Junji Ito 101 - Books

So, you JUST got into his work, but you have no idea where to start books wise at all. I feel you! Once I got into it, I was stuck. What's the best thing to get? Is it really necessary to know this story?  Well, here I am to tell you all the tips, free of charge, coming from an all time fan and crazy collector, almost owning all his books and having read every single one too. So, I think I'm pretty qualified.

Without further ado, lets get started.

First, books. Usually, fans would recommend the top three, "Tomie" (you are most likely the most familiar with this story than any others.), "Uzumaki", and "Gyo". Of course, those are great first books, but what I recommend is, honestly, buying the book that speaks to you the most. The one that screams "read me!!!", which honestly can be hard for people with bad decision making skills, but it worked for me and many others. Starting with a book that wasn't recommended to you, and was instead from yourself will make it far more enjoyable, especially if you're heading into it face first. But, lets say you really don't know where to start, and you really really need guidance, well.. I'm recommending something a little bit different.

The books I'm recommending, personally, are any of his 5-stories-or-less books, such as Liminal Zone 1 and 2, and Fragments of Horror. The 5-stories-or-less books are very underrated, and saying "my first book was Fragments of Horror" sounds a bit better than "my first book was Tomie". After all, everybody's first book was Tomie. Been there done that, right? But of course, eventually you'd HAVE to get the top three. So, if you really want to start with the big three with knowing that eventually you'd get it anyway, then there's no harm in that. I thought the same. The second and third books I've bought were Tomie and Uzumaki. Still amazing reads to this day.

You're a bit sceptical on if you'd like to spend your hard earned money on a book you may not like? Don't worry! I feel that too. I don't even own the few books that I KNOW I wouldn't read again in a lifetime. So, I'll give you short introductions to every single story-driven book, and then I'll give you all a list of all short story ones!

1. Tomie

A young woman who is able to seduce any man - considered to be "the most beautiful girl in the world". Any man who gets close enough to her would be droven mad by her beauty - but in the end, it is Tomie who takes the fall, being killed by the very man who fell in love with her. But beware - for when she is killed, she multiplies! If you cut her into 50 pieces, out comes 50 new Tomies, one as gorgeous as the next. Tomie... Tomie... Tomie..

2. Uzumaki

Kirie Goshima and Shuichi Saito, trapped in a town infested by spirals! With each passing story, the two lovebirds get deeper and deeper into the town. Town folks turning into snails, kids able to create spiraling tornadoes with a mere blow, and twisted true love. Will they be able to make it out of their town, or will they fall fatal to the spiral?

3. Gyo

Get me out of here! What is that smell?! Tadashi, a scuba lover, bears the horrifying sight of robot-legged fish, crawling on the sea floor. As he returns home, one found its way on land. One turned to ten. Ten turned to hundreds. Hundreds turned into thousands. Will Tadashi protect his girlfriend, Kaori, from the Death Stench Creeps?

4. Remina

Many many years into the future, Professor Oguro discovers a planet, which has made its way into orbit from another solar system. Remina, named after his beautiful daughter. But, as it is observed, it seems to get closer.. and closer.. at dangerously intense speeds. One by one, each planet is engulfed, and disappears, while the planet makes its way to Earth, the people awaiting Earth's extintion. But not before a man makes a statement within the fearing crowd. It is Remina's fault.

5. Lovesickness

Its Ryusuke's first time back to his old town, having not been back since he was just five years old. He talks to his old friends, who explain that fortune telling has been bursting with popularity like nothing before, and that all the boys and girls at the school go to the crossroads to have their fortune told. But, when she runs into the mysterious fortune teller in the fog, and asks the question "Will I ever find true love?", it unexpectedly led to the response of "your love will never be realised.". The girl is heartbroken. And suddenly, she dies. More girls die after having her fortunes told, and it eventually escalates to the rumour that.. Perhaps it is the doing of Ryusuke?

6. Black Paradox

Four people, brought together by a website, all with their own bizzare backstories that you swear could never happen! They are all ready to die, in hopes to get reincharnated into a new life, away from the ones they are living. But, before they could attempt, they uncover an strange phenomenon with one of their peers...

7. Sensor

Mount Sengoku errupts for the first time in 60 years! On the path to the mountain, there laid a pod, covered in volcanic hairs that shined as bright as the stars in the night sky, with mystery as vast as the universe. The pod begins to melt, as a bizzare sight unfolds in front of the people. Saved by the mere hairs, there lied a woman, as she slowly emmerged from the pod, untouched. Her hair glowed just as bright as the hairs that covered her from harm. Who is this mysterious woman, and where did she come from? 

8. Soichi

Are you prepared to witness true horror? Meet the deranged second son of the Tsujii family, a boy who will spout horrific curses in your name as he twddles with the iron nails in his mouth! Do not mess with him, be prepared to be ruined by his power! 

9. Dissolving Classroom

Little sister Chizumi enjoys drinking the brains of her brothers victims! He is very sorry, he didn't mean it! The more Yuuma Azawa apologizes, the more people melt right to his feet. The people who melt turn into disappearances, but only one girl survives from melting before it became fatal... What does Yuuma have to say for himself? I'm sorry!

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Phew, that was so long! Jeez, I lost motivation right when I got to Sensor (Maybe you can see the writers burnout) But I prevailed! Now that you have a small introduction to each of the long form books, I wil make a list (not in order of which I think are the best) of all the short story collections, so you get a jist of your options.

I'll also list all the stories MADE by other creators, but turned into a manga by Ito.

(And I will say in advanced. Cat Diary is technically a long form story, but because it isn't fiction, I didn't add it to the long form story list.)

SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS

-Shiver

-Frankenstein

-Tombs

-Smashed

-Alley

-Deserter

-Venus In The Blind Spot

-Fragments Of Horror

-Liminal Zone (1&2)

-Yon and Mu Cat Diary

-Moan (upcoming this October)

OTHER STORIES

-No Longer Human

-Mimi's Tales Of Terror

-Stitches

Alright! Finally at the end. Did everything process into your head? I wouldn't be surprised if you said no, lol. But I hope you had a good read. It was fun (yet exhausting) Making this first blog. But! I WILL make more in the future! Guaranteed!

And almost forgot to mention! If you are broke and cannot buy any books, then go here. This website houses most of Ito's work (apart from like, one story), so that'll be helpful for you. Beware that there are ads that'll pop up, but just swipe away quickly and continue reading.

I love you all so much, and thank YOU, reader, for reading! I hope this was helpful!!

-rileyann