Junji Ito’s Maniac: Stories That Should Be in New Netflix Series

Junji Ito has become one of the greatest storytellers within the world of horror not just within the medium of anime, but withint the universe of pop culture. With this fall set to see the release of Toonami’s take on Uzumaki with the Adult Swim adaptation, Netflix is getting in on the action with Junji Ito’s Maniac and we thought now was the perfect time to predict which stories from Ito’s resume might be hitting the streaming service.     

If you didn’t have the opportunity to see Junji Ito announcing the new series, the official Twitter account for Netflix Geeked shared the brand new video that sees the master of horror going into detail about the upcoming spooky project:

Since Ito mentioned that these tales have never been animated, this of course would mean that the likes of Uzumaki, Gyo, and the Model most likely won’t be making the cut, but there are plenty of other stories for the series to focus upon.

What stories of Junji Ito do you want to see covered in Netflix’s Maniac? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of Junji Ito. 

Hellstar Remina

Hellstar Remina is a weird story, even for Junji Ito, and considering the territory that the mangaka has covered, this is really saying something. First hitting the scene in 2004, the mini-series focuses on the daughter of a scientist who discovers a rogue planet that is set on a collision course with the Planet Earth. With Remina attempting to flee from the members of humanity that see her responsible for the threat, Ito is able to convey some truly terrifying imagery with this one that would translate spectacularly to the small screen. 

Enigma of Amigura Fault

What might be considered by many to be one of Junji Ito’s creepiest stories, it’s pretty amazing that this one didn’t make the cut when it came to the original Junji Ito anthology series. The Enigma of Amigura Fault focuses on a mountainside that is filled with human-sized holes that are “meant” for people, with a strange allure drawing folks into the tight space. It’s a simple story but it’s one that will make anyone with claustrophobia wince with an ending that is sure to send shivers down the spine of anyone that encounters it. 

Army of One

Junji Ito’s Army of One is so brutal that it’s difficult to even share an image from it, with the story arriving as a side story within the Hellstar Remina publication and seeing a murderer on the loss that not only takes lives, but goes so far as stitch people and animals together. It’s a disturbing story to say the least and it’s one that feels like only Ito himself could have thought up and put to paper. 

Red Turtleneck

Junji Ito’s “Red Turtleneck” focuses on a simple enough story, but it’s one that mixes the horrific with the hilarious to an extent, as a young boy attempts to keep his own head on his shoulders following an encounter with a mysterious woman that is looking to add his head to his collection. The lengths that the woman goes to acquire the protagonist’s head at one point gets so disturbing that it would make anyone cringe, especially if you aren’t a big fan of insects. 

Sensor

Junji Ito’s Sensor is one of his latest and mixes some Lovecraftian terror alongside some imagery that only this horror mangaka could put come up with. The official description of this most recent spooky tale from Viz Media reads as such:

“A woman walks alone at the foot of Mount Sengoku. A man appears, saying he’s been waiting for her, and invites her to a nearby village. Surprisingly, the village is covered in hairlike volcanic glass fibers, and all of it shines a bright gold. At night, when the villagers perform their custom of gazing up at the starry sky, countless unidentified flying objects come raining down on them—the opening act for the terror about to occur!

A woman walks alone at the foot of Mount Sengoku. A man appears, saying he’s been waiting for her, and invites her to a nearby village. Surprisingly, the village is covered in hairlike volcanic glass fibers, and all of it shines a bright gold. At night, when the villagers perform their custom of gazing up at the starry sky, countless unidentified flying objects come raining down on them—the opening act for the terror about to occur!

Den of the Sleep Demon

Imagine Junji Ito’s take on Freddy Krueger and then imagine that the mangaka was able to make said nightmare demon even more disturbing than the razor-fingered slasher of Elm Street. Den of the Sleep Demon sees a young boy plagued by a mysterious figure who is attempting to take over the boy’s life, with the demon seeking to escape into the real world in one of the most disturbing ways possible. Needless to say, seeing this story animated would be sure to make viewers’ skin crawl. 

The Secret of the Haunted Mansion

If the above image alone doesn’t sell you on the horror of this story, we don’t know what to tell you. The Secret of the Haunted Mansion has some of the most terrifying creatures that Junji Ito has ever made while also slipping in a major reference to a story of the past from the master of horror that might lead to the idea that some of these stories are taking place in the same universe.