Anime Recommendation: Junji Ito

October is still months away, but that wouldn’t stop us from getting our weekly serving of fright and creeps.

 

Studio Deen, 2018

 

Junji Ito Collection features anthologies adapted from the works of Junji Ito. As of the moment, 11 episodes have already been aired. The first episode aired on the 5th of January this year, and the last episode is set to air on the 25th of May. 12 episodes have already been aired, with 2 OVA’s airing on the 27th of April and on the last day of airing respectively.

 

Studio Deen, 2018

 

Since each of the episodes is composed of two anthologies, the story varies from one after another. Instead of relying on scenes that induces fear or scares, the anime instead utilizes the creepy and grotesque scenes based on Junji Ito’s works.

 

Studio Deen, 2018

 

Each story often involves a problem, depicted in a horrific fashion that manifests differently as well as serve a different purpose for each story. One story could involve an appalling creature that would hunt down the protagonist, while another story could involve an unexplainable phenomenon happening to the protagonist.

 

Studio Deen, 2018

 

Overall, the take of Junji Ito on the horror genre; focusing on terrifying scenes rather than inducing scares, is quite unique. I find it rather refreshing, because the horror genre in general relies heavily on scares nowadays. The creepiness, absurdity, and bizarreness of the scenes induces fear in the sense that it conveys fear as limitless as the imagination of the individual.