Genkai Chitai
The Liminal Zone

Edit

What would you like to edit?

SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links  

As a New Junji Ito's fan I read this workand I decided to rate o write a review of every chapter .
[EN]
Weeping Lady Hill: A couple who are about to get married decide to take a trip, but that's where they see woman called to cry, a mourner, who when she sees the protagonist catches her attention and tells her that she is the reincarnation of an old mourner who , despite having died years ago, his corpse continued to cry, releasing the souls in pain.

Madonna: Maria is new student to the religious institute. She has suspicious of the director and director's wife. Then he ... finds out that the director is somewhat shady, that he intends to go further with Maria. He promises that she is the reincarnation of the virgin, but then we find out that the director's wife went through the same thing, and they had murdered the director's ex-wife in order to turn his current one into Maria. Gross.

The Spirit Flow of Aokigahara: A couple decides to go to the forest of Mount Fuji to commit suicide after get to know that the boy has a terminal illness. They get into the flow and... become addicted, transforming into amorphous forms like tears of water.

Slumber: A boy frustrated by not being able to pass a bar exam (he's studying to be lawyer) goes out at night to kill, but wakes up in his bed, scared by those memories. It comes out unconsciously. Then her friend reveals information that something similar happened to a man. The memories of this man were somehow passed into the memory of the protagonist.

[ES]
La cuesta de las plañideras: Una pareja que esta a poco de comprometerse decide hacer un viaje, pero allí es donde ven a una mujer llamada para llorar, una plañidera, que cuando ve a la protagonista le llama la atención y le comunica que es la reencarnación de una vieja plañidera que, a pesar de haber muerto hace años, su cadaver seguía llorando liberando las almas en pena.

La Madonna: Maria es nueva en el instituto religioso, tiene sospechas del director y directora. Luego se entera que el director es algo turbio, que él pretende ir más allá con Maria. Le promete que ella es la reencarnación de la virgen, pero luego nos enteramos que la mujer del director pasó por lo mismo, y estos habian asesinado a la ex mujer del director para asi convertir a su actual en Maria. Turbio

Flujo Espiritual de Aokigahara: Una pareja decide ir al bosque del monte fuji a suicidarse tras enterarse que el muchacho tiene una enfermedad terminal. Se meten al flujo y... se vuelven adictos, transformandose en formas amorfas como gotas de agua.

Entredormido: Un chico sale a las noches a asesinar, pero despierta en su cama, asustado con esos recuerdos. Sale de manera inconsciente. Luego su amiga le revela información que a un hombre le sucedio algo similar. Los recuerdos de este hombre de alguna manera se pasaron a la memoria del protagonista.

Please avoid this book if you want to get into Juni Ito, there are better entry points like Uzumaki or Smashed.

- Is the story unique? If it was predictable, did you enjoy it anyway because you like this genre/set-up? There are three stories. "Weeping Woman", the first one, is the only well rounded one. The other two are whacky horror fillers he wrote during the pandemic.
- Do you think the art style is fitting for the story? This is one of his latest works so the art is excellent.
- Were the characters well-rounded? Did they have flaws and strengths, or were they unusually strong/smart/stupid? "Weeping ... Woman" has well rounded characters. The other two are just forgettable.
- Did the characters react to situations and events in a realistic way? Yes they did, within a fantasy horror universe.
- Do you think others will enjoy/dislike this series, even if you didn't? Why? I think a hardcore Junji Ito fan will like it but it might not be great for newcomers to his work.

Published in 2022 under the name (The Liminal Zone) in English, there is a little declaimer in the back that the majority of the book was written/drawn in 2021 while Itou was confined in his studio due to covid. Maybe because of that the stories lack his usual punch? Who knows, this one is a D tier sadly.

The book is a collection of four independent stories, NO SPOILERS, one thing I'll note is that in all of them the art and visuals are top tier, it's the overall plot that lets it down.

1. Weeping Woman Way (7/10)

There is an odd profession called "mourner" where people ... would hire someone, usually a woman, to wail and cry during a funeral. Mostly so it'll look good for the family, suitable for the occasion and all that. Our heroes encounter one of those and now the tears won't stop.
This one is very Junji Ito, the fact that it's so mid yet is the best in the book tells you something...

2. Madonna (4/10)

I'm guessing Ito was trapped in his house for too long and needed to air the place out a bit. This is about the virgin Mary and Lot's wife turning to piller of salt. It's.... yeah it's not good. A lot of mixed metaphors and religious misinterpretations makes this a mess. This was noted in some of this other works but the Kanji for Madonna can be read as "wicked woman" or witch woman which is the whole joke this story is leaning on.

3. The Spirit Flow of Aokigahara (1/10)

Aokigahara, also known as the sea of trees, has a tragic history. There is something about that place that draws people looking to commit suicide to it. This one explores both that and the stupid incident where a shameless youtuber went to film in that place mocking the dead and attempting to profit off their tragedy. I think it's the first time something as modern as a youtuber popped up in an Itou story.
This one is kindda nonsense not going to lie. Also there is an uncomfortable implication that the spirit of those that died in the forest still roam it every night. Keep in mind this is a real place where people really go to do this so it comes off as in poor taste.

4. Slumber (2/10)

When you sleep you leave yourself open to anything and anyone. Don't let your mind wonder, who knows what or who will pick it up.
The art here is top tier, story really weak & boring. This one was the worst of the bunch plot wise because of how predictable it was.


Overall - 4/10

In the summery, this one might be the worst of his works so far. Unless you're a completionist I'd advice against this one.