There’s no shortage of chills to be had during the spooky season, but when it comes to pure horror, nothing comes close to the work of Junji Ito when it comes to manga. The famed mangaka has a prolific body of work, ranging from body-horror series to adaptations examining the power of the human psyche and so much more.
We’ve gathered up the vast majority of his printed work below, from Uzumaki to No Longer Human, so if you’re in the mood for some unsettling terror that is beautifully grotesque, you’re going to be spoiled for choice. Amazon has some great deals on Ito’s manga, including the Deluxe Editions of Uzumaki, Gyo, and Tomie. You can even get a limited-time discount the newly released story collection Moan. Check out our favorite deals below and then browse the full catalog in list format at the bottom of this roundup.
$20 (was $35)
The manga series that put Ito on the map, Uzumaki, is widely considered to be Ito’s masterpiece. A horrifying tale that explores the concept of spirals, Uzumaki features elegantly terrifying art and a slow-burning story that draws you in. Set in a small town on the coast of Japan, the story follows the young protagonists Kirie Goshima and Shuichi Saito as they investigate the hypnotic secret shape of the world. This release collects the entire manga series into a single 648-page hardcover edition and includes several color inserts.
$19 (was $35)
Another critically acclaimed series from Ito, Tomie centers on a mysterious and beautiful woman named Tomie Kawakami. The series was published in Monthly Halloween from 1987 to 2000, with stories revolving around the seemingly immortal succubus Tomie as she manipulates people into jealous fits of rage that inevitably lead to vicious acts of violence. While Tomie is frequently killed, she simply resurrects herself so that she can continue to spread her curse to other people. This hardcover edition collects the entire saga across 752 pages.
$19.20 (was $25)
One of Ito’s stranger works–and that’s saying something–Gyo follows a couple who find themselves in a fight for survival against a horde of undead fish with metal legs. The creatures also spread a toxic virus known as the “death stench” that has dark origins dating back to World War II.
$23.48 (was $35)
An adaptation of Osamu Dazai’s novel, No Longer Human was first serialized in Big Comic Original from 2017-2018. All three volumes in the series are included here, and it inverts the original story with a dark tale of ostracization, mental instability, and suicide. While several of Ito’s series are focused on supernatural horror, No Longer Human is a deeper exploration of how the human psyche on its own can be even more terrifying than any monster.
$20 (was $25) | Released October 7
Six short stories from Ito, Moan includes the following tales: Supernatural Transfer Student, Moan, Blood Orb Grive, Flesh-Colored Mystery, Near-Miss, and Under the Ground. The hardcover collection was released earlier this month, bringing together several macabre stories themed around obsession and persistence.
$19.72 (was $35)
Junji Ito’s artwork is instantly recognizable, and this book collects over 130 images showing off his talent. It includes color illustrations alongside black-and-white ones, all printed on thick high-quality pages. Covering everything from Uzumaki to Tomie and much more, the book also includes commentary from Ito in which he breaks down his artistic process.
This is just the tip of the Junji Ito iceberg, and if you want to assemble a library of high-quality horror, you can find most of his work in the list below. Ito has put his own spin on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, explored the spine-tingling thrills of The Liminal Zone, and he has illustrated an end-of-days epic in Remina.
Junji Ito anime
Like many other popular mangaka, Ito’s work has also been adapted for television with various anime series. Uzumaki was perhaps the most ambitious attempt to bring his work to life, and while it might not have lived up to expectations, the anime adaptation is still an effectively scary series.
Uzumaki just launched on Blu-ray last month, and there’s a striking Limited Edition Steelbook with an awesome cover design and portraits of the characters Shuichi Saito and Kirie Goshima inside of it. The standard Blu-ray also has an eye-catching cover, and both editions have trailers, promotional videos, and an art gallery as bonus materials.
You can also check out Junji Ito Collection: The Complete Series, a Blu-ray that features all 24 episodes adapted from The Masterpiece Collection, Fragments of Horror, and Shiver short story collections. Normally $65, this is on sale for $45.49 currently.
