Junji Ito Manga List: Every Book Available in English

Quick Reference: Junji Ito Manga List

Here’s the full list at a glance before we dig into the details:

Title	Type	Publisher	Year
Uzumaki (3-in-1 Deluxe Edition)	Series	VIZ	2013
Tomie: Complete Deluxe Edition	Series	VIZ	2016
Gyo (2-in-1 Deluxe Edition)	Series	VIZ	2015
Remina	Standalone	VIZ	2020
Sensor	Standalone	VIZ	2021
Black Paradox	Standalone	VIZ	2022
Lovesickness	Collection (connected)	VIZ	2022
Dissolving Classroom	Standalone	Vertical/Kodansha	2017
Fragments of Horror	Short Stories	VIZ	2015
Shiver	Short Stories	VIZ	2017
Smashed	Short Stories	VIZ	2019
Venus in the Blind Spot	Short Stories	VIZ	2020
Deserter	Short Stories	VIZ	2021
Soichi	Short Stories	VIZ	2024
Tombs	Short Stories	VIZ	2024
Moan	Short Stories	VIZ	2024
Alley	Short Stories	VIZ	2023
Stitches	Short Stories	VIZ	2024
Frankenstein	Adaptation	VIZ	2018
No Longer Human	Adaptation	VIZ	2019
Cat Diary: Yon & Mu	Comedy	Kodansha	2015
Twisted Visions	Art Book	VIZ	2020

A note on pricing: the VIZ hardcover editions (Uzumaki, Tomie, Gyo, and the newer short story collections) typically run around $20–$28 USD. The Kodansha paperbacks (Dissolving Classroom, Cat Diary) are usually less. Most titles are also available digitally through Kindle and other platforms if you prefer reading on a screen.

Now let’s go through each one.

Major Series

These are Ito’s longer, multi-chapter narratives — the works most people think of first when they hear his name.

Uzumaki (1998–1999)

Uzumaki is the book that made Junji Ito a household name in English-language manga. Set in the fictional coastal town of Kurouzu-cho, it follows Kirie Goshima as her community becomes obsessed with — and eventually consumed by — spirals. What starts as strange behavior from a few residents escalates into full-blown body horror, where human bodies twist, warp, and transform in deeply disturbing ways.

The story was originally published in chapters over time in a manga magazine from 1998 to 1999 and collected in 3 Japanese volumes. In English, it’s available as a single 3-in-1 Deluxe Edition hardcover from VIZ. This is a gorgeous, hefty book and one of the best values in horror manga.

Uzumaki is Ito’s tightest narrative work. Unlike his short story collections, it builds toward something — each chapter raises the stakes while the spiral imagery becomes more invasive and disturbing. If you read one Junji Ito book, this is the one most people will point you toward.

Tomie (1987–2000)

Tomie was Ito’s debut work — the series that launched his entire career. Tomie Kawakami is a beautiful young woman who inspires obsessive, violent love in everyone around her. Men become consumed by her, often driven to murder her. But Tomie can’t be killed. She regenerates, multiplies, and the cycle begins again.

The stories were published over more than a decade (1987–2000), and in English they’re collected in a single Tomie: Complete Deluxe Edition hardcover from VIZ. It’s a big book — over 700 pages of Tomie stories.

Because these stories were written across such a long span, the art style evolves noticeably. Early chapters have a rougher look compared to the refined detail of later entries. That evolution is part of the charm. Tomie herself is one of Ito’s most iconic creations — a villain, a victim, and an unstoppable force of nature all at once.

Gyo (2001–2002)

If Uzumaki is slow, creeping dread, Gyo is a full-speed nightmare. Fish with mechanical legs crawl out of the ocean and invade Japan, bringing with them a horrifying stench and something much worse lurking behind the scenes.

Originally 2 volumes in Japanese, it’s available in English as a 2-in-1 Deluxe Edition (single hardcover, 400 pages) from VIZ. The book also includes two bonus short stories: The Enigma of Amigara Fault and The Sad Tale of the Principal Post.

The Enigma of Amigara Fault, in particular, is one of Ito’s most famous short stories — the one about the human-shaped holes in a mountainside. Many people encounter it online first and then track down the physical book. It’s included here in Gyo, so if you’ve been looking for it, this is where to find it.

Gyo is faster paced and more action-oriented than Uzumaki. It’s also arguably weirder, which is saying something. The concept sounds almost silly — fish with legs? — but Ito makes it genuinely unsettling.

Standalone Volumes

These are single-volume stories that aren’t short story collections — each one is its own complete narrative.

Remina (Hellstar Remina) (2020)

A sentient planet hurtles toward Earth. It was named “Remina” after the daughter of the astronomer who discovered it, and when things go bad, the public turns its rage on the girl herself. Remina is Ito’s most apocalyptic work — cosmic horror on a truly grand scale. Cosmic horror is a style of horror focused on vast, unknowable forces that make humanity feel small and powerless — think less “monster in a dark room” and more “the universe itself is hostile.”

Available as 1 hardcover volume from VIZ (2020). It won the 2021 Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia — one of the highest honors in American comics.

The mob violence in Remina is almost as disturbing as the cosmic threat. Ito captures mass hysteria and scapegoating with uncomfortable accuracy. If you like stories where everything falls apart on a global level, this one delivers.

Sensor (2021)

A woman with glowing golden hair wanders through volcanic landscapes, encountering cosmic mystery and ancient secrets. Sensor blends vast, unknowable cosmic horror with Japanese folklore in a way that feels different from most of Ito’s other work.

Available as 1 hardcover volume from VIZ (2021).

Sensor is more atmospheric and contemplative than the typical Ito book. It’s less about body horror and more about forces beyond human understanding. Opinions on this one are more divided — some readers love the dreamlike quality, while others find it less focused. If you enjoy horror that’s more about mood than shock, give it a look.

Black Paradox (2022)

Four strangers meet through an online suicide pact. What they discover together is far stranger than death — their bodies begin producing mysterious glowing spheres with terrifying implications.

Available as 1 hardcover volume from VIZ (2022).

Black Paradox is sci-fi horror with themes of existential dread, greed, and what happens when something that should be private becomes a commodity. It’s one of Ito’s more plot-driven standalone works.

Lovesickness: Junji Ito Story Collection (2022)

Despite the “Story Collection” label, Lovesickness functions almost as a novel. The stories are connected — they center on a mysterious fortune teller who appears at a crossroads and delivers cursed predictions. Each chapter follows different people affected by these predictions, but they build on each other.

Available as 1 hardcover volume from VIZ (2022).

If you like your horror with a strong sense of place and an overarching mystery that ties everything together, Lovesickness is more cohesive than the typical Ito short story collection.

Dissolving Classroom (2017)

A brother and sister leave a trail of horror wherever they go. The brother apologizes constantly — literally bowing and scraping — while something deeply wrong unfolds around them.

Available as 1 volume from Vertical/Kodansha (2017). This is worth noting: Dissolving Classroom is published by Kodansha, not VIZ, so it looks different on the shelf from most Ito books. It’s a smaller format paperback rather than a VIZ hardcover. (Different publishers hold the rights to different Ito titles, which is why the format and look varies.)

The humor in this one is blacker than black. It’s grotesque in a way that’s almost cartoonish, and that’s clearly intentional.

Short Story Collections

Junji Ito’s short stories are where many of his most iconic images originate. Each collection is a standalone volume of mostly unrelated horror tales — an anthology you can pick up in any order.

Fragments of Horror (2015)

Fragments of Horror was the first Ito short story collection released in English by VIZ, and it’s a strong introduction to his range. The stories were originally published in Nemuki magazine in the 2010s.

Highlights include Tomio – Red Turtleneck (a man who can’t let go of his own head — literally), Gentle Goodbye (one of Ito’s most emotionally nuanced stories), and Dissection-chan (exactly as unnerving as it sounds).

This is a good starting collection if you want something shorter and don’t mind stories that lean toward the experimental.

Shiver: Junji Ito Selected Stories (2017)

Shiver is a curated selection of classic short stories spanning Ito’s entire career, and it’s widely considered the best sampler of his range. Fan-favorite stories include Used Record, Shiver, Long Dream, and Hanging Blimp (which features one of the most memorable visual concepts in all of horror manga).

If you’ve already read Uzumaki and want to explore Ito’s short fiction, Shiver is the recommended next step. It gives you a taste of everything he can do — body horror, psychological dread, surreal imagery, and quiet unease.

Smashed: Junji Ito Story Collection (2019)

Another career-spanning collection, and many fans consider Smashed Ito’s best short story volume. It’s consistently high quality from start to finish.

Highlights include Bloodsucking Darkness, Smashed (the title story, about something falling from the sky), and Death Row Doorbell. The range here is impressive — some stories are visceral body horror, others are slow psychological burns.

If you can only buy one short story collection, Smashed is a strong pick.

Venus in the Blind Spot (2020)

This collection leans more toward mystery and the uncanny than outright horror. The standout inclusion is Ito’s adaptation of Edogawa Ranpo’s Human Chair — Ranpo was a legendary Japanese mystery writer, and seeing his work filtered through Ito’s visual imagination creates something special.

Available as 1 hardcover volume from VIZ (2020).

Venus in the Blind Spot has a slightly more restrained tone compared to Smashed. If you appreciate horror that operates through suggestion and atmosphere rather than graphic imagery, this one has a lot to offer.

Deserter: Junji Ito Story Collection (2021)

Deserter collects wartime and military-themed horror stories. The title story deals with WWII-era desertion and supernatural punishment — a setting Ito doesn’t often explore.

This collection contains some of his most psychologically intense short work. The horror here often comes from human cruelty amplified by supernatural elements, rather than from creatures or body horror alone.

Soichi: Junji Ito Story Collection (2024)

Soichi Tsujii is Ito’s recurring mischievous cursed boy character — a bratty, nail-chewing kid who fancies himself a dark sorcerer. He’s more petty and annoying than truly terrifying, and the stories featuring him are more darkly comedic than anything else in Ito’s catalog.

This 2024 collection is notable because it’s the first time all Soichi stories have been collected together in English. Previously, these stories were scattered across different Japanese volumes. If you already love Soichi from encountering him in other collections or in the anime, this is the definitive collection.

Fair warning: the tone is very different from Uzumaki or Tomie. Soichi stories are fun, but they’re lighter. Think “horror comedy where the villain is a 10-year-old brat” rather than “existential dread.”

Tombs (Mimi’s Ghost Stories) (2024)

Tombs is an original Junji Ito short story collection. (Note: Ito’s Stitches is the collection that features Hirokatsu Kihara’s kaidan adaptations — Tombs is a separate, original work.)

Available as 1 volume from VIZ (2024).

The tone is noticeably different from Ito’s original work. These are more traditional spooky stories — vengeful spirits, cursed objects, eerie atmospheres. If you’re interested in Japanese ghost story tradition as filtered through Ito’s art, it’s a fascinating read.

Alley: Junji Ito Story Collection (2023)

Alley collects short stories that lean into claustrophobic settings and urban unease. The title story follows characters drawn into increasingly narrow, suffocating spaces — a theme Ito returns to throughout his career. The collection also includes stories that range from surreal dream logic to more grounded psychological horror. If you’ve already read Shiver and Smashed and want more of Ito’s short fiction, Alley is a solid next step.

Stitches: Junji Ito Story Collection (2024)

Stitches is one of the more recent VIZ releases, and its title story is a standout — a disturbing tale about a girl whose face is literally held together by stitches. The collection mixes body horror with Ito’s talent for taking an ordinary situation and making it deeply wrong. Like most Ito collections, the stories vary in tone and approach, giving you a good cross-section of his style.

Moan: Junji Ito Story Collection (2024)

Moan is another 2024 release from VIZ, continuing the steady stream of previously untranslated Ito work reaching English readers. The collection features stories built around sound and sensation — the title story centers on a noise that can’t be explained or escaped. There’s a mix of supernatural and psychological horror here, and the pacing tends toward slow, creeping tension rather than sudden shocks.

Literary Adaptations

Junji Ito has adapted several classic novels into manga form, reinterpreting them through his horror lens. These are some of his most critically acclaimed works.

Frankenstein: Junji Ito Story Collection (2018)

This is a manga adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein plus 3 original short stories. Available as 1 hardcover volume from VIZ (2018).

Ito’s adaptation is faithful to the novel’s themes — the tragedy of creation, rejection, and revenge — while adding his signature detailed visual style. If you’ve read the original novel, seeing it through Ito’s visual imagination is a treat. If you haven’t read the novel, this is honestly a pretty solid way to experience the story.

No Longer Human (2019)

A manga adaptation of Osamu Dazai’s semi-autobiographical novel about alienation, addiction, and self-destruction. Dazai is one of Japan’s most renowned novelists, and No Longer Human is considered a masterpiece of Japanese literature. Available as 1 hardcover volume from VIZ (2019).

This is widely praised as one of Ito’s most emotionally powerful works. It’s not horror in the traditional sense — there are no monsters, no body horror, no supernatural elements. The terror here is entirely psychological: the anguish of a person who feels fundamentally disconnected from other humans.

Ito’s art elevates the source material by externalizing internal pain. The character’s psychological suffering becomes visible on the page in ways that only manga can achieve. This is a book that hits hard even if you don’t typically read horror.

Comedy and Other Works

Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu (2015)

An autobiographical comedy manga about Ito and his fiancée (now wife) adopting two cats. Published by Kodansha Comics (not VIZ), so like Dissolving Classroom, it’s a different format and publisher from most Ito books.

Here’s the fun part: Ito draws the cats — and himself — in his full horror style. Ordinary cat behavior (knocking things over, staring at nothing, sleeping in weird positions) is rendered with the same dramatic intensity as his scariest monsters. The content is completely wholesome and funny, but it looks like a nightmare, and that contrast is the whole joke.

Cat Diary is a beloved change of pace for fans who need a break from the horror. It’s also genuinely charming as a story about learning to live with cats.

The Art of Junji Ito: Twisted Visions (2020)

This is not a manga — it’s a full-color art book showcasing Ito’s illustrations, magazine covers, and original paintings. Published by VIZ (2020).

Twisted Visions is gorgeous and worth owning if you’re interested in Ito’s visual technique. Seeing his work reproduced at large scale in full color reveals details that are easy to miss in the manga volumes. It’s a coffee table book, essentially — beautiful to flip through, and a great gift for Ito fans.

Where to Start Reading Junji Ito

If the list above feels overwhelming, here are four clear starting points depending on what you’re looking for:

If you want one book that represents the best of Junji Ito:

Pick up Uzumaki (3-in-1 Deluxe Edition). It’s his tightest narrative, his most iconic imagery, and a complete story in one beautiful hardcover. This is the book that turns people into Ito fans.

If you’d rather start with short stories:

Go with Shiver. It’s the best sampler of his range — you’ll get body horror (stories where the human body transforms or breaks down in disturbing ways), psychological dread, surreal comedy, and quiet unease all in one book. If any particular story grabs you, it’ll point you toward which full collections to explore next.

If you want maximum creep factor:

Tomie: Complete Deluxe Edition is slow-burn psychological horror across decades of stories. Tomie herself is one of the most unsettling characters in manga — beautiful, cruel, and completely unkillable. These stories stick with you.

If you want something quick to test the waters:

Fragments of Horror is short and punchy. Alternatively, The Enigma of Amigara Fault (included in the Gyo Deluxe Edition) is a single short story that you can read in about 20 minutes, and it’s one of the most famous horror manga stories ever created. If that story hooks you, you’ll want more.

And again: there is no required reading order. Ito’s works are almost entirely standalone. Grab whatever sounds interesting and go from there. You genuinely can’t go wrong.

Upcoming English Releases

The English-language Ito catalog is still growing. VIZ continues to translate previously unreleased works, with Mimikaki — a short story collection — expected from VIZ in 2025.

VIZ has been on an impressive pace with Ito releases over the past few years, and there’s no sign of slowing down. If you’re trying to keep up with new releases, checking VIZ’s release calendar periodically is the way to stay current.

The fact that so much of Ito’s work is now available in English is genuinely exciting. Ten years ago, readers had to track down out-of-print editions or fan-translated versions for most of his catalog. Now you can walk into a bookstore and find a shelf full of beautiful hardcover editions. It’s a great time to be getting into his work.

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Whether you start with the spirals of Uzumaki, the multiplying nightmare of Tomie, or a short story collection that catches your eye, Junji Ito’s manga rewards curiosity. Pick up one book, read it with the lights on (or off — your call), and see where it takes you. There’s a lot to explore here, and honestly? That’s part of the fun.