What Is Smashed: Junji Ito Story Collection Manga?
Smashed is a standalone anthology — a book of unconnected short stories — collecting 13 horror short stories by Junji Ito. It was published by VIZ Media, the largest English-language manga publisher, in April 2019. It runs 416 pages and carries a T+ (Older Teen, 16+) content rating, which is VIZ’s label indicating the book contains material suited for readers aged 16 and up.
Smashed: Junji Ito Story Collection
This is not a serialized manga — meaning it’s not a single ongoing story told across multiple volumes. Instead, it’s a curated collection of standalone stories that originally appeared across various Japanese magazines before being compiled into this English-language volume.
The stories range widely in tone and style. Some feature body horror, a subgenre focused on disturbing transformations or destruction of the human body, with stomach-turning imagery. Others lean into psychological dread, slow-building unease, or pitch-black comedy. Two of the thirteen stories feature Soichi, one of Ito’s most beloved recurring characters — a mischievous, curse-obsessed kid who shows up across multiple Ito works.
That variety is exactly what makes Smashed such a good entry point. If you’ve never read Junji Ito before and want to sample what he’s all about without committing to a multi-volume series like Uzumaki or Tomie, this manga gives you thirteen different flavors of his work in one sitting.
And if you’ve already read some Ito and want more? Smashed delivers stories you probably haven’t encountered yet, with some genuinely memorable imagery that sticks with you long after you close the book.
A note on content: Several stories contain graphic body horror imagery, and a few touch on themes of death, psychological distress, and violence. If you’re sensitive to grotesque physical imagery in particular, be aware that stories like “Smashed” and “Honored Ancestors” go further than others in the collection.
Complete List of All 13 Stories
Here’s every story in Smashed, listed in the order they appear in the book. Descriptions are kept spoiler-free — just enough to give you a sense of what you’re getting into.
1. Smashed — A man discovers a mysterious fruit with an irresistible taste. The consequences of eating it are… not subtle. This is body horror at its most visceral, and it sets the tone for the whole collection.
2. Bloodsucking Darkness — A college photography club stumbles into something far worse than they expected. Atmospheric vampire horror with a genuinely tragic undercurrent — one of the more emotionally resonant stories in the book.
3. Ghosts of Prime Time — A bizarre TV show features guests who may or may not be ghosts. Ito plays with media and paranoia in a way that feels surprisingly modern.
4. In Mirror Valley — A woman becomes obsessed with her reflection after noticing something wrong with it. Classic Ito setup: a small, nagging wrongness that spirals into something awful.
5. Earthbound — People are found standing motionless in random locations, physically unable to move, as if rooted to the ground. One of the most unsettling visual concepts in the entire collection — the imagery alone is worth the price of the book.
6. Death Row Doorbell — A convicted killer’s story takes a strange turn when the doorbell starts ringing. Psychological horror with a slow-burn reveal that rewards patient reading.
7. Splatter Film — Exactly what it sounds like — a story about a horror film that might be a little too realistic. Ito having fun with horror that comments on itself — a story about scary movies that becomes scarier than any movie.
8. Roar — Strange sounds begin emanating from unexpected places. Short and punchy, with a creepy central image.
9. Library Vision — A man with an unusual ability can see the life story of anyone he looks at. Sounds like a superpower — turns out it’s more of a curse.
10. Honored Ancestors — A woman visits her boyfriend’s family and discovers their unusual… physical characteristics. This is Ito at his most darkly funny. Body horror played for laughs, and it absolutely works.
11. The Mystery of the Haunted House (Soichi story) — The mischief-making Soichi gets involved with a haunted house attraction. If you haven’t met Soichi before, this is a fun introduction to one of Ito’s quirkiest recurring characters.
12. Used Record — A mysterious vinyl record has an unusual effect on anyone who listens to it. Creepy atmosphere and a strong payoff.
13. Soichi’s Beloved Pet (Soichi story) — Soichi acquires a new pet. It goes about as well as you’d expect from a kid who chews on nails and dabbles in curses.
Quick Reference: Soichi Stories
If you’re specifically interested in the Soichi stories, they are:
- Story 11 — The Mystery of the Haunted House
- Story 13 — Soichi’s Beloved Pet
These two stories are lighter in tone than most of the collection — more dark comedy (horror mixed with humor) than outright scares. They connect to a larger set of Soichi stories that Ito has written over the years, and if you enjoy them, there’s a dedicated Soichi volume available that collects more of his appearances.
Standout Stories Worth Reading First
You can absolutely read Smashed straight through from page one — it’s designed to work that way. But if you want to sample the highlights first to see whether the collection is for you, these are the stories that tend to land hardest.
Smashed (the title story)
The title story earns its place at the front of the book. The premise — a fruit so delicious you can’t stop eating it — sounds almost silly until Ito shows you what happens next. The escalation from strange to horrifying is perfectly paced, and the final pages feature some of the most grotesque body horror in the collection. If this story grabs you, you’ll love the rest of the book.
Bloodsucking Darkness
This is one of the longer stories in the collection, and it uses that extra room to build genuine atmosphere. It starts as a relatively grounded campus mystery before sliding into something much darker. What sets it apart from the other stories is its emotional weight — there’s real sadness underneath the horror.
Earthbound
For many readers, this story contains the single most iconic image in the entire book. People standing frozen in place, rooted to the ground, unable to leave — it’s a concept that sounds simple but becomes deeply unsettling in Ito’s hands. The way he draws these figures, the expressions on their faces, the way passersby react to them — it’s haunting.
Death Row Doorbell
A slower burn than some of the other stories, but the payoff is worth the patience. The horror here is more psychological than visual, which makes it a nice counterpoint to the more graphic stories in the collection.
Honored Ancestors
This is the story people tend to bring up when they talk about Ito’s sense of humor. It’s body horror, absolutely — the imagery is wild — but it’s played with such a straight face that it becomes genuinely funny. If you only know Ito as “the scary manga guy,” this story will show you another side of his work.
A Note on the “Weaker” Stories
Not every story in a 13-story collection is going to hit the same heights. A couple of the shorter pieces feel more like sketches than fully developed stories. But even the lesser entries have at least one memorable image or idea — Ito’s visual imagination rarely takes a break. It’s worth reading the whole thing even if some stories connect with you more than others.
Who Should Read This Manga (and Who Should Start Elsewhere)
Smashed Is Great For:
- First-time Junji Ito readers who want variety — you get 13 different stories across multiple horror subgenres, so you’ll quickly figure out which flavor of Ito you like best
- Horror short story fans — if you enjoy short horror fiction or anthology formats (collections of unconnected stories by the same author), this will feel familiar and satisfying
- Readers who already enjoyed Shiver or Fragments of Horror — Smashed is the natural next step, with more stories and a wider tonal range
- Anyone curious about the Soichi character — the three Soichi stories here are a low-commitment way to meet him before picking up the full Soichi volume
Consider Starting Elsewhere If:
- You want a single, cohesive narrative — Smashed is an anthology of unconnected stories. If you’d rather experience one sustained horror story from beginning to end, Uzumaki (a three-volume story — collected in one deluxe edition — about a town consumed by spirals) is the better starting point
- You want Ito’s most famous work — Uzumaki and Tomie are his most iconic creations. Smashed collects lesser-known stories, which is part of its charm but means you’re not getting the “greatest hits”
- You’re sensitive to body horror — Some stories here go hard on grotesque imagery. The T+ (16+) rating is well-earned
Uzumaki (3-in-1 Deluxe Edition)
How It Compares to Other Ito Story Collections
If you’re trying to decide which Ito anthology to pick up first, here’s how Smashed stacks up against his other English-language short story collections:
| Smashed (2019) | Shiver (2017) | Fragments of Horror (2015) | Venus in the Blind Spot (2020) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of stories | 13 | 9 | 8 | 12 |
| Page count | 392 | 376 | 224 | 336 |
| Tone range | Wide — body horror, psychological, dark comedy (Soichi) | Mostly atmospheric dread | Experimental, literary | Mixed — includes some well-known stories |
| Soichi stories? | Yes (2 stories) | No | No | No |
| Beginner-friendliness | Very beginner-friendly | Very beginner-friendly | More niche; shorter and more abstract | Beginner-friendly |
| Best for | Readers wanting the widest sampler | Readers wanting consistent creepy atmosphere | Fans looking for something different | Readers who’ve already tried one collection |
If you’re choosing your very first Ito manga collection, both Smashed and Shiver are strong starting points. Smashed gives you more stories and more variety; Shiver is a slightly more consistent collection with some of Ito’s most acclaimed shorter works. You genuinely can’t go wrong with either.
Fragments of Horror is shorter and more experimental — probably best saved for after you’ve read one or two other Ito books and know you like his style.
How Smashed Fits Into Junji Ito’s English-Language Manga Catalog
Junji Ito has a large number of works available in English at this point, and it can be confusing to figure out what’s what. Here’s the key distinction:
Story Collections (Anthologies)
These are books of unconnected short stories — you can read them in any order. Smashed belongs to this category.
- Fragments of Horror (2015)
- Shiver (2017)
- Smashed (2019)
- Venus in the Blind Spot (2020)
VIZ has continued releasing Ito story collections beyond these, including volumes like Deserter, Lovesickness, Alley, Stitches, and Moan . Each collects a different set of previously published manga short stories.
Moan: Junji Ito Story Collection
Full-Length Works
These are single narratives told across one or more volumes:
- Uzumaki — the spiral horror, available in a 3-in-1 deluxe edition
- Tomie — Ito’s first published work, about a girl who keeps returning from the dead and the destruction she causes
- Gyo — biological horror involving sea creatures fused with mechanical legs invading land
- Sensor, Remina, No Longer Human — standalone single-volume stories
Uzumaki (3-in-1 Deluxe Edition)
The Soichi Connection
The three Soichi stories in Smashed — The Mystery of the Haunted House, The Mystery of the Haunted House: Soichi’s Version, and Soichi’s Beloved Pet — feature a character who appears across multiple Ito works. Soichi is a weird, nail-chewing kid who fancies himself a master of curses. His stories tend to be more comedic than Ito’s other horror work, though they still have plenty of creepy moments.
If you enjoy the Soichi stories in Smashed, there’s a dedicated Soichi volume that collects more of his appearances. It’s a fun change of pace from Ito’s more intense horror.
Anime Adaptation
Several stories from Smashed were adapted in Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre, an anime (Japanese animated TV series) that premiered on Netflix in 2023. The show adapts stories from across Ito’s catalog, so it’s a mixed bag — but if you’ve watched it and recognized a story, there’s a good chance the original manga version is even better. Ito’s artwork doesn’t fully translate to animation; the static, detailed panels of the manga are where his horror hits hardest.
Edition Details and How to Read
Here’s what you’re looking at when you pick up Smashed:
- Publisher: VIZ Media
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 392
- Rating: T+ (Older Teen, 16+)
Reading Direction: Right to Left
Like most manga published in English, Smashed is read from right to left. That means you start at what looks like the “back” of the book if you’re used to Western comics or novels. You open the book from the right side, and within each page, you read panels from right to left, top to bottom. It feels strange for about two pages, then becomes second nature. Most manga volumes include a small note on the last page (which is the first page you’d see if you opened it the Western way) reminding you to flip it around.
What About Hardcover or Deluxe Editions?
As of now, no hardcover or deluxe edition exists for Smashed. It’s available only as a standard paperback. This is different from some of Ito’s other works — Uzumaki , for example, has a beautiful deluxe hardcover edition — but for the story collections, VIZ has stuck with the paperback format.
Uzumaki (3-in-1 Deluxe Edition)
What to Pick Up Next
If you read Smashed and want more Junji Ito manga, here are some natural next steps depending on what you enjoyed most:
- Loved the body horror? Try Uzumaki — it’s Ito’s masterpiece of escalating physical horror, and it’s available in a gorgeous 3-in-1 deluxe edition
- Loved the Soichi stories? Pick up the dedicated Soichi volume for more of his antics
- Want another story collection? Shiver is the most popular choice, or try Alley or Stitches for more recent releases
- Want something longer and darker? Tomie is Ito’s debut work and one of his most disturbing — it follows a girl who cannot die and the chaos she leaves in her wake
Uzumaki (3-in-1 Deluxe Edition)
Stitches (Junji Ito)
Alley: Junji Ito Story Collection
Smashed is one of those manga that rewards both a cover-to-cover read and random flipping. Got fifteen minutes? Read a story. Got an evening? Read the whole thing. Either way, Ito’s going to get under your skin.
Honestly, just grab a copy and see for yourself. Thirteen stories means thirteen chances for Ito to find the exact thing that scares you most. He’s very good at that.