There is no storyteller on Earth quite like Junji Ito. Since his professional manga debut in 1987, he has been captivating and terrifying readers with his macabre tales and chillingly iconic creations. The brilliantly talented mangaka has rightfully become one of the most well-known horror storytellers of his generation, and for good reason. Junji Ito's beautifully illustrated comics hide deep, devastating secrets, and each tale he weaves haunts and horrifies in the most unique way.
Junji Ito Collections
### Alley
5See it at Amazon
### Uzumaki: Deluxe Edition
15See it at TargetSee it at Amazon
### Tomie: Complete Deluxe Edition
7See it at Amazon
### Mimi's Tales of Terror
0See it at Amazon
### Remina
1See it at Amazon
### Shiver
0See it at Amazon
### Gyo: Deluxe Edition
5See it at Amazon
### Smashed
2See it at Amazon
### Lovesickness
2See it at AmazonNarrowing down Junji Ito's extensive collection to just 13 of his most bone-chilling offerings was no easy task. While many of the scariest Junji Ito short stories can be found as scans online, his short stories are also compiled into physical collections. Some collections, like Tomie and Uzumaki, contain stories that follow a specific narrative, while others, such as Shiver and Smashed, include standalone stories collected by theme.
The Scariest Junji Ito Stories
From ominous ghost stories, heart-twisting gothic horror, and grotesquely bizarre modern fables, here are the 13 most terrifying tales from one of the masters of horror manga, Junji Ito.
13. The Beautiful Boy at the Crossroads
Junji Ito often explores the theme of love and its potential to curse us. The first—and throughline—story from his Lovesickness collection is a prime example. We meet Ryusuke on a train, a teenage boy moving back to his hometown after years away, haunted by the very thought of it. The devastating reason behind his haunting will soon be revealed, but in the meantime, his arrival coincides with a trend of young women seeking "crossroads fortunes." Soon, the bodies of schoolgirls who ask strangers for their fortunes begin to turn up brutally murdered; but who is to blame? How does it connect with Ryusuke's past? This chilling mystery introduces one of Ito's scariest creations and is one of his most memorable tales.
12. Village of the Siren
Turning his hand to folk horror, Ito crafts another bleak homecoming in Village of the Siren. After receiving a strange phone call from his parents and witnessing an ominous apparition at his window, Kyochi decides it's time for a family reunion. Upon his return, he finds the once lively rural village transformed into a ghost town. Life now revolves around a mysterious factory of unknown origin, and the all-consuming sirens that emanate from it each night add to the eeriness. If you enjoy stories about strange rituals, unusual cults, and the occult, you'll find this tale particularly gripping. The story breaks taboos with a significant death count and features a rarely seen demographic of victims, adding to its unsettling impact.
11. I Don't Want to Be a Ghost
When Shigeru kindly picks up a beautiful wandering woman from the side of the road, his life is forever changed. Initially worried about her bloodied and disoriented state, he is reassured by her explanations. Days later, despite being married and expecting a baby, Shigeru begins a secretive affair with her. Blinded by her beauty, he overlooks how often she appears covered in blood and her peculiar claim to "love his ghosts." Her true desires are darker than anyone could have foreseen, and Shigeru realizes this too late.
10. The Strange Hikizuri Siblings
One of the more humorous entries in Ito's repertoire, this bleakly comedic slice-of-life story follows an unhinged set of siblings who delight in tormenting and terrorizing each other and unsuspecting victims. Over two tales collected in Lovesickness, we meet some of the unfortunate people who cross their path, including an old school friend of their most beautiful member and a photographer. While their schemes can lead to deadly consequences, the Hikizuri siblings are generally rather hapless, though you wouldn't want to be invited to their dinner table.
9. The Mystery of the Haunted House
A haunted house turns a town upside down when derision turns to terror as each new visitor enters its doors. Two young boys become entangled in the proprietor's twisted games after trying to sneak in for free. Upon exploring the ghoulish halls, they discover a true house of horrors filled with victims who claim to be the owner's family. This tale features dark comedy, courtesy of Ito's recurring character, the scheming creeper Souichi Tsujii. However, there's nothing funny about his heinous crimes. The Mystery of the Haunted House is a wild ride that will delight fans of haunt culture.
8. Honored Ancestors
Family often features prominently in Ito's tales, and Honored Ancestors might be his most psychedelically deranged yet. On a seemingly normal evening, Risa is brought home by her close friend Makata, who claims that she's suffering from amnesia and couldn't remember where she lived. According to doctors, her amnesia is caused by immense emotional stress. Risa becomes increasingly distressed as she's haunted by visions of a giant caterpillar. The truth behind these visions revolves around Makata and his family's strange traditions, revealed in Ito's dementedly awful fashion as the tale concludes. It's one family reunion you'll never forget, though you'll wish you could.
7. Uzumaki
Likely the most famous of Ito's many works, Uzumaki has been deemed a classic for good reason. Weaving a supernatural curse into a ghost story centered around the small town of Kurouzu-cho, which is haunted not by spirits but by spirals, this tale is uniquely spooky. Ito's distinctive linework does an exceptional job of transforming the usually unassuming shapes into something utterly terrifying. Uzumaki features many of Ito's favorite themes like obsession, paranoia, and the mundane becoming bizarre. The impact of Uzumaki cannot be overstated, with multiple video game and film adaptations and a highly anticipated anime adaptation in development. You can check out our review of the first episode of the Uzumaki anime to see what we thought.
6. Fashion Model
While many of Ito's stories are slow burn haunters, Fashion Model is a more in-your-face horror tale that reveals its monster from the earliest pages. Like our next entry, Tomie, Fashion Model has become one of Ito's most popular long-running tales. When a young man sees a bizarre model in a magazine whose mouth is filled with dagger-like teeth, he becomes consumed by her image. He can't stop thinking about her, why she was hired, and why she fills him with an all-consuming existential terror. Life moves on, and he and some friends begin casting for a student film. It's here that the model reemerges back into his life in a brutal and all too real fashion. This tale is a great entry into both the Ito and monster horror canon.
5. Tomie
Probably Ito's most famous creation, the stunningly beautiful Tomie was murdered by her classmates only to reappear the next day. Since then, she has been terrorizing readers and lovestruck men for years. There's a collected edition of Tomie tales where you can read her story from her earliest to most recent appearances, each one more delightfully dark than the last. Her ever-shifting true face is the stuff of nightmares, but Ito's striking illustration style has also made her a perennial pop culture figure. Even if you've never read an Ito story, you've likely already seen Tomie as a sticker, tattoo, or t-shirt. Ironically, in her stories, it's nearly impossible to capture her beauty in an image unless you want to see her true face too.
4. House of the Marionettes
Puppets have always held a particularly creepy place in horror, and Ito uses that to his advantage in this ghastly story about a strange family obsessed with marionettes. It all begins when a young girl named Kinuko befriends the son of a family of puppeteers. Becoming close with one of the two sons, Haruhiko, she visits the home and immediately becomes wary of a large marionette named Jean-Pierre. Years later, Haruhiko and Kinuko reconnect and get married. But when they're called back to the former's family home, they make an awful discovery. This is one of the most classical of Ito's stories, but it will still shock and surprise at every turn.
3. Used Record
Eerie and atmospheric, Used Record tells the story of an odd record that hypnotizes and entices the listener. When Ogawa buys the vinyl, she quickly becomes obsessed, as does her friend Nakayama when she hears it. Soon, all the pair can do is listen to the song again and again. But there's only one copy, which means that the girls are on a tragic path. The terrifying aspect of this story is the relatable fact that we've all had that one song we can't stop listening to. Ito just takes it to the next, supernaturally nightmarish level. And for that reason, this wonderfully drawn tale ends up being just as addictive as the song at its center.
2. Greased
Growing up above her family's barbeque restaurant by Mount Fuji, Yui is sick of the grease that has slowly but surely accumulated, coating their home. While she worries about its effects, her violent and abusive brother Goro embraces the cooking oil that creates it, drinking it from the bottle until his face becomes covered in large, grotesque pustules. Goro's obsession with the grease and his sister's hopes of surviving it are deeply entangled in this, one of Ito's most stomach-churning tales which will threaten both your lunch and your sleep cycle. Truly, this is the kind of story you have to mentally prepare to read, so don't take checking this one out lightly.
1. The Hanging Balloons
What makes The Hanging Balloons Ito's scariest story? It's one of his most bizarre—which is where the mangaka excels—and it also manages to feel utterly claustrophobic and inescapable in the best way. After the unexpected suicide of a celebrity schoolgirl inspires a spate of copycat deaths, people begin to report seeing imposing balloons in the sky. But these are no ordinary balloons. In fact, reports claim they are the giant inflated heads of the woman who died. Many more of the balloons soon appear, chasing those whose faces they wear. Instead of strings, metal nooses swing beneath them. What is their purpose? If they catch up with those who they resemble, they catch and hang them... This is a psychedelic night terror come to life.
What's Next for Junji Ito?
Pre-Order### Uncanny: Origins of Fear
2Releasing October 15See it at AmazonAlley is the most recent short story collection from the horror manga author, though Junji Ito's most recent release is something entirely new. Uncanny: The Origins of Fear is a written memoir and analysis of the horror genre that was released last Fall. A sneak peek at the memoir is available on Viz Media's website.
Looking ahead, a new Junji Ito story collection titled "Moan" is set to release on October 7. According to the new collection's preorder page, you can expect "Obsession and persistence... warping reality in this collection of macabre stories set in Junji Ito’s bloodcurdling world."
Looking for more manga guides? Take a look at our guide to the best manga for beginners or dive into some of the best free manga websites and apps. You can also check out our updated guide on where to buy manga if you're looking for physical copies of Junji Ito's work.
