Halloween is only a week away, and it’s high time to indulge in some scary stories, and in the genre of horror managa, few names are as revered as Junji Ito. Ito’s horror is distinctive; rooted in a combination of body horror, cosmic dread, and psychological fear. One of his most striking abilities is to take something ordinary—like a spiral, a fault line, or a balloon—and twist it into something grotesque and terrifying. His art is often highly detailed, with a focus on texture and anatomy, enhancing the unsettling nature of his stories.
His mastery lies in taking the ordinary and twisting it into something nightmarish – creating a tension between the familiar and the horrifying. Here are a few of his most iconic creations:
Tomie: Tomie is the story that launched Ito’s career. The titular character, Tomie, is a beautiful yet malevolent girl who is impossible to kill. No matter how many times she is murdered, she regenerates and manipulates those around her, causing destruction and chaos. The story delves into obsession, immortality, and the dark side of human nature.
Uzumaki: One of Ito’s most notable works, “Uzumaki” (meaning “spiral”) follows the inhabitants of a small town cursed by spirals. The story escalates from simple spiral shapes in nature to grotesque body transformations and cosmic horror. This manga is a perfect example of Ito’s ability to blend existential dread with disturbing imagery, leaving readers unsettled long after they’ve put the book down.
Gyo: Gyo is another hallmark of Ito’s career, exploring themes of pollution, decay, and invasion. In this story, fish equipped with mechanical legs emerge from the ocean, spreading a foul stench and death wherever they go.
The Enigma of Amigara Fault: This short story is widely considered one of the most chilling pieces of horror fiction. When strange, human-shaped holes appear on the side of a mountain, people are inexplicably drawn to them, believing the holes are meant for them specifically. What follows is a claustrophobic and terrifying descent into madness that plays on the reader’s fear of the unknown.
Despite the grotesque imagery, Ito’s stories often leave room for subtle psychological horror. His characters are often deeply flawed, driven by irrational fears, obsessions, and desires that lead them to their doom. This psychological depth adds layers to his stories, making them not just visually terrifying, but emotionally unsettling as well. His works are a perfect example of horror that can be as beautiful as it is terrifying.
