Junji Ito catch-all thread

[BubblesZine]

There's enough of these books coming out these days we need a thread.

I just got Deserter, loving it so far. My favorite so far is "Scripted Love" it perfectly predicts this social media obession we have right now. And I think that story is from 1987, judging by this.

Also have you guys seen these Junji Ito trailers Viz makes for his books? I love them.

[bayls171]

I've enjoyed basically every Ito book I've read, even if they're not great (imo only Uzumaki as a book is really great, although plenty of the shorts are too). There's something about the way he tells the story that endears it to me even if the concept feels undeveloped and the story is kind of directionless.

I read Sensor, Remina, and Smashed in the last month and I enjoyed them all a lot. The short stories were the best but I also quite liked Sensor, although I honestly couldn't tell you why. Ito's one of the artists where I don't make much of an effort to figure out why I like his stuff, I just do.

I've probably only read 2/3rds of them overall though. I don't preorder the books or buy them at comic shops because I know that if I'm ever in a "popular" book store (one of the places that only have new releases or perennial/bestselling novels) I can find some Ito stuff and odds are they'll have one I haven't read. He's really popular across a lot of crowds (Wednesday comics people, manga readers, alt comix people) which I like to see, and means his books are always easy to find.

And uh yeah I'd never seen those trailers before but that Smashed one is brilliant.

[junkflower]

I recently read Fragments of Horror, and the opening story, "Futon," gave me deja vu.

Is there another manga story somewhere with a similar premise? I swear I've read something else where someone won't get out from their futon, and are found to have become part of it somehow... maybe I'm imagining things

[ely]

Dec 28, 2021 3:46:24 GMT junkflower said:

I recently read Fragments of Horror, and the opening story, "Futon," gave me deja vu.

Is there another manga story somewhere with a similar premise? I swear I've read something else where someone won't get out from their futon, and are found to have become part of it somehow... maybe I'm imagining things

there’s an edogawa rampo short story where a guy sews himself into a chair? sorta similar

[junkflower]

That's a great story too but not the one I'm thinking of (if, in fact, I am thinking of anything). Thanks though!

[mamalips]

Shiver is probably my favourite book of his so far (full of great creepy stories) and I've read all of his work except No Longer Human (I tried but it just bummed me out) and Deserter. I agree with bayls though - it can have a tendency to feel directionless and under developed at times. When he gets it right though, he knocks it out of the park.

[bayls171]

So my only reading goal in 2021 was to read Frankenstein (the novel).. i finished it on the 27th December, I'd started it maybe a week earlier.. nothing like waiting til the last minute..

Anyway I read Ito's Frankenstein adaptation a few years ago, then reread it a few days ago now that I've read the book. Its a pretty good adaptation I think, in the sense that Ito focuses on the parts he's good at portraying. So Frankenstein's creation of the monster and bride, which are mostly glossed over in the book as a period of madness, are actually depicted, and Ito changes the ending quite a lot with the female monster. A lot of the introspection is cut, and imo the final ending is less impactful without it, but overall its a very good retelling of the story.

Before I read the original book I thought this was one of Ito's stronger long works, and now having read the original my opinion on that hasn't changed too much. 

Does anyone else have opinions about it? I don't know how it was received, I never really see anyone talk about this book

[manoopuesta]

Jan 5, 2022 22:34:19 GMT bayls171 said:

So my only reading goal in 2021 was to read Frankenstein (the novel).. i finished it on the 27th December, I'd started it maybe a week earlier.. nothing like waiting til the last minute..

Anyway I read Ito's Frankenstein adaptation a few years ago, then reread it a few days ago now that I've read the book. Its a pretty good adaptation I think, in the sense that Ito focuses on the parts he's good at portraying. So Frankenstein's creation of the monster and bride, which are mostly glossed over in the book as a period of madness, are actually depicted, and Ito changes the ending quite a lot with the female monster. A lot of the introspection is cut, and imo the final ending is less impactful without it, but overall its a very good retelling of the story.

Before I read the original book I thought this was one of Ito's stronger long works, and now having read the original my opinion on that hasn't changed too much. 

Does anyone else have opinions about it? I don't know how it was received, I never really see anyone talk about this book

I cannot recall much about the book's content now, but I remember I liked the book ok, though it is my least favourite from Ito (granted I haven't read a lot of his books). However, it was one of the first comics of him I read. Is Ito an acquired taste? I wonder if this was also why I didn't like it as much.

[thebeautifulpuffin]

Although I read Uzumaki back in the aughts, I wasn't paying attention when his older stuff was being issued in English by Dark Horse and whomever else. Late to the party, but I've been a good little consumer and have been picking up everything Ito that's been coming out since Viz (and Vertical, a bit) went full-on a few years ago. They're doing a nice job of it, mos def, but it drives me a little buggy that there isn't ever any information included about when the stories were originally written or saw print. Finally sat down this afternoon and parsed out the initial serializations... Here's the rough draft:

Shorties:

DESERTER
BIO HOUSE summer/87
FACE THIEF 12/87
WHERE THE SANDMAN LIVES 05/88
THE DEVIL'S LOGIC summer/88
THE LONG HAIR IN THE ATTIC 11/88
SCRIPTED LOVE 06/89
THE REANIMATOR'S SWORD 08/89
A FATHER'S LOVE 04+05/90
UNENDURABLE LABYRINTH 07/90
VILLAGE OF THE SIREN 11/90
BULLIED 08/90
DESERTER 09/90

SHIVER
USED RECORD 12/90
SHIVER 11/91
FASHION MODEL 07/92
HANGING BLIMP 01/94
MARIONETTE MANSION 03/94
PAINTER 07/95 *
THE LONG DREAM 01/97
HONORED ANCESTORS 01/96
GREASED 03/03
FASHION MODEL: CURSED FRAME 10/15

FRANKENSTEIN
FRANKENSTEIN 09-11/94
NECK SPECTOR 03/89
BOG OF LIVING SPIRITS 10/90
PEN PAL 02/91
INTRUDER 10/91
THE STRANGE TALE OF OSHIKIRI 04/92
THE STRANGE TALE OF OSHIKIRI: THE WALLS 03/93
THE HELL OF THE DOLL FUNERAL 02/98
FACE FIRMLY IN PLACE 04/00
Junji Ito's Dog Diary:
 BOSS NON-NON 03/98
 HIDE-AND-SEEK WITH BOSS NON-NON 07/98

LOVESICKNESS
LOVESICKNESS:
 THE BEAUTIFUL BOY AT THE CROSSROADS 05/96
 A WOMAN IN DISTRESS 07/96
 SHADOW 09/96
 SCREAMS IN THE NIGHT 11/96
 THE BOY IN WHITE 02/2001

THE STRANGE HIKIZURI SIBLINGS:
 NARUMI'S BOYFRIEND 11/95
 THE SÈANCE 12/95

THE MANSION OF PHANTOM PAIN 12/99
THE RIB WOMAN 09/99
MEMORIES OF REAL POOP 10/97

SMASHED
BLOODSUCKING DARKNESS 07/02
GHOSTS OF PRIME TIME 09/02
ROAR 11/02
EARTHBOUND 05/03
DEATH ROW DOORBELL 07/03
THE MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED HOUSE 01/03
THE MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED HOUSE: SOICHI'S VERSION 11/04
SOICHI'S BELOVED PET 07/06
IN MIRROR VALLEY 03/05
I DON'T WANT TO BE A GHOST 05/05
LIBRARY VISION 03/06
SPLENDID SHADOW SONG 09/06
SMASHED 05/06

VENUS IN THE BLIND SPOT
BILLIONS ALONE 02/04
THE HUMAN CHAIR 05/07
AN UNEARTHLY LOVE 06/08
VENUS IN THE BLIND SPOT 04/13
THE LICKING WOMAN 03/06
MASTER UMEZZ AND ME 11/14
HOW LOVE CAME TO PROFESSOR KIRIDA 05/07
THE ENIGMA OF AMIGARA FAULT 12/00 **
THE SAD TALE OF THE PRINCIPAL POST 06/97 **
KEEPSAKE 02/19

FRAGMENTS OF HORROR
FUTON 05/13
WOODEN SPIRIT 07/13
TOMIO + RED TURTLENECK 09/13
GENTLE GOODBYE 11/13
DISSECTION-CHAN 01/14
BLACKBIRD 03/14
MAGAMI NANAKUSE 05/14
WHISPERING WOMAN 11/09


Longies:

TOMIE
 v1: 02/87-06/90
 v2: 06/93-11/95
 v3: 03/99-11/00
UZUMAKI 01/98-08/99
GYO 01-02 (still hunting dates)
REMINA 09/04-07/05
JUNJI ITO'S CAT DIARY: YON & MU 01/08-02/09
DISSOLVING CLASSROOM 03/13-10/14
NO LONGER HUMAN 05/17-04/18
SENSOR 08/18-08/19


       * Also a part of TOMIE.
     ** Also a bonus tale in GYO collection.


I feel better now, how about you?

[bayls171]

Jan 10, 2022 23:15:14 GMT thebeautifulpuffin said:

Although I read Uzumaki back in the aughts, I wasn't paying attention when his older stuff was being issued in English by Dark Horse and whomever else. Late to the party, but I've been a good little consumer and have been picking up everything Ito that's been coming out since Viz (and Vertical, a bit) went full-on a few years ago. They're doing a nice job of it, mos def, but it drives me a little buggy that there isn't ever any information included about when the stories were originally written or saw print. Finally sat down this afternoon and parsed out the initial serializations... Here's the rough draft:

I'm new to Ito, did not know that some of those short stories were so old. I appreciate you putting this list together, its fascinating..

[BubblesZine]

Wow thank you for that thebeautifulpuffin. Funny I was actually thinking about doing something similar for an article in Bubbles. Try and figure out how much hasn't been published, and what has been. Curious to estimate how many more Viz collections we can get. This is a good start. If you want to keep the research up, shoot me an email!

[thebeautifulpuffin]

Well I'm glad you're digging it, bayls171 , it was most soothing to compile, and I'd totally be down for some more rooting around, BubblesZine ! Hit me here or via mail in a couple of days if I haven't reached out first.

Futzed a little more with the list above, just some added dates and some name corrections, but it might be worth a second peek now if you saw it earlier. Figured out a way to waste some more board acreage, too: 

In English? In print? In order!

DE - BIO HOUSE summer/87
DE - FACE THIEF 12/87
DE - WHERE THE SANDMAN LIVES 05/88
DE - THE DEVIL'S LOGIC summer/88
DE - THE LONG HAIR IN THE ATTIC 11/88
FR - NECK SPECTOR 03/89
DE - SCRIPTED LOVE 06/89
DE - THE REANIMATOR'S SWORD 08/89
DE - A FATHER'S LOVE 04+05/90
>>- TOMIE v1 02/87-06/90
DE - UNENDURABLE LABYRINTH 07/90
DE - BULLIED 08/90
DE - DESERTER 09/90
FR - BOG OF LIVING SPIRITS 10/90
DE - VILLAGE OF THE SIREN 11/90
SH - USED RECORD 12/90
FR - PEN PAL 02/91
FR - INTRUDER 10/91
SH - SHIVER 11/91
FR - THE STRANGE TALE OF OSHIKIRI 04/92
SH - FASHION MODEL 07/92
FR - THE STRANGE TALE OF OSHIKIRI: THE WALLS 03/93
SH - HANGING BLIMP 01/94
SH - MARIONETTE MANSION 03/94
FR - FRANKENSTEIN 09-11/94
SH - PAINTER 07/95 *
>>- TOMIE v2 06/93-11/95
LS - NARUMI'S BOYFRIEND 11/95
LS - THE SÈANCE 12/95
SH - HONORED ANCESTORS 01/96
LS - THE BEAUTIFUL BOY AT THE CROSSROADS 05/96
LS - A WOMAN IN DISTRESS 07/96
LS - SHADOW 09/96
LS- SCREAMS IN THE NIGHT 11/96
SH - THE LONG DREAM 01/97
VE - THE SAD TALE OF THE PRINCIPAL POST 06/97
LS - MEMORIES OF REAL POOP 10/97
FR - THE HELL OF THE DOLL FUNERAL 02/98
FR - BOSS NON-NON 03/98
FR - HIDE-AND-SEEK WITH BOSS NON-NON 07/98
>>- UZUMAKI 01/98-08/99
LS - THE MANSION OF PHANTOM PAIN 12/99
LS - THE RIB WOMAN 09/99
FR - FACE FIRMLY IN PLACE 04/00
>>- TOMIE v3 03/99-11/00
SM - THE ENIGMA OF AMIGARA FAULT 12/00
LS - THE BOY IN WHITE 02/2001
>>- GYO 01-02
SM - BLOODSUCKING DARKNESS 07/02
SM - GHOSTS OF PRIME TIME 09/02
SM - ROAR 11/02
SM - THE MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED HOUSE 01/03
SH - GREASED 03/03
SM - EARTHBOUND 05/03
SM - DEATH ROW DOORBELL 07/03
VE - BILLIONS ALONE 02/04
SM - THE MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED HOUSE: SOICHI'S VERSION 11/04
SM - IN MIRROR VALLEY 03/05
SM - I DON'T WANT TO BE A GHOST 05/05
>>- REMINA 09/04-07/05
SM - LIBRARY VISION 03/06
VE - THE LICKING WOMAN 03/06
SM - SMASHED 05/06
SM - SOICHI'S BELOVED PET 07/06
SM - SPLENDED SHADOW SONG 09/06
VE - THE HUMAN CHAIR 05/07
VE - HOW LOVE CAME TO PROFESSOR KIRIDA 05/07
VE - AN UNEARTHLY LOVE 06/08
>>- JUNJI ITO'S CAT DIARY: YON & MU 01/08-02/09
FH - WHISPERING WOMAN 11/09
VE - VENUS IN THE BLIND SPOT 04/13
FH - FUTON 05/13
FH - WOODEN SPIRIT 07/13
FH - TOMIO + RED TURTLENECK 09/13
FH - GENTLE GOODBYE 11/13
FH - DISSECTION-CHAN 01/14
FH - BLACKBIRD 03/14
FH - MAGAMI NANAKUSE 05/14
>>- DISSOLVING CLASSROOM 03/13-10/14
VE - MASTER UMEZZ AND ME 11/14
SH - FASHION MODEL: CURSED FRAME 10/15
>>- NO LONGER HUMAN 05/17-04/18
VE - KEEPSAKE 02/19
>>- SENSOR 08/18-08/19


Sigh.


EDIT: Fixed that annoying thing where the system adds a space between every line when you post. Anybody know what I'm doing wrong?

As long as I'm here and fussing again, please enjoy the blandest collection shot ever:

Yes, the current assortment of Ito titles available in the Americas can fit comfortably in a single short box

[mamalips]

Uzumaki colouring Book coming soon and a new book The Liminal Zone around August.

[peeblood]

I loved Sensor. I really didn't like Remina much. When the evil planet started licking earth with a big doggy tongue I thought "i'm not so sure about this". Deserter was really cool. I loved reading those early comics and seeing how much more loose and untrained his drawing style is. The characters faces are so cool. There is a panel in the first story about the bug eating guy, with an upward shot of the main guys head and there is a really poorly drawn chandelier in the background and it made me lose my mind. Very inspiring to know at a time Junji couldn't draw a chandelier good either! there's hope for all of us.

[teemcgee]

I hope that the Junji Ito revival of the last few years leads publishers to take a punt on publishing more of the other great horror mangaka. I noticed recently that Viz are going to release a "perfect edition" of Kazuo Umezu's Orochi later this year - if it's anything like the French edition that could mean 1000+ more pages of Umezu in English (Viz did put out an Orochi book two decades ago, but it only covered a single story in the sequence)