are some of his best work. She’s one of my favorites, so I highly recommend this one. That said, I still think Uzumaki is the best starting point for beginners when it comes to his full-length originals, but Tomie is an absolute must-read.
Gyo
Gyo is about a couple who find themselves fighting to survive against an undead fish with legs. With the help of his scientist uncle, the main character starts to uncover the mystery behind these creatures. But as they dig deeper, the invasion grows worse and sea creatures of all kinds begin taking over the land, leaving behind a stench so foul it’s called the “death stench.”
It’s one of the most unique takes on what I’d describe as a zombie apocalypse, and Junji Ito has mentioned that the idea came from his fear of sharks. The thought of sharks being able to walk on land made them all the more terrifying for him, and I agree—something is unsettling about things or creatures doing things they’re not supposed to do. That adds a lot to the tension in this series, but honestly, Gyo is more wacky than anything, and I mean that in the best way possible.
There are elements of comedy horror here—the outlandish explanations and events are so uncanny, yet somehow believable because of how Junji Ito unfolds the story. I don’t think horror has to be scary to be good. You’ve got fun, outlandish titles like The Cabin in the Woods or Shaun of the Dead, and zombie stories can fall into this category. Gyo fits in here because it’s wild, fresh, and fun to read, but the stakes for the characters are still there.
When you think about what becomes of the world in this story, it’s unsettling. The stench of these creatures, which is described as the smell of a dead body, really gets under my skin—especially as someone with a strong sense of smell. Is it silly at times? Yeah, it is. But that’s part of Junji Ito’s charm as a creator. He came up with these wild ideas, and with Gyo, it worked for me. It’s one of the most unique apocalypse-type stories out there and I loved the ending as well.
While it’s not his best full-length work (I’d say Uzumaki or Tomie take that title), it’s one you need to read if you’re looking to be surprised by jaw-dropping reveals. It’s the kind of series where, if I showed you out-of-context panels, you’d be like, “What in the world is that?”—and you’d want to read it just to find out.
Uzumaki
Uzumaki is one of Junji Ito’s most recognizable and popular works, and for good reason—it’s his best full-length series, in my opinion, and one of the best horror manga to ever be released. The story follows a young girl and her family as they become obsessed with spirals, a phenomenon that begins to consume their entire town, leading to disturbing disappearances and deaths.
What makes Uzumaki my favorite is how it masterfully captures the descent into madness. It’s packed with drama and suspense, focusing more on psychological horror and it is deeply unsettling. The story’s episodic moments tie into a larger, overarching narrative, and Ito’s creepy, detailed art style is at its best here. Uzumaki is this amazingly weird, messed-up, yet incredibly original story that’s in a league of its own and it’s truly one of the best in horror, not just horror manga.
Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu
Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu is such a fun and heartwarming story, and as someone who has two beautiful babies who I love more than anything, I loved reading it. Junji Ito nailed what it’s like to have cats, from their little quirks to how they sit and sleep, and the expressions they make. It made me laugh a lot because I could picture my little ones in those moments.
I do want to note that this one isn’t a horror and is quite different, in a good way, for Junji Ito since it dives more so into comedy and personal elements of his life. Junji does initially depict Yon as having a creepy face, which he later comes to love, and as a self-proclaimed dog person, he was kind of scared at first of what having cats would be like. I love how he invites us into his life, whether it’s through his short story collections, interviews, or stories like this one. Yon & Mu is yet another glimpse into his world.
You see him working with the cats lounging under his chair, and there’s even a funny moment when he’s sleep-deprived after a night of work and imagines Yon as a slug and more. But what makes this story so special is that it’s really about Junji Ito, his wife A-Ko, and their two cats, Yon and Mu. It’s heartwarming and hilarious, and the afterward interviews give you even more insight into how he became a cat person, his daily life, and his work. A-Ko’s letter at the end was touching to read as well.
If you’re an animal lover, especially if you have cats like me, this is a fun read. The photos of the real-life Yon and Mu are adorable, and the full-color pages are a nice touch. Junji Ito might be the master of horror, but he is great at writing comedic series as well, and it’s stories like Yon & Mu that show another side of him that makes me love his work even more.
There is a standard edition as well as a Yon & Mu Collector’s Edition, which has details that glow in the dark by the way, if you are looking to pick it up.
Sensor
Like Remina, Sensor is one of Junji Ito’s cosmic horror titles, and it’s one of his later works, released in Japan in 2018. The story follows Kyouko, a woman who feels an eerie pull toward Mount Sengoku. There, she meets a man who claims he’s been waiting for her and invites her to a nearby village. But this village is far from ordinary—it’s covered in volcanic glass fibers that shimmer like gold. At night, the villagers have this strange custom of staring at the stars, and that’s when things get weird—countless UFOs rain down on them, signaling the horrors to come.
For me, Sensor is one of my least favorite Junji Ito works. I like the concepts it tackles—especially how it explores the vastness of the universe and the meaning of existence—but it kind of loses its way. Some parts felt disjointed, and at times, I felt like I was reading an entirely different story, especially in the chapter with the bugs. Good ideas alone, but together they felt odd. That said, I did find the cult elements interesting.
Initially, I thought maybe I just needed to revisit Sensor to grasp it better, but after reading the afterword and giving it a second read, I understood why it felt off. Junji Ito admitted that the characters got away from him, and he started adding things as the story progressed. It’s kind of like the cart got ahead of the horse. Because of that, Sensor felt like it lacked the tight focus you see in his other works. But it still has some great ideas. Cosmic horror is often open to interpretation, and I did enjoy the overall theme of exploring psychic powers and humanity’s place in the universe.
That said, I wouldn’t recommend this as the first title to pick up. I’d go with Uzumaki first, then Tomie or Gyo if you’re looking for full-length stories. But if you’re into cosmic horror and already a fan of his work, Sensor might be worth a read. That said, I still think Remina is a better story overall if you’re looking for a Lovecraftian-type tale. But if you’re already a fan of Junji Ito’s work and want more, Sensor is a nice bonus—especially with its beautiful artwork.
Black Paradox
Black Paradox follows a group of people who meet online, planning to enter a forest with no intention of returning. The characters—Maruso, Taburo, Pii-Tan, and Baracchi—each have different reasons for seeking the other side. Maruso senses something bad is coming her way and wants to avoid it. Taburo is bored with life and haunted by encounters with his doppelgänger. Pii-Tan feels inferior to a robot modeled after him, and Baracchi wishes to rid herself of a birthmark that covers half of her face.
I especially enjoyed the group dynamic in this one, with characters that have differing motivations and personalities that add a lot to the story. It’s quirky but grounded thanks to its message and the themes it explores too. This series quickly shifts into something entirely different as you read on, exploring themes like the afterlife, the human soul, and humanity’s insatiable need to innovate and discover new and renewable resources, and how those endeavors can lead to unexpected consequences.
It is also one of Junji Ito’s best when it comes to social commentary, especially when it comes to human nature, from greed to our need for understanding, even offering insights into the age-old question, where do we go when we die?
Black Paradox surprised me—it’s a quick read that can easily be finished in one sitting and is well worth it, in my opinion. While it’s not as long or as fleshed out as Gyo, Tomie, or Uzumaki, this one still holds a special place for me. If you are a lover of sci-fi and horror and someone who enjoys social commentary, Black Paradox is one that you need to check out.
Remina
Junji Ito is a big fan of cosmic horror, with HP Lovecraft being one of his influences, so it’s no surprise that he has visited it time and time again in his works, with Remina being one of his full-length series. Remina is about a girl, who has a scientist father who discovers a planet, that appears to be headed to Earth lightyears away, but the horrors that await may be much closer than they think. Her father decides to name the star after her, which puts her in the limelight as a celebrity of sorts, but as soon as things start to go wrong, the world starts to blame her for the horrible events that come to pass.
I think this one does an amazing job of showing how humanity places blame and wrongfully victimizes people, especially those in the limelight. When something scary happens, people want to look for a reason as to why it’s happening to them, and they attempt to place a known to an unknown to better understand or cope with it, and this is what Remina explores through its cosmic lens. It has some truly stunning panels, especially the images that depict Remina as a martyr and the planet Remina as well.
It reminds me partially of Annihilation, part of HP Lovecraft, but it also has that classic Junji Ito flair. That said, if you are new I’d recommend picking up Uzumaki first, but if you are already a fan, it’s a must-read, especially if you enjoy cosmic horror.
Where to Start with Junji Ito
Now that we’ve gone through all of Junji Ito’s series released in English so far, where’s the best place to start? I’d say Uzumaki if you’re looking for a long-form story, and for your first short story collection, I’d recommend Shiver, but I also highly recommend Fragments of Horror or Tombs: Junji Ito Story Collection, so you can’t go wrong if one of these sound interesting to you.
If you do end up reading Shiver, though, after knowing what I know now, I would recommend reading Shiver then Soichi then Smashed in that order. Shiver has a Fashion Model story that makes reading Soichi even better and Shiver and Soichi have stories that make reading Smashed even better. I recommend all three, they are among my tops.
I also want to mention that there is a Tomie story in Shiver, which is also in the Tomie Deluxe, and while it probably won’t spoil anything for you if you read it first you may not want to do so until you read Tomie if it is on your must-read list. If you’re on the fence about reading Tomie, though, then go ahead and read Shiver—it might just convince you otherwise. When it comes to adaptations, I highly recommend No Longer Human, especially if you’re a fan of novels. It’s a great entry point, though keep in mind it’s quite different from his other works.
I still believe Uzumaki is the best representation of what you’re in for with Junji Ito’s body of work, though, and it’s his best in my opinion. Beyond those, I recommend Alley, Gyo, Black Paradox, and Venus in the Blind Spot. If you’re into sci-fi, Black Paradox is a great pick. If you love wacky, zombie-style horror, Gyo may be up your alley. And, both Venus in the Blind Spot and Alley are great short story collections that I think are amazing reads. If you get hooked on Junji Ito, definitely dive into his other works, because he’s one of those creators where people have different favorites. He explores so many themes and genres that there’s bound to be something else that grabs your attention.
I genuinely love these titles, and I wanted to take the time to explain why Junji Ito is a one-of-a-kind creator. He’s talked about all the time as one of the most prolific horror manga creators, but it’s for a good reason. He comes up with the wildest ideas and makes us feel fear in fresh, unexpected ways and I can’t wait to see what he does next.
Speaking of what’s next, Liminal Zone Vol. 2 is on the way, and we learned from Uncanny that the Moan short story collection is expected in 2025. There’s also Stitches and Betwixt, but I didn’t go into detail on those because Junji Ito only did the artwork for Stitches and the cover art for Betwixt. But if you’re looking to experience more of his art, especially with Stitches, definitely check them out. Also, be sure to check out the recently released Uncanny: The Origins of Fear. It goes into Junji Ito’s background, his process for creating manga, and insights into his works. It just came out, and I recently finished reading it. If you’re a fan of Junji Ito and want to learn more about him and his creative process, this is a really interesting read.
Looking for more horror manga recommendations? Check out our top horror manga must-reads. Looking to pick up any of Junji Ito’s series? You can do so now at a trusted manga retailer! I have listed some of my favorite sites to shop manga from below.
