I’m a huge horror fan so I was excited to read this latest collection. Last, the quality hardcover binding really gives these stories the respect that they deserve.Ĭourtney Smashed, the latest of Junji Ito’s hardcovers, collects 13 (an appropriate number) short horror stories. For those of us who cannot read Japanese, signs, text in the background, and even sound effects are not only translated, but re-drawn to be seamlessly integrated into the art. While at the same time, every story has a unique vision of horror that only Ito can express. Whether it’s a man overcome with an obsession with his family library, or hikers who find a pair of abandoned villages with a strange and mystifying history, every story is grounded by the everyday quality of the characters experiencing the extraordinary events depicted on each page. Anyone can be drawn into the unearthly events contained within his stories. Ito’s unusual blend of horror elements (including, cosmic terror and body horror), aren’t reserved for elite hero characters that I can’t relate to. Maybe that’s what makes these stories so satisfying to me. These unfortunate ‘everyman’ characters really don’t know what they’re in for! Ito has a unique narrative style that compliments his bizarre stories, elevating the strangeness of the supernatural events above the common, everyday individuals experiencing them. His art style is always detailed, and his stories strange. Nate I truly enjoy the horror stories of Junji Ito. If you’ve been clamoring for sleepless nights and a sudden urge to change your pants, this book is for you. Another highlight is The Earthbound for it’s story, something I don't usually say about Junji Ito.

Be sure to read The Secret of the Haunted Mansion for the one of the scariest page turns ever. It’s hard for me to get scared by manga (it’s not the visceral experience like movies) but Ito manages to make me stay up at night. The 13 stories range from horror classics to fun Ito zaniness. WillMore Junji Ito is always welcome, and that’s what we get in Smashed. Smashed Junji Ito Story Collection Manga Review

Smashed book junji ito