Making credible horror is not an easy task, but producing horror manga that makes readers wet their beds is another accomplishment. The maestro of this craft is none other than Ito Junji, who can be referred to as the Japanese Stephen King. However, Junji’s storytelling style is far more horrific and hideous. He is an absolute master at using his exquisite artwork in unique manners that make readers shiver every time they turn a page. Junji has released over 40 novels in his fifty years of business, each one more horrifying than the last. He has established a genre in the business for his own work.
Ito began his profession as a dental technician while also contributing short stories to local publications. Eventually, he was unable to maintain balance and decided to pursue his aspiration of becoming a mangaka.
Tomie
Junji won the Kazuo Umezu prize for his first published piece, Tomie, which he first submitted to Monthly Halloween magazine in 1987. Manga is really a series of related stories with a main character named Tomie who can never truly die since she can heal from any kind of fatal wound. When she is unintentionally killed during a field trip, her classmates freak out and attempt to cover up the crime by mutilating her body and concealing the parts. Tomie returns to class the following day as if nothing had occurred.
Every narrative examines how Tomie’s presence affects those around her, frequently resulting in violence and insanity. The manga explores themes of beauty, desire, and the macabre, demonstrating Ito’s skill at writing eerie stories with a dark twist.
Remina
Ito Junji’s Manga Renima, which won an award, was serialized from 2004 to July 2005 and eventually collected into a single book. Years after the manga’s English publication, Ito received the Eisner Award for “Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia” in 2021.
The narrative centers on Remina Oguro, the daughter of renowned astrophysicist Dr. Oguro, who gives her name to a strange rouge planet that comes out of a wormhole. She becomes just as renowned as her father and the new planet, but many start to wonder if the daughter had any impact on the planet killer as it starts hurtling across the cosmos, destroying everything in its path and eventually endangering Earth.
Remina is a fantastic read that investigates human psychology in the face of impending existential disaster and no way out—people’s only option is to wait it out. It is a work of sheer cosmic horror. Take it up, get comfortable for a wild journey, and remember never to name someone after a planet.
Uzumaki
Junji Ito’s magnum opus, Uzumaki, is a terrifying story about intense obsession and body horror. Many people mistake the term Uzumaki for another well-known anime, Naruto, but serious horror enthusiasts will understand that Uzumaki, or the spiral, has only one truly horrific meaning.
The story takes place in Kurozu-cho, a made-up seaside town in Japan that roughly translates to “Black Vortex Town.” Here, the spiral, an initially benign symbol, takes on a terrible meaning. The main characters, Kirie and her boyfriend Shuichi, grudgingly try to uncover the town’s mysteries after seeing strange events there.
Uzumaki’s distinctive, terrifying, and strangely beautiful body horror featuring jaw-dropping imagery is well recognized. Although the manga’s mood isn’t very scary, it nevertheless gives the reader a shiver whenever a new page is turned.
