An innocent love becomes a bloody hell in another superb collection by master of horror Junji Ito. Ryusuke returns to the town he once lived in because rumors are swirling about girls killing themselves after encountering a bewitchingly handsome young man. Harboring his own secret from time spent in this town, Ryusuke attempts to capture the beautiful boy and close the case, but... Starting with the strikingly bloody "Lovesickness," this volume collects ten stories showcasing horror master Junji Ito in peak form, including "The Strange Hikizuri Siblings" and "The Rib Woman."
As I read the first story, Lovesickness, I was thinking that, "Wow, this is my new favorite story!" Then I read The Strange Hikizuri Siblings, that had since became my favorite. And I read The Rib Woman and... well the Hikizuri Siblings is the most intriguing storyline to me, but all of them are incredibly beautiful and haunting, and my new favorite in some way.
Although the last story is just odd lol.
The art is stunning, so eerie it stays with you. While uneasiness is in the after thoughts, the beauty of the horrors stands out to me. Not just the Beautiful Boy but all scenes, the ghosts, carnage, the everyday people and things.
I'm a fan of Edger Allen Poe, while most see darkness and sadness, I see the light of his works, that’s what stands out to me. Poe and Ito share that light in the dark, beauty in the horror. That delicate balance is what draws me to what some consider disturbing written/art works.
One day Junji Ito manga will grace my shelves in all its hardbacked glory, but until then I'm raiding my local library for more ghoulish delight.
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