A new short manga series is in the works from famed artist, Junji Ito.
As reported by Anime News Network, this new series, tentatively titled Kakugetsu Ito Junji, will debut on Feb. 13 in the upcoming issue of Nemuki+, a bi-monthly manga magazine. To help promote Ito’s new project, Nemuki+’s January 2023 issue featured artwork from the artist’s “Slumber” story, which revolves around an aspiring lawyer who wakes up every day with a new memory of killing someone. Currently, there are few plot details available for Kakugetsu Ito Junji.
Junji Ito is one of the most iconic figures within the horror manga scene, publishing over two dozen popular tales over the course of his career. He is particularly well-known for his surrealist approach to body horror, which is present in many of his stories. The artist’s most famous works include Uzumaki, a story about a small town haunted by a mysterious spiral phenomenon that gruesomely takes over people’s bodies, “The Hanging Balloons” which focuses on a town plagued by visions of floating, disembodied heads that forecast people’s deaths, and “Tomie” a series of tales revolving around a beautiful young woman who manipulates lovestruck men to commit murderous acts.
Recently, Ito collaborated with body art artist Doooo to release a series of creepy, novelty horror items inspired by the brutal way that Tomie is murdered in her respective series. Tomie will also appear in Ito’s upcoming anime series, Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre.
Junji Ito’s Stories
Studio DEEN’s Junji Ito Maniac, which premieres on Netflix on Jan. 19, will adapt 20 of Ito’s stories, including “Unendurable Labyrinth” that centers on a deranged religious cult, and “Where the Sandman Lives,” which revolves around a man who is convinced that a dream version of himself is trying to escape into reality. Other examples include “Headless Statues,” “The Long Hair in the Attic,” “Library of Illusions,” “Hanging Balloons,” and “Tomie: Photo” which centers around the aforementioned character getting revenge on members of her High School Photography Club that have harassed her with incessant photography.
In addition to Kakugetsu Ito Junji, fans of Ito’s work can also look forward to the upcoming English-language release of Tombs: Junji Ito Story Collection from VIZ Media. Although the volume’s synopsis does not include the names of each story, it does highlight several creepy premises from the collection, including one about a girl rendered silent after her tongue is transformed into a slug, and another about a boy who moves in to a town and is mysteriously beckoned one night by his next-door neighbor, whose home only has one window. Tombs is currently available to pre-order, but the volume won’t hit shelves until March 28, 2023.
Fans can catch Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre on Netflix starting Jan. 19.
Source: Anime News Network
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