Lovesickness

Junji Ito Story Collection

Hardcover, 408 pages

Published April 20, 2021 by VIZ Media LLC.

ISBN:
978-1-9747-1984-6
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OCLC Number:
1242806746

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4 stars (1 review)

An innocent love becomes a bloody hell in another superb collection by master of horror Junji Ito.

Ryusuke returns to the town he once lived in because rumors are swirling about girls killing themselves after encountering a bewitchingly handsome young man. Harboring his own secret from time spent in this town, Ryusuke attempts to capture the beautiful boy and close the case.

Starting with the strikingly bloody "Lovesickness," this volume collects ten stories showcasing horror master Junji Ito in peak form, including "The Strange Hikizuri Siblings" and "The Rib Woman."

1 edition

Creepy

4 stars

The first sequence of stories is a wonderfully surreal (but still creepy) story about a town where when the fog comes in, you stand at an intersection and ask a stranger for your fortune. This being Juno Ito things take a creepy (and bloody) turn, though there's a surprisingly optimistic ending. One of his best. The artwork is particularly effective at evoking the fog, and creating a sense of dread that lingers long after finishing.

Sadly the rest of the collection is less good. While none of it is bad, none of it is essential.

The next series (of 2) is a comedy about a murderous family of siblings (the Addams family, minus the sophistication) and their misadventures. It's fun, though pretty lightweight.

'Mansion of Phantom Pain' is fine, but is fairly forgettable.

'Ribs' starts strong, but ends as a monster story that doesn't really connect with the beginning.

And …