In this article we will meet one of the greatest and best known horror mangakas of all time: Junji Ito [伊藤潤二].
Author of the classic Uzumaki [渦巻き] and several short horror stories, Junji Ito has become famous around the world for the quality of his strokes and for his impressive ability to develop a frightening and tense atmosphere in his manga.
Below, we will discuss a little about his works and we will also give some reading suggestions.
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Peculiarities of Japanese Horror/Horror
First of all, you can easily see the difference in style between a Japanese horror and an American horror. The first concerns the fact that Japanese horror tends to be more visual. The second is evident in the way manga are constructed, with the psychological atmosphere and tension that builds over time gaining prominence. In the works of Junji Ito it is no different.
While American horror/horror tends to be filled with death, apparitions, murders, ghosts, dolls and the like, Japanese horror focuses on the psychology of situations, the oddities and the tension of the environment (something that makes this genre, in Japan, mixes a little with suspense and sci-fi).
In that sense, it might be easier to feel uncomfortable reading a manga of this genre in Japan that (although they also occur) watching common western movies like Hollywood horror movies.
Uzumaki and the worldwide success
Uzumaki is undoubtedly Junji Ito's most popular work in the west. The manga was published twice in Brazil. The first batch came from Conrad, in three volumes. Subsequently, the publisher Devir released a complete deluxe edition of the series in a single volume, with about 656 pages.
Uzumaki, to the letter, means "spiral" or "whirlpool" and illustrates exactly the main theme of the manga. For those who enjoy the genre of terror or horror, it is an indispensable reading. So I prefer not to provide spoilers here.
Fragments of Horror
Another very interesting manga by Junji Ito was published in Brazil with the title “Fragmentos do Horror (2014)”, in hardcover edition. The mangaka, in turn, spent a long time without publishing manga of the genre until the publication of this new compilation of horror stories.
It is extremely recommended for anyone who wants to get involved in Ito's works, given that Uzumaki may end up being a rather unpalatable work for novice or unsuspecting readers. If you want to get used to the atmosphere of Junji ito's short stories, we recommend starting here.
The article is still halfway through, but we recommend also reading:
The Amigara Failure Riddle
Here we have a bizarre tale involving faults in human form. For no apparent reason, people begin to identify their own silhouettes in the gaps and have an unhealthy desire to step into them. The manga is covered in an atmosphere of mystery, nonsense and terror.
Reading is also recommended for those who are already familiar with some of the author's other manga.
If you want to buy any of the manga, you can buy them through the Amazon.
And you? Have you read the work of this incredible mangaka? Comment, like and share with your friends.
