Summary
Junji Ito’s reputation is through the roof right now as one of themost celebrated horror mangaka of all time. It’s clear that Ito is a fan of cosmic horror, and this can be seen in the larger-than-life nature of the threats that plague his victims.
To compare the power levels of these monsters may be missing the point, but there’s no denying that some of Ito’s creations are scary simply because there’s no way to counter them. A monster from a regular manga series can be taken down with a well-placed punch or a flamboyant energy technique, but the same doesn’t apply to some of Ito’s monsters, whose threat transcends these physical limitations.
5Fuchi
A Cannibalistic Fashion Model Who’s All Monster, No Human
It’s hard to imagine someone as horrid as Fuchi qualifying as a big-time fashion model. Despite having a physique that most top-level models would die for, it takes a single look at her monstrous face to realize that Fuchi is anything but human. This character is one of Ito’s most recognized creations and isrevealed to be a cannibalwho loves feasting on human flesh.
Of course, calling her a cannibal would imply that she’s human, but there are many ways thatFuchi presents herself as an outright monsterstraight out of a person’s worst nightmares. Her huge stature allows her to tower over most regular humans, and it’s easy to see why even the strongest humans around will have a tough time defending themselves from her powerful jaws and rough grip.
4Tomie
Takes The Guise Of A Beautiful, Immortal Woman And Dooms Men Infatuated By Her
Tomieis one of Ito’s most popular stories that focuses on a malicious and beautiful woman who captures the attention of men and slowly sucks their life force out of them before moving on to her next victim. What makes Tomie so sinister is the fact that she can never die. Her human body may be capable of experiencing death, but the evil that governs her prompts a swift and unnatural rebirth that brings her back to the realm of the living time and time again.
This isthe true horror ofTomie. No matter what, this woman will continue to find her prey till the end of humanity itself, making her a relentlessly scary villain and one of Ito’s best creations. It’s easy to see why so many people were enamored by the threat of this malicious being before moving on to some of Ito’s more experimental stuff.
3The Death Stench Machine
A Man-Made Monstrous Machine That Spreads A Virus And Causes A Pandemic
Gyois another long-form story from Junji Ito that fans love. Anyone who is enraptured by thedestruction caused by the zombie apocalypsewill love the unique concept ofGyo. It focuses on an unnatural symbiosis between a man-made machine and an oceanological virus that was created by scientists during the World War, only for the biological weapon to attack the modern world after the experiment was abandoned.
Numerous death stench machines without a host start infecting and capturing humans, turning Japan into a wasteland as the military is unable to contain the epidemic. It’s a harrowing scenario that showcases the power of numbers, with the death stench machines taking over humanity and forcing everyone to remain hidden until they manage to find a cure and stop the death stench once and for all.
2The Spiral
A Monstrous Entity That Wipes Out A Small Town From Time To Time
Uzumakiis a critically acclaimed manga and one of Ito’s best stories to date. Monsters may be scary, but what makes Uzumaki such a chilling story is the idea ofa town being ravaged by the concept of a spiral. Watching the residents of Kurozu-Cho become enraptured by this shape to the point of losing their senses is when the manga is at its scariest, but it was clear from the get-go that the cause of this obsession was going to be revealed by the end of this story.
When the main characters of the tale find a hidden path that goes deep underground, they bear witness to the monstrosity that caused the town to lose its mind. A formless entity that takes on this hypnotic shape, the Spiral’s power can be seen in how effortlessly it managed to destroy the fabric of Kurozu-Cho. It constantly engages in this cycle and causes the residents to go mad at periodic intervals, and with no means of stopping this threat, the only way to escape the Spiral is to leave the town and start a new life somewhere else.
1Remina
Nothing’s More Powerful Than A Planet-Sized Monster That Devours Everything In Its Way
Junji Ito loves the idea of cosmic horror. This genre deals with threats so massive that humans often can’t even comprehend what’s in store for them. This concept is taken quite literally inRemina, a story named after the daughter of a popular scientist and a new planet discovered far off in the distance. However, to everyone’s horror, it turns out that Remina is not a planet; it’s a massive organism that devours everything in its path.
This triggers mass panic and turns the scientist’s daughter into the world’s biggest enemy. Suffice it to say, things don’t pan well for anyone, andRemina’s world-ending threat leads to Earth being devoured by this ravenous monster.
