Critically acclaimed author Junji Ito has a long list of chilling works that have become household names among horror fans. The horror genre draws in an audience looking for fright, suspense, and twisted entertainment. With eerie scenery, unsettling surprises, and unique premises, this classification may not be for the faint of heart, but it is guaranteed to leave lasting impressions.

Fulfilling the mission of disturbing, frightening, confusing, or to disgust, Junji Ito's one-shot and long-form manga have become imperative reads for fans of the horror genre. Honorable mentions like Lovesickness and his controversial adaptation of Osamu Dazai’s No Longer Human are just a few that made splashes in the manga community. Whether readers are new to exploring or have been consistent fans, particular Ito works are absolute must-reads to truly understand his extraordinary, creative, and distorted mind.

10 The Liminal Zone

Published in 2022

The Liminal Zone is a short compilation of just four different stories, but all of which bring readers to the dark. One story details a couple who, after quickly leaving a train in a small town, encounter a “weeping woman”—a professional mourner at a funeral and weird happenstances follow. In another, a couple travel to the Suicide Forest and come across a shocking discovery.

None of the narratives are titled The Liminal Zone, yet all are connected by the concept. With this, the four stories are a subliminal take on mental health and emotion in its extreme, ing them with supernatural and frightening elements. This mixed bag is a fun read, ing silly in one moment to threatening and body horror in the other. This assemblage is a wonderful read for new and longtime fans alike.

9 The Enigma Of Amigara Fault

Published in 2000

Many readers took their first step into Junji Ito’s horrifying world with The Enigma of Amigara Fault. An earthquake has struck an unnamed prefecture, leaving a fault on the Amigara mountain waiting to be discovered. People, including a group of scientists, travel to the mountain only to find an eerie revelation.

The story evokes feelings of uncertainty, claustrophobia, and psychological terror as the characters can not fight the compulsions to investigate. This ‘call to the void’ invades the minds of the story’s personas and readers alike, as both let their curiosity get the best of them, despite its consequences. Ito takes the topic of overwhelming yearning and twists it into a spine-chilling confrontation for the psyche.

8 Venus in the Blind Spot

Published in 2020

This small collection contains The Enigma of Amigara Fault and more beloved stories like The Human Chair that entrance the reader. Many of Junji Ito’s stories are short and easily digestible, so compiling them into groups has allowed a more accessible and continuous dive into his warped mind. Venus in the Blind Spot is one of the favored, containing ten of his tales.

Jumping between premises like UFOs, illness, and lacking safety in one’s home to name a few, the author has mastered taking small unsettling details or circumstances and pushing them to snowball into a strong sense of dread. The collection also sports colored pages and s, giving a refreshed, unique look at some previously seen stories. The classic black and white look has become signature and well-received for Junji’s work, but the splash of color adds to the readers’ worldbuilding for this collection.

7 Junji Ito's Cat Diary: Yon & Mu

Published in 2007

Surprising many with this short yet heartwarming story, Junji Ito has supplied a look into his real life with Junji Ito's Cat Diary: Yon & Mu. Following how the author begins his life with his new bride, he begins to address the horrors of his own household, known as the two cats named Yon and Mu he must now cohabitate with.

Although he was a self-expressed non-cat person, the two furry friends slowly melt his heart and change his mind, in a metaphorical, non-frightening way. Although the narrative is a wholesome of his small family, the illustrations stick to his signature style with pockets of deep black, crosshatch shading, and gruesome expressions. The cats, his fiance A-ko, and the author himself are creepy and distorted, but the visual contrast adds a humorous juxtaposition to the endearing short story.

6 Frankenstein

Published in 1994

The Gothic novel Frankestien is an infamous and well-loved story for many across the world with numerous adaptations, but Junji Ito adds his own flare to this Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley classic. Keeping the romanticism of the original, Ito twists the monster and the one who created it with his unique style. Although some readers wish the Japanese writer stuck to the source more closely, his artistic creativity shines through with individuality in this rendition.

This work won the acclaimed horror author the Eisner Award for "Best Adaptation from Another Medium". His visual style effortlessly integrated into the Gothic genre, tying together fear and an engaging story masterfully. Frankenstein is a timeless tale that has been retold by countless artists, which is why it's so surprising to see an adaptation as fresh and haunting as Junji Ito's.

5 Black Paradox

Published in 2007

Black Paradox is a hard-hitting fever dream for the audience to dive into. Starting off as a suicide pack between a small group, the story goes on to intensify beyond expectation and brings bigger consequences. This story definitely fulfills Junji Ito’s prerequisites of being weird, freaky, and inventive. Although this work is shorter and not one of the most recognized, it is still definitely worth the read.

Many things are left open and uncertain, letting the readers’ imaginations run wild for the worse. The artwork also pairs well, creating an evocative and disturbing atmosphere. Playing with heavy topics can be a challenge to effectively and creatively execute, but this author knows how to push the definition of ‘twisted’ even further.

4 Smashed: Junji Ito Story Collection

Published in 2019

As Junji Ito has many short stories, the author and his publishers have decided to gather a select group to bring together for a cohesive and curated collection. Smashed: Junji Ito Story Collection is a 13 part series that contains fan favorites like Earthbound and the story that gives this manga its name. Fear comes from all over, ranging from mysterious conditions and being lost in the wilderness to a trilogy of demented and haunted children.

The stories vary in levels of fright, but regardless of how scared it leaves the audience, it is guaranteed to entertain or at least confuse, which holds purpose in itself. Many narratives leave lasting impressions with indelible motifs and disturbing progression. If readers are fans of the acclaimed horror author and his past works, the Smashed collection is definitely one to check out.

3 Tomie

Published in 1997

Being one of the most recognized works done by Junji Ito, Tomie has taken the world by storm. Its imagery has integrated into many aspects of the anime world and has pushed the author into global recognition. This story details a young femme fatale who uses a mysterious power to make men fall in love with her. Through an overwhelming unseen influence, she drives people into fits of rage and jealousy that have deadly consequences.

Tomie is an interesting and distressing exploration of manipulation, abuse of power, and the ramifications of obsession. The main character is cruel, vicious, and delusional and this mean-spirit drives the plot forward. Through Tomie, the author takes the often seen and normal human inclination of lust and envy and pushes it to the extreme in a story of beauty, fixation, and violence derived from it.

2 Shiver: Junji Ito Selected Stories

Published in 2015

Shiver: Junji Ito Selected Stories is another horror compilation that fans adore. This 9 part series contains favorites like The Long Dream, Greased, and The Hanging Balloons that readers love as stand-alone narratives. Some stories give off an unsettling Twilight Zone feel while others build suspense only to leave onlookers with a deep and overwhelming dread in the end.

Creating stories centering creepy items like puppets or focusing on the shock of gory and disgusting illustrations, the Shiver collection is guaranteed to not only entertain but to foster discomfort and to terrorize. This manga is great for new and long-standing fans and perfectly showcases Junji Ito’s writing and artistic talent with stories focusing on youth, femininity, and how twisted he can make them.

1 Uzumaki

Published in 1998

Uzumaki has become one of, if not the, most exalted Junji Ito work to date. This longer manga recounts the story of a high-school teenager, Kirie Goshima, her boyfriend, and the small town they reside in which is overrun by supernatural events involving spirals.

Each chapter effectively develops suspense, playing on confusion and unknowing. The subject matter is previously unseen and takes readers on a unique and terrifying roller coaster with twists and dramatic reveals. Uzumaki has become the most comprehensive example of Junji Ito’s artistic talent as it portrays his unique perspective on the human psyche that gives him his edge. Though Junji Ito fans may have conflicting feelings about the new Uzumaki anime adaptation, the original manga remains an all-time classic and easily Ito's scariest work.