13 Scariest Junji Ito Manga Tales Unveiled

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. As a brilliantly talented mangaka, Junji Ito has rightfully earned his place as one of the most renowned horror storytellers of his generation, and his work continues to enthrall fans worldwide. His beautifully illustrated comics are not just visually stunning but also hide deep, devastating secrets. Each tale he weaves is unique, haunting, and horrifying in its own right.

Junji Ito Collections

Alley

5

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Uzumaki: Deluxe Edition

15

See it at Target

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Tomie: Complete Deluxe Edition

7

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Mimi's Tales of Terror

0

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Remina

1

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Shiver

0

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Gyo: Deluxe Edition

5

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Smashed

2

See it at Amazon

Lovesickness

2

See it at Amazon

Narrowing down Junji Ito's vast body of work to just 13 of his most bone-chilling stories was no small task. While many of his scariest short stories can be found online as scans, they 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, feature standalone stories grouped by theme.

The Scariest Junji Ito Stories

From eerie ghost stories and heart-wrenching gothic horror to 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

Ito often explores themes 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 returning to his hometown after years away, haunted by the mere thought of it. The devastating reason behind his fears is soon revealed, coinciding with a trend of young women seeking "crossroads fortunes." Soon, the bodies of schoolgirls who asked strangers for their fortunes begin to appear, brutally murdered. Who is responsible, and how does it connect to Ryusuke's past? This chilling mystery introduces one of Ito's most memorable and terrifying creations.

12. Village of the Siren

Turning 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, Kyochi decides to reunite with his family. Upon returning, he finds the once-vibrant rural village transformed into a ghost town. Life now revolves around a mysterious factory, and the nightly sirens emanating from it consume the villagers. If you enjoy stories about strange rituals, unusual cults, and the occult, this tale will captivate you. It also breaks taboos with its high death count and rare demographic of victims.

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 changes forever. Initially concerned about her bloodied and disoriented state, she explains it away. Days later, they begin a secretive affair, despite Shigeru being married and expecting a baby. Blinded by her beauty, he overlooks her frequent blood-covered appearances and her unsettling claim to "love his ghosts." Her true desires, however, are much darker than anyone could have imagined, and Shigeru realizes it too late.

10. The Strange Hikizuri Siblings

One of Ito's more humorous creations, 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 in Lovesickness, we meet some of the unfortunate individuals who cross their path, including an old school friend of the most beautiful sibling and a photographer. While their schemes can be deadly, the Hikizuri siblings are generally hapless, though you wouldn't want to join them for dinner.

9. The Mystery of the Haunted House

The arrival of a haunted house turns a town upside down, as derision turns to terror with each new visitor. Two young boys become entangled in the proprietor's twisted games after trying to sneak in for free. Exploring the ghoulish halls, they discover a true house of horrors filled with victims claiming to be the owner's family. This story features dark comedy through another of Ito's recurring characters, the scheming Souichi Tsujii. Despite the humor, 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 is a recurring theme in Ito's work, and Honored Ancestors might feature his most psychedelically deranged tale yet. On a seemingly normal evening, Risa is brought home by her close friend Makata, who claims she suffers from amnesia and cannot remember where she lives. Doctors attribute her condition to immense emotional stress. Risa becomes increasingly distressed, haunted by visions of a giant caterpillar. The truth behind these visions involves Makata and his family's strange traditions, revealed in Ito's dementedly awful fashion. This family reunion is unforgettable, though you might wish you could forget it.

7. Uzumaki

Likely the most famous of Ito's works, Uzumaki has earned its classic status for a reason. Weaving a supernatural curse into a ghost story set in the small town of Kurouzu-cho, which is haunted not by spirits but by spirals, this tale is uniquely spooky. Ito's distinctive linework transforms the usually unassuming shapes into something utterly terrifying. Uzumaki explores themes of obsession, paranoia, and the mundane becoming bizarre. Its impact is significant, with multiple video game and film adaptations and an eagerly anticipated anime adaptation in development. Check out our review of the first episode of the Uzumaki anime for our thoughts.

6. Fashion Model

Unlike many of Ito's slow-burn horrors, Fashion Model is a more immediate tale that reveals its monster early on. Like our next entry, Tomie, Fashion Model has become one of Ito's most popular long-running stories. When a young man sees a bizarre model in a magazine with dagger-like teeth, he becomes consumed by her image. Unable to stop thinking about her, he wonders why she was hired and why she fills him with existential terror. As life moves on and he and some friends begin casting for a student film, the model reemerges in brutal and all-too-real fashion. This tale is a great entry into both Ito's work and the monster horror genre.

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. A collected edition of Tomie tales allows readers to follow 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, yet 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 seen Tomie as a sticker, tattoo, or t-shirt. Ironically, in her stories, capturing her beauty in an image is nearly impossible unless you want to see her true face too.

4. House of the Marionettes

Puppets have long held a creepy place in horror, and Ito leverages this to great effect in this ghastly story about a family obsessed with marionettes. It begins when a young girl named Kinuko befriends the son of a family of puppeteers. Becoming close with Haruhiko, she visits his home and becomes wary of a large marionette named Jean-Pierre. Years later, Haruhiko and Kinuko reconnect and marry. When they return to his family home, they make an awful discovery. This is one of Ito's most classical stories, yet 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 they can do is listen to the song repeatedly. But with only one copy, the girls are set on a tragic path. The relatable aspect of having a song you can't stop listening to makes this story terrifying, as Ito takes it to a supernaturally nightmarish level. This wonderfully drawn tale is 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 accumulated, coating their home. While she worries about its effects, her violent and abusive brother Goro embraces the cooking oil, drinking it from the bottle until his face becomes covered in large, grotesque pustules. Goro's obsession with the grease and Yui's hopes of surviving it are deeply intertwined in this, one of Ito's most stomach-churning tales. It's the kind of story you need to mentally prepare for, so approach it with caution.

1. The Hanging Balloons

What makes The Hanging Balloons Ito's scariest story? It's one of his most bizarre—a realm where he excels—and it feels utterly claustrophobic and inescapable. After the unexpected suicide of a celebrity schoolgirl inspires a wave of copycat deaths, people begin to report seeing imposing balloons in the sky. But these are no ordinary balloons; they are the giant inflated heads of the deceased. More balloons soon appear, chasing those whose faces they bear, with metal nooses swinging beneath them. What is their purpose? If they catch up with those they resemble, they hang them. This is a psychedelic night terror brought to life.

What's Next for Junji Ito?

Pre-Order

Uncanny: Origins of Fear

2

Releasing October 15

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Alley is the most recent short story collection from the horror manga author, though Junji Ito's latest 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 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? Check out our guide to the best manga for beginners or explore some of the best free manga websites and apps. You can also see our updated guide on where to buy manga if you're interested in physical copies of Junji Ito's work.