Junji Ito is thought of to be one of the greatest creators in the world when it comes to not only horror manga, but the genre of horror itself, and during an interview with Viz Media during Comic Con 2020, the creator of the likes of Uzumaki, Tomie, and Gyo shared where his ideas for some of his greatest works comes from. With an Adult Swim series for Uzumaki releasing next year and the leading lady of Quibi’s adaptation of Tomie having already been chosen, Ito certainly is putting some of his best stories to good use in the world of Hollywood!
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Ito, when asked where his ideas specifically come from, notes that he was never “conscious of where specific ideas came from”, but was always a fan of horror throughout his life. Ever since the mangaka was a young man, Junji Ito has loved all things horror and absorbed the genre on a regular basis. When he was a child, he worked toward creating original works that would, obviously, set him on the path to creating stories that seamlessly blend the world of the mundane with the supernatural, creating some of the best horror stories the world has ever seen. In creating these worlds, Ito notes that he wanted to “create worlds for himself” and he certainly created some timeless spine tinglers!
Of everything that can be said about Junji Ito’s work, it is certainly unlike anything else that you’ll ever encounter. From hanging balloons chasing after their victims that look just like them to an endless dream becoming a life sapping nightmare, we’d be hard pressed to think of stories that were able to be as creative in their horror as Ito’s.
Ito has, though, taken the opportunity to dive into work that he did not originally create such as his own interpretation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and the terrifying adaptation of the novel of No Longer Human. With a new manga series being released weekly titled “Disturbing Zone“, we look forward to seeing what Ito will create next when it comes to the world of horror and the unique monsters within.
What is your favorite Junji Ito story that the horror master has created during his career? What adaptation are you most excited in seeing? 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 terrifying world of Junji Ito!
