Member Reviews
I have been curious about this authorvfor a while. In an American context, the short stories have a Black Mirror or Twilight Zone vibe. It's a creepy book and a fun read.
What: Horror manga from the revered Junji Ito
About: collection of shorts featuring Ito's signature themes of body horror, grotesque imagery, folklore run amok
Features: dread, story twists, ink that oozes from the pages
Assets: artwork that stays with readers long after finished
Obstacles: Ito has stated that he never knows where a story is going to go, and that ending stories is a challenge. Often, the artwork and feel makes up for an abrupt story finish.
Who it’s for: J-horror fans, readers who value artistic achievement over story, long-time Ito fans.
I have enjoyed reading works by Junji Ito in the past and this collection of short stories was perhaps even better to me. The artwork has the same amazing detail and line work, and while the tales can stand alone, they work together really well. I enjoyed the creepy metaphysical aspects and the reveals. I think that there are students who would definitely enjoy this collection a lot.
Like all of the rest of Junji Ito’s books - the stories in this are perfection. There is a good flow to the build up, and are real page turners. The art is what you would expect. I can definitely see this as a great intro book to Ito’s work for new readers.
If Goodreads is accurate, I believe that this Junji Ito collection was originally published in 1994 in Japanese, and newly translated for English language readers from the fantastic VIZ. I am pretty much obsessed with Junji Ito and will read anything he ever writes. This collection is up there in terms of quality for me. As Ito is often known for body horror, this collection contained more psychological and ghost-related horror than I was expected. Of course, the famous story "Slug Girl" and "The Bloody Story of Shirosuna" gave us intense body horror, but most of the others were horrifying in other ways with maybe just a few panels of gore or blood.
The first story, "Tombs," is a clear winner in my book. Tombstones pop up wherever someone d*es. "Clubhouse" is a really scary haunted house story. "The Strange Tale of the Tunnel" verges on a science fiction story (for fans of "Venus in the Blind Spot"). And "Floaters" is probably the most bizarre out of the bunch-- people's secrets are being physically released on the wind. I definitely recommend this short story collection to any fans of horror, manga, or Junji Ito. It's a good collection to start with, if you haven't read Ito's work before!
The master of terror is at it again with a new collection of short horror stories. The main focus this time is a strange town where tombstones can be found all over the place, even scattered in the streets. On their way to visit a friend, a brother and sister end up a car accident on their arrival. What does this have to do with the bizarre graves all over the town?
Even creepier still, a girl suddenly stops talking and her tongue transforms into a snail.
When a family moves into a new town and the neighbor calls nightly to the teenage son, what could be waiting on the other side of the window?
It will simultaneously make your skin crawl and leave you anxious for more.
I've heard the name Junji Ito in horror circles for years now, but this is the first time I've read one of his collections. I can see why he's so popular! This collection features a range of titles. Some are longer more thought out ideas, some are shorter, and have more of a pulpy punch to them, some have an unnerving air about them or downright unsettling vibe. Each story is distinct, and honestly, that's really cool! And I haven't even touched on the art, which is another solid aspect that enhances the various stories. What can I say? The man goes hard on his monster/ unsettling humans designs!
As a whole this is not my favourite Junji Ito collection, however Tombs and The Bronze Statue were standouts. Quite a few of these were very short and I wish they were a little more fleshed out. That being said, Junji Ito's creativity and originality never fail to impress me.
Thank you to VizMedia and NetGalley for this ARC.
With this latest collection the master of horror manga again didn’t disappoint! In my opinion there wasn’t a single story in this collection that wasn’t solid and worth the read. I highly recommend upon release. Thank you to the publisher for providing me with this drc available through netgalley.
As a fan of Junji Ito's previously translated works, I was very excited to see what this collection of short stories had to offer, and I was not disappointed! Ito fans and horror fans should enjoy this book, as many of the imagery and ideas present in this book are dark and disturbing. I would not recommend this book to anyone that is squeamish because a couple of the stories may not be enjoyable, the final story and the one about statues especially. I was a fan of most of the stories in this book, and I think it may be one of my favorite Junji Ito short story collections that I have read so far. I will for sure be purchasing a copy for my own personal collection when it's officially released, and look forward to more English translations in the future!
Another great collection from Junji Ito. Weird as it can be, it will make you for uncomfortable and you will like it for it!
This collection of Ito’s work was a little different to his previous ones, but still had the classic Ito art. These stories were much shorter, and felt as though you could recite them by a spooky campfire set, although a little more on the disturbing side of course. More of the storylines were left to the imagination, with open endings and a couple loose ends. Ito seems to plant the seed with his drawings (which are emphasised in this edition) but little narrative and dialogue means your own thoughts fill the gaps, and therefore makes the shock factor even more terrifying. As usual, I couldn’t tear my eyes away and read the whole thing in pretty much one sitting.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
A collection of short, hair-raising stories from one of the master's of horror, Junji Ito.
Ito was my first introduction to the genre of horror, specifically horror in the form of graphic novels/manga. At first, I was scared senseless as his work. Then I was in love with how scared his work made me feel. Seeing that he's releasing another masterpiece makes me lock my door and hide under the blankets from the monsters he will put in my head with this new collection of positively bone-chilling tales.
Many kids in my middle school library are OBSESSED with anything scary, many of which have requested horror manga. This will be an excellent first addition to the start of the new section.
Junji Ito is a goddamn, magical treasure to horror. Ito's imagination seems to come from some otherworldly place outside of anything we are accustomed to--As soon as I saw this was available to review on NetGalley I smashed that request button and jumped into it immediately upon approval.
Here's the TOC and some very light, non-spoilerly reading experience notes:
TOMBS-- classic Ito body horror. A tragedy. A small, unusual town with a supernatural twist.
CLUBHOUSE--Excellent ghost story
SLUG GIRL--Body horror with an image that will never leave my brain
THE WINDOW NEXT DOOR--this one was funny actually (and gross)
WASHED ASHORE- ew, gross. And tapped a fear of mine with sea creatures
THE STRANGE TALE OF THE TUNNEL--creepy ghost story
BRONZE STATUE--a disturbing story about vanity and narcissism.
FLOATERS--this was the most unusual/original story. Super weird hairballs that tell secrets.
THE BLOODY STORY OF SHIROSUNA--very, very gory and disturbing once again, Ito shows us a small town that experiences supernatural phenomena
I plan on buying everything from Junji Ito--new horror author collection and I'm obsessed with the artwork.
Yet another spooky and enjoyable book by Junji Ito. I really enjoyed this one because it went back to his shorter stories and leaned more toward the disturbing side than his more recent books have been. Once again, I would highly recommend to anyone who love horror manga.
Junji Ito will always be a mastermind of the macabre. This collection of short stories was a scintillating look into the horrors that creep at the back of our mind.
I enjoy Junji Ito and his bite sized horrors and this collection was no different. The art is classic and the stories are all very chilling.
This collection of short horror stories was just. So. Creepy. This is the second manga by Junji Ito I've read andbits definitely my favourite. Each story was short and sweet (Er, sour?) and absolutely left me feeling unnerved. I won't lie, I was reading through my fingers on the last story 😅 I loved this, and can't wait to slap my 'Casey's Pick' sticker all over them on my next day at work.
Thanks so much NetGalley and Viz Media for the opportunity to read this chilling collection!
"Tombs: Junji Ito Story Collection" is another excellent collection of short horror from the master of horror manga, Junji Ito. The stories are as creepy and haunting as ever, and the art is just as creepy and haunting. While all the stories are dark and chilling, there is one story in this collection that ends on a rather sweet note, or perhaps bittersweet. This collection is sure to be a hit where horror manga is appreciated.
The master is back with a new collection that’ll make your eyes bleed and scream in your sleep until you have no voice left. Prepare yourselves, Boils and Ghouls for a ride straight to hell!
I’m not surprised at how masterful this collection was. The stories were creepy, dark, and seriously twisted. It’s what we come to expect from Ito. I thought I have seen it all and then that last story rises its blood dripping head. That story screwed me up. Great collection!