With a bibliography rivaling the likes of Clive Barker and Stephen King, we dive in to find the best shorts people forget to praise.
To just call Junji Ito iconic is a disservice to Junji Ito.
With a track record surpassing most contemporary horror authors, Ito’s works have broken into the mainstream cultural consciousness with his extensive catalog of short stories in manga-form and long-form series like the twisted and unforgettable Uzumaki. The man is beyond a legendary status due to his dedication to the craft, and I couldn’t think of a better horror icon to honor during AAPI Month than him.
The works of Junji Ito are a vast coffer of carefully detailed and structured horror tales to scintillate and disgust, and only so many get to reach the general public due to their sometimes hard-to-find prints. So, these are just a few of his lesser-known stories that I think horror fans should seek out and read ASAP.
BEST “CREATURE FEATURE” STORY: Gyo
One of Ito’s serialized works, Gyo, is a short series that brings a whole new meaning to the word submechanophobia. No spoiler’s here since the manga never actually tries to conceal the monster: it’s fish. Mechanically melded, undead fish. When sea creatures begin coming ashore on spider-like, robotic frames, we end up with some of the best monster designs in any horror manga to date.
This story also boasts one of the most hopeful Junji Ito endings, which is miraculous since it’s only about a sliver of a chance of surviving fish hell. Still, I’ll take what I can get when we see endings like the one in…
BEST “MY PERSONAL HELL” STORY: “The Long Dream”
Arguably the most horrifying of Junji Ito’s work, this story depicts one of those “fates worse than death” that many stories claim, but few can back up. Dreams that get exponentially longer with each passing night quickly become the stuff of nightmares. This quick read, paired with artwork that reeks of pure decay as the victim of this peculiar affliction begins to decay faster.
The thing our poor Mr. Mukoda turns into is unsettling, to say the least, captured vividly through Ito’s shading and uncomfortable closeups. Still, worse than that is the concept that haunts many of us: being trapped in your own mind for an eternity. I’m already having trouble going to sleep just thinking about it.
BEST “WHAT THE ACTUAL F**K WAS THAT STORY” STORY: “The Woman Next Door”
This is one of those that left me stunned silent, staring at the page for a few minutes after I had finished it. Not because it’s particularly grotesque or heinously scary, but because you’re compelled to re-read it for how weird it is. As straightforward as it is bizarre, this story about a woman’s mysterious neighbor shrouded in all-black clothes will catch you completely off guard. Regardless of how you feel about its twist, this is one story you won’t forget anytime soon.
BEST “GHOST STORY THAT ISN’T REALLY ABOUT GHOSTS” STORY: “I Don’t Want to Be A Ghost.”
This is a ghost story where the spirits don’t just stick around; they end up being the prey rather than the predator. It’s especially creative in its premise, and I can’t say any more without completely spoiling it. Ito excel’s at depicting the human form, specifically in facial expressions and bone structure. He can position and exaggerate just enough to evoke a spine-tingling unease; he is the cream of the crop when it comes to depicting truly inhuman humans. There is a panel in here that freaked me out specifically for this reason, and you’ll know exactly which one it is when you see it.
BEST “THIS IS BEYOND BODY HORROR” STORY: “Ice Cream Bus”
While “Layers of Fear” is a fan favorite for its skin crawling atmosphere and sickening twists, “Ice Cream Bus” did to me what “Layers” does to most people without shedding a single drop of blood. Art-wise, the inking throughout this story is richer than chocolate cookie dough. Story-wise, “Ice Cream Bus” is what happens when Larry Cohen’s The Stuff meets Brian Yuzna’s Society, and I’m hoping that description is enough to lure you into reading this sickly-sweet nightmare. Truly, if you read anything from this list today, read this.
BEST “LOVECRAFT WITHOUT THE GUILT” STORY: “Smashed”
There’s a reason “Smashed” (also called “Splatter Film” in some localizations) is the story that caps off the anthology of the same name. I prefer Smashed to its original Japanese version, Voices in the Dark, because it cuts out Glyceride’s truly repulsive and repetitive story (read that at your own risk!).
This one centers around a group of friends who discover a delectable and exceedingly addictive tree sap while exploring a rainforest. What results is a withdrawal symptom like no other, and a story fans of Lovecraft will go crazy for.
It’s my favorite story by Ito, because it perfectly synthesizes his particular brand of visceral and powerful art, along with a sense of mystery in a hopeless scenario you can’t help but get sucked into. It is Lovecraftian horror at its finest, with a cosmic abomination that makes you feel absolutely, positively minuscule in the worst of ways (and by extension, the best of ways, too!).
Which ones do you think belonged on this list? What are your personal favorite Junji Ito stories? Make sure to tell us in the comments below and on Twitter!