Itou Junji Kyoufu Hakubutsukan 10: Shibito no Koiwazurai
Lovesickness: Junji Ito Story Collection

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Because this title technically only contains four chapters (explained in the synopsis above), this review only takes into account those four chapters. However, I don't think my ratings would change much if this reviewed the entire volume, but it is something to keep in mind.

Story, 6: There is a sequel to the four chapters included in Volume 15 of "The Horror World of Ito Junji" which was entertaining, but seemed mostly unnecessary to the overall narrative of that arc. The other one-shots included had interesting premises but had very rushed endings.


Art, 7: There are some great biological horror pieces (namely in "The Woman With No ... Ribs"), and it is otherwise pleasing to the eye.

Characters, 5: Most of the characters don't really have much of a personality, and even if they do, they suddenly undergo a radical personality change upon reaching the climax of the story.

Enjoyment, 6: I thought the plotlines were interesting, but I was mostly underwhelmed by the stories as a whole. The characters were very weak (in my opinion), and this tarnished my enjoyment quite a bit.

Overall, 6: Fans of the 'Hibito no Koiwazurai" volume in "The Horror World of Ito Junji" may enjoy this volume, as it expands on a plot point teased at the end of the fourth chapter. The one-shots included were interesting, but mostly skippable.

Favorite Chapter: "Phantom Mansion"; Least Favorite: "Real Unko no Omoide"

It's difficult to review Junji Ito collections. It's an author with a hardcore fanbase that will stan on anything he does. You'll find all his books are rated 5 stars on most shopping platforms and there's no real critique to his work. The Eisner awards also don't help at all. Some of his stories are fantastic. I think Uzumaki is a horror classic, but it might be his only great work, maybe the only cohesive one. The rest of his collections are a mix of fantastic art and writing alongside random ideas he seems to develop on a whim while taking a shower or shopping ... groceries. He is no doubt a pop culture icon. And like most pop culture icons, like Andy Warhol, you can't measure them by the quality of their work, but the impact they make in the industry. Even if his stuff is not great, I think it's worth a read, but wouldn't recommend it to everyone. This collection particularly is half great (the first part, Lovesickness) and half random wacky shower ideas. Get a Kindle sample on Amazon and judge by yourself, don't follow the hype.

I have said similar things in the past, but the more I read Ito, the more I feel like he's just a strange author. He has this habit of getting latched onto an idea, and turning it into this weird, creepy concept that becomes sprawling in scope. But he doesn't really know how to maintain that scale for long. It's like asking someone who is used to piloting a raft to begin captaining a cruise ship. Both of those things are technically boats, but the latter requires much more knowledge and responsibility, and the skills to maneuver one don't really translate.

This shows in Lovesickness. The ... story starts simple, grounded, with a few protagonists, an antagonist, and a spooky situation that gets some great scares and awesome visuals that are truly horrifying. Then the story is built out, showing the same concept but in new and inventive ways. It seems good, but then the strands become unraveled. Characters stop behaving rationally. It's understandable why the protagonist here would want to keep seeking out the various encounters with the evil forces here, because he has a personal connection to all of it. But when a woman insists upon confided a secret to him, and he says no, the woman just... continues to confide to him, and he continues to just deal with it? As someone who has been traumatized multiple times, and someone who is already suspicious of the weird things happening in this cursed town, this obviously crazy person harassing him nonstop rings no alarm bells?

And then the distraction comes in. Naturally, the story evolves into the whole town being crazy, with hundreds of victims and a creeping curse that affects anyone around. There's an evolution in the protagonists, things have really ramped up, and it feels like everything is getting close to a resolution of some sort. Even a scary, horrifying, negative resolution would be great. But the story basically resolves in saying, "Welp, town's crazy, but my involvement in it is done," and the story concludes there. I sincerely felt like I skipped some pages, and had to figure out if that was really the end of the story.

It's as if Ito has these fantastic ideas, writes them out. But then, at some point, he gets bored of the story, concludes it as fast as possible, and moves on to his next project. As someone with ADHD, I can super relate, but it's extremely jarring. This is coupled with just a sloppy writing style, where sometimes characters act against their characterization, and with a lot of various tropes and repetitive ideas that just become grating the more you read.

I still can't say Ito is bad. He is clearly unique, and has a spirit for creation that most don't. But he is most certainly an oddball writer, one who is inconsistent in quality at best, and confusing and easily-sidetracked at worst. His stories may sometimes be compelling, and even gripping, and he has a few bangers that are critical material. But he seems extremely overrated by the broader public.