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vigneswara_prabhu's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
** spoiler alert ** Viewer discretion advised: Warning for graphic violent acts, and body horror.
The master of Japanese Horror, nay, graphic horror worldwide. As usual he has the unique ability to take day to day, mundane aspects of life, and turn them into graphic, disturbing, macabre displays of terror.
The premise of these series of interconnected short stories involves our protagonist, who has returned to his childhood home, a childhood which I might add, has some seriously disturbing repressed memories attached to it.
Right after his arrival, mysterious incidents begin taking place, ending in a serious of disturbing suicides and deaths. As the body count rises, and bit by bit the townspeople turn to rabid, maniacal, insanity, it's upon him to solve this phenomenon and stop the violence.
It seems as if, in every other of his stories, things go bad, and everyone goes mad. But despite a predictable pattern, we still tune in for the monster of the week, and the slideshow of disturbing visuals put on page. Which might speak to the reader's particular mental state than anything, but that is for the psychoanalysts to decide.
But where Mr. Ito really shines is, despite the degree of detachment and indifference that the narrative has in regard to what happens to its characters, the visual impact they have is considerable. There are some frames where you're being maintaining a baritone of horror and jump scares, where you think, you are used to whatever the story throws at you.
Then, out of nowhere, it throws something like THIS, at you...
Or THIS
Unlike typical western horror stories, where either the heroes triumph over evil, or succumb to the darkness and the world ending, Japanese form of horror is pretty matter of fact. By taking away any power that the characters have in opposing these dangers, and showing how their struggle means so little, Ito Junji is able to wind up the proxy terror we feel for them all the more.
Oh, a bunch of people died gruesome deaths because of some malevolent entity?... Cool.
An entire town went insane over a short time, and then suddenly up and disappeared into oblivion?... Neat.
There is a ghost stream in that mountain, where the dead spirits from decades ago repeatedly drown in agony unable to find peace?... Interesting.
Another thing that I, as well as others have observed is the sheer randomness of the whole thing. Sometimes, a person does something, that makes them deserving of the gruesome fate that befalls them. But most of the times, the people who die have abso-lutely nothing to do with the instigator of the whole thing. They're just random people, who just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Japanese horror, especially Junji's horror, treats ghosts and evil spirits like they're a loose beam that fell on a guy walking down the road.
Like Opera giving out gifts, it's like... 'You get cursed, you also get cursed, EVERYBODY gets cursed'. For those who've seen the J-Horror classics like the Ring, would find this to be quite par for the course.
One thing that sets apart the protagonist of the story from your usual heroes or victims is the respond he has to the horrifying series of deaths surrounding him. Sure, for a while there, he, much like your typical Junji protagonist, faithfully goes insane, obsessed, losing weight and human like complexions.
Then, after some time, he gets fed up with the evil spirit perpetuating this whole thing. He's like, 'you know what! F**k you! And F**k your sob story!". He literally decides to kill him with love. Which is something quite hilarious and something you need to read.
Of course, then there are also other unrelated, hellion like, abominable, irritable characters, who go about making the lives of people a living nightmare, and really need to have their faces intimately acquainted with the floor. But that's neither here nor there.
For the most part, Lovesickness is another entry into Ito sensei already impressive library of work. Not for the faint hearted, and definitely for all of us disturbed weirdoes hiding in plain sight. So, you know who you, Enjoy.
The master of Japanese Horror, nay, graphic horror worldwide. As usual he has the unique ability to take day to day, mundane aspects of life, and turn them into graphic, disturbing, macabre displays of terror.
The premise of these series of interconnected short stories involves our protagonist, who has returned to his childhood home, a childhood which I might add, has some seriously disturbing repressed memories attached to it.
Right after his arrival, mysterious incidents begin taking place, ending in a serious of disturbing suicides and deaths. As the body count rises, and bit by bit the townspeople turn to rabid, maniacal, insanity, it's upon him to solve this phenomenon and stop the violence.
It seems as if, in every other of his stories, things go bad, and everyone goes mad. But despite a predictable pattern, we still tune in for the monster of the week, and the slideshow of disturbing visuals put on page. Which might speak to the reader's particular mental state than anything, but that is for the psychoanalysts to decide.
But where Mr. Ito really shines is, despite the degree of detachment and indifference that the narrative has in regard to what happens to its characters, the visual impact they have is considerable. There are some frames where you're being maintaining a baritone of horror and jump scares, where you think, you are used to whatever the story throws at you.
Then, out of nowhere, it throws something like THIS, at you...
Or THIS
Unlike typical western horror stories, where either the heroes triumph over evil, or succumb to the darkness and the world ending, Japanese form of horror is pretty matter of fact. By taking away any power that the characters have in opposing these dangers, and showing how their struggle means so little, Ito Junji is able to wind up the proxy terror we feel for them all the more.
Oh, a bunch of people died gruesome deaths because of some malevolent entity?... Cool.
An entire town went insane over a short time, and then suddenly up and disappeared into oblivion?... Neat.
There is a ghost stream in that mountain, where the dead spirits from decades ago repeatedly drown in agony unable to find peace?... Interesting.
Another thing that I, as well as others have observed is the sheer randomness of the whole thing. Sometimes, a person does something, that makes them deserving of the gruesome fate that befalls them. But most of the times, the people who die have abso-lutely nothing to do with the instigator of the whole thing. They're just random people, who just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Japanese horror, especially Junji's horror, treats ghosts and evil spirits like they're a loose beam that fell on a guy walking down the road.
Like Opera giving out gifts, it's like... 'You get cursed, you also get cursed, EVERYBODY gets cursed'. For those who've seen the J-Horror classics like the Ring, would find this to be quite par for the course.
One thing that sets apart the protagonist of the story from your usual heroes or victims is the respond he has to the horrifying series of deaths surrounding him. Sure, for a while there, he, much like your typical Junji protagonist, faithfully goes insane, obsessed, losing weight and human like complexions.
Then, after some time, he gets fed up with the evil spirit perpetuating this whole thing. He's like, 'you know what! F**k you! And F**k your sob story!". He literally decides to kill him with love. Which is something quite hilarious and something you need to read.
Of course, then there are also other unrelated, hellion like, abominable, irritable characters, who go about making the lives of people a living nightmare, and really need to have their faces intimately acquainted with the floor. But that's neither here nor there.
For the most part, Lovesickness is another entry into Ito sensei already impressive library of work. Not for the faint hearted, and definitely for all of us disturbed weirdoes hiding in plain sight. So, you know who you, Enjoy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicide, Medical trauma, Gore, Death, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Murder, and Stalking
adventurouspotato's review
dark
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lovesickness: ★★★★☆
the strange hikizuri siblings: ★★★★☆
the mansion of phantom pain: ★★★★★
the rib woman: ★★★☆☆
the strange hikizuri siblings: ★★★★☆
the mansion of phantom pain: ★★★★★
the rib woman: ★★★☆☆
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Gore, Body horror, Self harm, Suicide, Abortion, and Death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, and Abortion
Minor: Stalking, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Excrement, Vomit, and Confinement
zone_a3's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Child death, Suicide, Gore, Body horror, Death, Miscarriage, Excrement, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
wends_nblw's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I am once again disappointed by Junji Ito's work. Reading this after Uzumaki is like having leftovers when last night you were at a nice restaurant. It's okay, but it's just not the same. In fact, I would say that I enjoyed Deserter more than this collection.
Aside from the comedic ending of this story, I found the other pieces to be lackluster. I'm not sure why, but it felt like it was missing something. The Lovesickness story was good, though I wasn't fond of the reveal. The other pieces weren't as good.
I think this collection comes off as more comedic than dark. I snorted quite a few times while reading.
I will continue with my Ito journey, but I'm unsure if anything will top Uzumaki. (And I might be regretting selling my copy of Deserter.)
Aside from the comedic ending of this story, I found the other pieces to be lackluster. I'm not sure why, but it felt like it was missing something. The Lovesickness story was good, though I wasn't fond of the reveal. The other pieces weren't as good.
I think this collection comes off as more comedic than dark. I snorted quite a few times while reading.
I will continue with my Ito journey, but I'm unsure if anything will top Uzumaki. (And I might be regretting selling my copy of Deserter.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Self harm, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Child death, Body horror, Blood, Bullying, Gore, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy, Infidelity, and Miscarriage
Minor: Mental illness
mercurial's review
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Excrement, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Body horror, Gore, Death of parent, Suicide, and Violence
darquedreamer's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
For Junji Ito being named the master of Japanese Manga horror, I expected more from this. The illustrations were amazing, but the story telling felt like a middle schooler wrote it. The stories were flat, barely made sense, and felt very immature. They were extremely heavy on suicide and self harm, and the gore and aforementioned situations were the only things that felt "horror" ish. I just didn't love this collection at all, besides appreciating the artwork.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Body horror, and Suicide attempt
ashar_allaire's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Medical content, and Mental illness
totsfions's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I think this is the best Ito collection I've ever read. The title story, "Lovesickness" is a sort of slow-burn horror where the reader is never totally sure of what is happening, and that tension keeps you hooked on the story. The emotional dynamics between the characters are also more fleshed out than they are in some of Ito's other works, which makes the impact of the story even harsher. It's definitely one I feel I would get more from on a re-read, and one that has a lot of metaphorical resonance waiting to be taped. The duology of stories about the Hikizuri siblings is a really interesting take on toxic family dynamics. The stand-alone stories at the end of the book are all excellent, though the final story is more silly than anything else. "The Rib Woman" in particular is a really insightful commentary on the nature of feminine beauty standards in modern society. As always with Ito's work, the illustrations are chilling in a beautiful way. The character designs in this collection, and particularly in "Loveless" are some of Ito's strongest and most compelling. The haunting beauty of the characters adds so much dimension to the eerie nature of the story. I think this and "Amigara Fault" will be my go-to Junji Ito recommendations for a long time to come.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Death, Vomit, Self harm, Suicide, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Abortion, and Gore
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Infidelity and Excrement
minbyrnes's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
It’s the inks. The way Junji Ito inks really gets to me. Love the artwork and when he chooses to draw beautiful people they’re stunning. But his art also creeps me out.
In terms of story, I think my favorite was The Mansion of Phantom Pain.
Lovesickness: I really liked it but the ending felt a bit lacking to me. I kind of wish that last chapter wasn’t a thing. 3.5⭐️
The Strange Hikizuri Siblings: I liked the first story more than the second one. These kids are twisteddddd. 4⭐️ and 3⭐️
The Mansion of Phantom Pain: loved it. It’s the kind of scary that gets to your head. Not that visual. Just the way I like it. 5⭐️
The Rib Woman: eh. It was ok. I wish it was more… supernatural? 2⭐️
Memories of Real Poop: what even was that? 1⭐️
Mathematically, it’s less than 3.25 overall but in my heart I want to give the collection 3.5 stars.
In terms of story, I think my favorite was The Mansion of Phantom Pain.
Lovesickness: I really liked it but the ending felt a bit lacking to me. I kind of wish that last chapter wasn’t a thing. 3.5⭐️
The Strange Hikizuri Siblings: I liked the first story more than the second one. These kids are twisteddddd. 4⭐️ and 3⭐️
The Mansion of Phantom Pain: loved it. It’s the kind of scary that gets to your head. Not that visual. Just the way I like it. 5⭐️
The Rib Woman: eh. It was ok. I wish it was more… supernatural? 2⭐️
Memories of Real Poop: what even was that? 1⭐️
Mathematically, it’s less than 3.25 overall but in my heart I want to give the collection 3.5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Suicide, and Child death
Moderate: Self harm and Vomit
Minor: Abortion and Death of parent
mzynda's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Self harm, and Suicide