The Ultimate Guide to Junji Ito’s Terrifying World of Horror Manga

Junji Ito│courtesy of Junji Ito

Junji Ito holds the title of crafting the most horrifying and eerie worlds filled with terror and mystery, while simultaneously being Japan’s most wholesome mangaka. With a body of work that includes over 100 distinct stories and numerous collections, navigating the realms Ito has created since the release of Tomie in 1987 can be a challenge. Let this article serve as your guide into the vast universe of Junji Ito, showcasing a curated selection of his works that will introduce you to the core of his world of horror.

15. The Long Hair in the Attic

Published - 1988

Prepare to step into the eerie world of Junji Ito’s The Long Hair in the Attic, where heartbreak takes a terrifying, supernatural twist. Chiemi, devastated by a cold breakup, plans to cut her long, cherished hair—but fate has other plans. Found decapitated, her head mysteriously missing, the real horror begins when her father discovers the severed head entangled in impossibly long, living hair lurking in the attic. As this monstrous hair takes on a life of its own, it spirals into a chilling nightmare, stalking those Chiemi left behind—including her ex. With Ito’s trademark mix of body horror and the grotesque, this story transforms the ordinary into pure nightmare fuel.

The Long Hair in the Attic│courtesy of Junji Ito & Kaoru Sawada

14. Fashion Model: Cursed Frame

Published - 1997

In Junji Ito’s spine-chilling short story, Fashion Model: Cursed Frame, we meet Amy, an eager aspiring model whose elation at being discovered by a prestigious agency is swiftly eclipsed by an overwhelming dread of photography. Her excitement turns into a palpable tension upon meeting the bizarre and grotesque figure of Fuchi, an enigmatic model whose very presence blurs the boundaries of reality and nightmare. Despite her agent’s hollow reassurances about accommodating her phobia, Amy spirals into a harrowing world filled with gruesome close-ups and horrifying expectations. As her self-assurance crumbles, she is forced to confront the sinister undercurrents of the modeling industry. What starts as a quest for beauty devolves into a nightmarish battle for survival against a monstrous rival.

Fashion Model: Cursed Frame│courtesy of Junji Ito

13. A Deserter in the House

Published - 1997

In Junji Ito’s haunting tale, A Deserter in the House, the echoes of war linger as a family harbors a man named Saburo Furukawa, a deserter from the Japanese army during World War II. Set in 1953, they maintain the illusion that the war is still raging, staging military raids to keep him in hiding. But this deception masks a tragic history; Furukawa was once in love with the family’s sister, Kimie, whose fate was sealed in a bombing run after a confrontation with her brother. As a festival’s fireworks ignite, the family’s cruel trick leads them to a shocking revelation—Furukawa is not the living man they believed him to be, but a lingering spirit bound by guilt and sorrow.

A Deserter in the House│courtesy of Junji Ito

12. The Gift Bearer

Published - 1998

The Gift Bearer or Gift Man explores the dark legacy of a selfish businessman that unfolds in unexpected ways. After a hypnotist intervenes in the life of Sou Okura, who terrorizes his family and the neighborhood, he commands the cruel man to “dedicate yourself to others.” Years later, a strange young man roams the town, distributing gifts but eliciting fear from the locals. The hypnotist returns, only to discover that this enigmatic figure is Okura’s son, now grown and haunted by his father’s actions. As the boy gives away wooden dolls bearing his father’s essence, the town’s dark secrets rise to the surface. Prepare for a twisted story of sacrifice, identity, and the haunting grip of a father’s malevolence.

The Gift Bearer│courtesy of Junji Ito

11. Used Record

Published - 1991

In Junji Ito’s manga Used Record, an unmarked vinyl reveals a haunting jazz melody that ensnares all who hear it. Nakayama becomes captivated by the record owned by her friend Ogawa, leading to an obsession that spirals into violence when Nakayama steals it. As tensions rise, their friendship crumbles, culminating in a tragic confrontation that leaves Ogawa dead. Desperate to listen to the song, Nakayama searches for a way to play it, only to uncover a sinister history behind the record linked to a jazz singer who died trying to record her final performance. As the dark influence of the record unfolds, Nakayama discovers the chilling price of obsession. Will the melody claim another victim, or will she break free?

Used Record│courtesy of Junji Ito

10. Bog of Living Spirits

Published - 2018

In Junji Ito’s Bog of Living Spirits, or Bog of the Living Dead, Oshikiri, a member of the school’s beautification committee, secretly spreads a rumor about a ghost haunting a local swamp. When his popular friend Kojima becomes overwhelmed by obsessive admirers, Oshikiri helps him fake his death during a cleanup at the swamp. However, things take a dark turn when the committee members begin to mysteriously drown. Soon, Oshikiri learns that the vengeful spirits of Kojima’s admirers are haunting the swamp, desperately searching for him. As their obsession with Kojima grows, the spirits target Oshikiri in a deadly pursuit. Dark, mysterious, and filled with ghostly revenge, this story will keep you on edge as you uncover the truth behind the haunted bog.

Bog of Living Spirits│courtesy of Junji Ito

9. Den of the Sleep Demon

Published - 1990

Den of the Sleep Demon, or Where the Sandman Lives, is built around the story of author Yuji, who confides in his friend Mari that he’s haunted by a sinister presence in his dreams. This entity, a reflection of himself, is trying to escape into the real world by replacing Yuji. Desperate to stay awake, Yuji enlists Mari’s help to keep him from falling asleep. However, when Yuji inevitably drifts off, a horrifying transformation begins—his dream self starts to force its way out of his body. Despite Mari’s attempts to help, the boundary between reality and nightmare blurs. As Yuji’s dream world beckons, Mari faces an impossible choice, and the two become ensnared in a terrifying struggle between two worlds.

Den of the Sleep Demon│courtesy of Junji Ito

8. Beehive

Published in 1991

In Junji Ito’s Beehive, Takano, once fascinated by collecting wasp nests, is haunted by a dark secret. After encountering a strange boy who claims to save wasp nests, Takano becomes obsessed with the boy’s mysterious connection to the insects. Driven by jealousy and curiosity, Takano follows the boy into the woods and makes a horrifying discovery—a cave filled with beehives and wasp nests. As the story unfolds, Takano recalls a gruesome act he committed, but the consequences of his actions come back to torment him. When Takano finds a hive seeping blood, he is faced with a terrifying truth that unleashes a deadly swarm of vengeance, leaving him at the mercy of the very creatures he once coveted.

Beehive│courtesy of Junji Ito

7. Layers of Fear

Published - 2017

In Layers of Fear, Junji Ito weaves a chilling tale of obsession and a family curse. When Professor Soya uncovers a mysterious burial site, he unknowingly triggers a horrifying fate for his daughter, Reimi. Years later, after a car accident, Reimi’s body reveals a terrifying secret—she is made entirely of layers, each containing a younger version of herself. Her sister Narumi believes it’s the result of the curse from their father’s discovery. As their mother becomes fixated on peeling back the layers to find the “perfect” version of Reimi, the situation spirals into gruesome horror. The story explores themes of beauty, identity, and the terrifying consequences of tampering with forces beyond human understanding.

Layers of Fear│courtesy of Junji Ito

6. The Hanging Balloons

Published - 1994

The Hanging Balloons is a terrifying tale of supernatural dread. Kazuko is trapped inside her home, haunted by floating balloon-like heads that resemble people, each with a noose. These balloons, including her own, lure victims outside, killing them by hanging. The horror begins when Kazuko’s friend, Terumi, a popular celebrity, mysteriously commits suicide. Soon, giant balloon heads of Terumi and others appear, coaxing people into ending their lives. As the phenomenon spreads across Tokyo, everyone, including Kazuko’s family, succumbs to the floating heads. Starving and alone, Kazuko faces the terrifying possibility that her own balloon will seal her fate.

The Hanging Balloons│courtesy of Junji Ito

5. Hellstar Remina

Published - 2005

In Hellstar Remina, Junji Ito plunges you into a realm of cosmic horror so vast it defies logic. A scientist, ecstatic at the discovery of a new planet, names it “Remina” after his daughter. Yet, this is no ordinary celestial body—it’s a living, sentient nightmare, devouring everything in its wake as it hurtles toward Earth. As its eerie approach grows nearer, humanity spirals into madness, unraveling in chaos. Terrified that Remina herself may be the key to stopping this apocalyptic force, they turn on her, believing her death could halt the planet’s wrath. With frenzied mobs in pursuit, Remina faces not only the terror of being hunted, but the looming destruction of a planet-sized horror beyond comprehension. Cosmic dread entwines with human paranoia in this pulse-pounding fight for survival.

Hellstar Remina│courtesy of Junji Ito

4. Gyo

Published - 2001

Gyo is Junji Ito’s unsettling plunge into a grotesque world where the sea delivers something far more terrifying than waves. It begins with a “death stench”—a foul, suffocating odor that accompanies eerie, fish-like creatures crawling onto land on metal legs. What starts as smaller, bizarre fish soon escalates into monstrous sea life, even sharks and whales, invading Japan’s shores. But these nightmarish beings are far from ordinary; they are the product of a disturbing military experiment gone horribly wrong. As the stench spreads and the creatures multiply, humanity teeters on the brink of madness.

Gyo│courtesy of Junji Ito

3. The Enigma of Amigara Fault

Published - 2001

In The Enigma of Amigara Fault, a chilling mystery unfolds after a devastating earthquake reveals an array of human-shaped holes in Amigara Mountain. As news spreads, hikers Owaki and Yoshida are drawn to the site, where they discover that these peculiar openings were not formed naturally but dug from within the mountain itself. The strange allure of the holes compels visitors to search for their own shapes, with many believing they are destined to enter. As the phenomenon escalates into obsession, those who venture inside face unspeakable horrors, including a fate far worse than death.

The Enigma of Amigara Fault│courtesy of Junji Ito

2. Tomie

Published - 1987

Tomie plunges us into the world of the enigmatic Tomie Kawakami, an exquisitely beautiful woman whose very being ignites madness and violence in those around her. With an allure that mesmerizes and intirgues, she manipulates men into obsessive rage while sowing seeds of jealousy among women, leading to brutal, explosive confrontations. Tomie harbors a chilling gift: an uncanny ability to regenerate, rendering her essentially immortal. No matter how violently she is dispatched, she returns, perpetuating her curse and spreading chaos. Each encounter reveals her darker nature, exposing a talent for psychological manipulation and gruesome survival. As her story unfolds, a harrowing cycle of obsession, betrayal, and rebirth emerges, leaving a trail of shattered hearts and lives.

Tomie│courtesy of Junji Ito

1. Uzumaki

Published - 1998

Uzumaki takes you to the eerie town of Kurouzu-cho, where an insidious curse grips its residents, manifesting through the unsettling motif of the spiral. Teenage Kirie Goshima and her introverted boyfriend, Shuichi Saito, find themselves ensnared by this hypnotic shape that weaves its way through nature and humanity alike—from spiraled seashells to the spirals etched into people’s skin. As the town descends into chaos, obsessions spiral out of control, leading to madness and terrifying transformations. What begins as a peculiar phenomenon soon reveals itself as a horrifying force, pulling the townsfolk deeper into despair. In this manga, the spiral gets a relentless, inescapable grip on reality, twisting fate into an unimaginable nightmare.

Uzumaki│courtesy of Junji Ito

You’ve reached the end of the Ultimate Guide to Junji Ito’s Horror Manga Collection. As you venture through Ito’s vast worlds of horror and unsettling realms, you’ll be exposed the the man’s intricate approach to psychological dread. Each title, whether it explores the insidious creep of cosmic forces, or the raw, visceral horror of bodily transformations, servers as a one-of-a-kind horror experience.

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