The stories of Junji Ito have been around since the 1990’s, though only recently has mainstream media have begun to recognize the man behind the horror mangaka. His horrifying artworks and books leave readers uncomfortable, with an impending sense of doom.
Trypophobic images, bodies spiralling into unnatural shapes, and overall bloody images haunt each page.
The themes of his works are ones of unstoppable forces, where human interaction with these forces is useless. With the anime adaptations of Ito’s work coming to screens next year, his popularity among people in the West is growing.
Next year, a full black and white production will be released of Uzumaki. Uzumaki is one of Ito’s most popular works. The near iconic image of the girl with her head covered in spirals has been seen around various social media. The attention to detail is something that really brings Ito’s work to life, which is a concern among many diehard fans as they are afraid the detail will be lost. The brushstrokes and small additions to the pieces may be glossed over. Though, all the talk about the anime is ramping up excitement for the production.
His other works are just as popular, with the washed up horrors from the deep coming to land in Gyo. Sharp mechanic monstrosities attached to sea animals torment the people of Tokyo, leaving the reader with a fear of the ocean. Another huge success from Ito is Tomie, a story about an immortal succubus that leads men to murder. Though, the victim is often Tomie herself. No matter how many times Tomie is killed, she’ll keep coming back.
This October, be sure to indulge yourself in his spooky work.