Lovecraft.Īfter reading such Junji Ito manga stories as The Thing That Drifted Ashore and The Enigma of Emigara Fault, the Lovecraft influence can be seen as clear as day.īoth of these horror legends share an uncanny approach to the impossible, the unknowable, the otherworldly. Speaking of imagination, Junji Ito’s influence stretches from other horror manga legends like Kazuo Umezu, author of the infamous Orochi: Blood, all the way to the previously mentioned originator of eldritch horror literature H.P. It took a little more time before he was able to break free of the 9-5 grind and dedicate his time, efforts, and imagination fully to his manga creation. Here’s a writer that lives and breathes horror and terror.īefore becoming a full-time writer, and during the writing and release of Tomie, Junji Ito worked as a dental assistant. That’s Ito’s style, and it’s what sets him apart from the rest.

Unlike other popular Japanese writers like Haruki Murakami, whose debut works are often overlooked today, Ito’s earlier works are still treasured.Įverything that Ito publishes is in the form of manga which he writes and draws himself.Įven the Junji Ito manga that doesn’t fit neatly into the horror genre still has elements of the uncanny and the unsettling in its illustration. This horror manga was published when Ito was only 24 and, despite it being his debut publication, it remains one of his most popular manga. His debut horror book - which we’ll discuss below - was Tomie. While Japan has a strong history of crime and mystery writing, as well as horror writing, Junji Ito still stands head-and-shoulders above the rest. Unfortunately, many of these themes of bodily harm are a major hallmark of the Horror genre, so any Ito collection should be carefully considered to make sure it is good for your collection and your students.Inside and outside of his home country, Junji Ito’s manga is celebrated as the best of Japanese horror writing. In 'Honored Ancestors', as in the short story of 'Venus in the Blind Spot', there is some uncomfortable implied rape in the reveal that isn't dealt with before the ending. Some readers are fine with this, but it can leave some of the stories with really unsettling (not in the intended way) consequences. One of the hallmarks of an Ito scary story is to have the shocking reveal within the last few pages, leaving little room for any sort of closure or resolution. As story collections go, this focuses more on the horror aspect with the people turning into horrific monsters, rather than the psychological horror that was in many of the stories of Venus in the Blind Spot.

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