Summary
Uzumakiisone of the greatest horror talesthat anyone can feast their eyes upon. It’s hard to sell the idea of a spiral tormenting townsfolk, but the strength of Ito’s nightmarish drawings coupled with the unique twists and turns of this story make it clear why the anime adaptation of this series is hyped to the moon and back. There’s a reason why Junji Ito’s name has shot up to the stratosphere of popularity, and fans who are engrossed by the superb horror qualities ofUzumakihave plenty of options available if they are looking for something similar.
Ito himself has penned severalsimilar stories that fans ofUzumakiare certain to enjoy, but there are other mangaka with horror stories that can strike fear in the hearts of readers and make them experience the same feeling of dread.
Publication
Big Comic Spirits
Junji Ito is a master of his craft, and his true genius lies in the short stories that keep things brief yet harrowing. However, going through his short story collection can be daunting. Readers who are more used to long-form tales cancheck outGyoto ease themselves into his work. This story deals with the rise of monstrous machines that use a virus known as the death stench to infect living organisms and turn them into hosts.
What follows isa unique take on a zombie epidemic, with the undead being replaced by these machines that terrorize the world and destroy humanity. To make things worse, the death stench is revealed to harbor the faces of evil spirits when it’s ignited, leading to one of the most haunting page turns that Ito fans can come across.
Young Champion
It can be easy to be unnerved by the character archetype of a yandere. The idea ofa girl being so crazy that she can murder for her loveis far from an easy concept to digest, andIbitsurolls with this concept by exploring the idea of a cursed spirit that terrorizes the sisters of men who acknowledge their presence. The gothic lolita who plays a central role inIbitsuis unhinged and entertaining at the same time.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that the atrocities she commits aren’t heinous. When Kazuki assumes that the threat of this spirit isn’t real, his mistake leads to his younger sister being tortured by the spirit who wants to kill and replace her as Kazuki’s sibling. The harrowing ordeal her sister undergoes in this tale is hard to digest and makes for an unsettling yet unique horror experience.
Big Comic Superior
Psychological horror is one of the most fascinating ways that the horror genre has evolved, and Shuzo Oshimi’s most recognized and celebrated work is a great example of this.Blood on the Tracksstarts innocently enough, with readers understanding the feeling of having a protective mother. However, things take a turn for the worse when Seiichi sees his mother push his cousin off a cliff after making fun of her dynamic with her son, setting the stage for an incredibly harrowing tale.
Emotional abuse is not something to be taken lightly, and watching Seiko traumatize his son time and time again by questioning his love for her is hard to take in. As her true nature slowly comes to light, readers are treated to some of the most nightmarish page turns in manga history as her troubled psyche rears its ugly head time and time again. This strong visualization and storytelling is precisely why the latter half of the manga is such a breath of fresh air, ending things on a hopeful note for Seiichi, who finally accepts her mother for who she is.
1972
Weekly Shonen Sunday
Drifting Classroomis one of the most iconic manga of all time, with other mangaka like Shuzo Oshimi paying respect to this work in their own way. Fans of tales likeAnimal FarmandLord of the Flieswill findThe Drifting Classroomto be right up their alley, but they should keep in mind that the horror elements of this title can be quite disturbing. Aftera freak supernatural incidentcauses an entire school to be transported to a post-apocalyptic wasteland, everyone from children to adults reacts violently to this development.
What follows is an exploration of the human condition as the adults slowly lose their minds and commit numerous atrocities in a lawless world where they aren’t accountable to a higher authority. Some of the imagery in this title is grotesque, but there’s an enduring feeling of hope that compels readers to flip the page and watch the story unfold. This, coupled with some ridiculous plot twists, ensures that readers will understand whyThe Drifting Classroomis one of the most iconic horror manga of all time.
1987
Monthly Halloween
The story that arguably put Junji Ito on the map,Tomie, focuses on the horrors inflicted by a mysterious girl whose beauty is so radiant that men can’t help but fall for her. They give up their livelihoods and well-being to ensure that Tomie is satiated at all times, culminating in their deaths as Tomie moves on to her next victim.
What makes this malevolent entity even more disturbing is that Tomie can’t be stopped. Even if a good Samaritan manages to uncover her evil and kills her, she is instantly reborn in another body and continues her hunt. It’s a unique concept that makes for some engaging stories that readers can use to get a taste of Junji Ito before diving intothe true meat of this mangaka’s bibliographyand checking out what else his twisted mind has to offer.
