Uzumaki: Other Junji Ito Works That Deserve Anime Series Adaptations

Junji Ito has found fame for producing some of the most disturbing manga known to humankind, often verging into the realms of cosmic and surreal horror. There have been multiple anime adaptations, more often than not anthology series that cherry-pick short stories from across his vast collections of work.

Adult Swim and I.G USA decided to devote an entire season to one of his most famous works, Uzumaki, remaining faithful to the original style and story of the manga. With one full adaptation already made and to great effect, it is likely that fans will see further adaptations of his works, and these are among the most deserving of their own show.

Blood-Bubble Bushes

A Deliciously Bloody Vampire Story

• Publication Year: 1993
• Collection: Monthly Halloween

Who doesn’t love a good vampire story? In the Monthly Halloween publication back in 1993, Junji Ito’s own story of blood and death bubbled up to terrorize the readers. In typical vampire-movie fashion, a couple find themselves lost in the woods in the dead of night, and this area is not as abandoned as they might hope. Bloodthirsty creatures of the night attack one of the couples, and the other flees into what they think might be a sanctuary.

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There are already countless amazing vampire anime available to watch right now, and it’s popularity still endures. Undoubtedly, a Junji Ito vampire story would certainly interest anime fans of either genre, and as such, this Ito story would certainly be worth an adaptation.

Frankenstein

Junji Ito’s Own Take on the Classic Sci-Fi Novel

• Publication Year: 2018
• Collection: Frankenstein

Junji Ito and Mary Shelley is a collaboration none could predict, but it occurred in 2018 with the Frankenstein manga, a collection of short stories including the eponymous Frankenstein story. Everyone will know this iconic, gothic novel that follows the troubled tale of Dr Frankenstein, who found a way to birth life through galvanization and corpse parts, only to abandon his creation out of abject fear.

Junji Ito’s version of this story remains a faithful adaptation, drawing iconic scenes from the story and refining his dialogue to match the quality of Shelley’s. To see this in animated form would be to witness anime poetry, and it is past time anime fans received an adaptation of a horror classic.

Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon and Mu

Even Cute Cats are Not Spared Ito’s Dread Artstyle

• Publication Year: 2009
• Collection: Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon and Mu

One might not expect a horror author like Junji Ito to create a collection based on the mischievous exploits that all cat owners could relate to and share a laugh or two over, but that is exactly what he did with his Cat Diary. Yon and Mu are in fact Ito’s feline companions in real life, and he depicts his struggles with the two using his own horrifying art style which does lend a certain eeriness to their depictions, but the two real life photos of them at the end will offset the creep factor.

If there is one thing anime needs, its more cat stories, as one can never have too many, and Ito’s collection could certainly spice up the genre a little with his signature horror art style, while providing a few hearty laughs as viewers can watch them get up to all sorts of shenanigans. It could be the eye bleach anime fans need after watching a few of his other downright terrifying works.

Tomie

The Most Iconic Ito Character Deserves Her Very Own Series

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• Publication Year: 1987-2000
• Collection: Monthly Halloween Manga Magazine, The Junji Ito Horror Comic Collection, Junji Ito Masterpiece Collection

Tomie has become Ito’s most well-known and popular character, appearing in many of his manga collections, featuring in the anthology anime series, and even live-action movies. Tomie merchandise is ever-popular, with her even having a collaboration with Sanrio, which is a combination no one could have predicted.

As such, there is one medium still missing, and that is her very own anime series, showcasing the stories of this shape-changing succubus who can transform from beautiful to grotesque in the blink of an eye. Tomie herself is a force of evil, preying on the lust of others to lure them to her, but in some cases, Tomie is more of a victim, as her nature can draw out violence, possessiveness and obsession. It is quite possible that in Tomie’s tale, humans are the real monsters, and it would be interesting to see this dynamic as well as the horror captured in anime form.

Junji Ito Stories That Deserve Another Adaptation That Is More Faithful To The Source Material’s Visual Style

Plenty of Junji Ito manga have been featured in anthology series, most of which are pretty lackluster and fail to capture the magic of the source material. Here are a couple of stories that deserve a more thorough spotlight, even if it is just a mini-series adaptation.

Long Dream

An Onslaught of Nightmares With Horrific Consequences

• Publication Year: 1987
• Collection: Horror World Of Junji Ito, The Junji Ito Horror Comic Collection

Though the Long Dream has already featured in one of the anthology adaptations, it shared its run-time with another episode, offering a succinct summary of the story. The Long Dream short story taps into fears surrounding sleep and dreams, showing the slow degradation of patients who suffer increasingly longer nightmares each night, exhibiting outwardly on the body as deformations and age.

As the patients are continually assailed by dreams as doctors race to find a solution, this manga story could benefit from a full season by giving the degeneration the slow pace it deserves, and even delving into the nightmares the patients face, showing a new one that grows increasingly horrific and longer with each episode.

Hanging Balloons

An Apocalypse Story That Doesn’t Rely on Zombies or Natural Disasters

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• Publication Year: 1998
• Collection: Horror World Of Junji Ito

Shows that explore the collapse of life as everyone knows it normally involves zombies, chains of natural disasters, or aliens, each wiping out entire cities and swathes of people. But, Hanging Balloons does it in a different way that may be more horrifying than the other three combined.

Balloons begin appearing in the sky, each bearing the uncanny resemblance of a real person, and if they happen to catch them, they wrap strings around their neck and hang them to death. This did see a small segment in Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre, but imagine if this manga had a full series adaptation, following the struggles of the few survivors as they try and find a way to escape and survive in typical apocalypse fashion.

Gyo

Sea Creatures Mutate into Horrifying Monsters

• Publication Year: 2001-2002
• Collection: Big Comic Spirits

It is little surprise that the ocean and creatures that dwell within are both such common fears, as sea critters such as sharks, octopuses, squids, and the enigmatic marine life dwelling in the abyss don’t exactly look like the most friendly and cuddly creatures. Humans still know so little about the ocean and its inhabitants, leaving countless species that may be yet to be discovered, and who knows what they may look like?

Hopefully nothing like the creatures in Gyo, which shows sea creatures slowly starting to evolve into things that are equal parts grotesque and terrifying. An anime series revolving around this premise taps into the common fear of sea life and would terrify those who don’t even have this phobia. Seeing the transformations of these creatures and the characters’ reactions would be a sublime experience.

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