If anything, Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre has made long-time Junji Ito fans want to return to the manga that started it all. But where can fans read the manga of Junji Ito Maniac?
The recent Netflix adaptation has garnered some attention due to the original manga's popularity, though Ito's nightmarish world doesn't translate that well on screen.
Whether or not you believe that the horror anime falls short compared to Ito's terrifying manga, here's all the information you need about the source material.
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Which Manga Is Junji Ito Maniac Based On?
First things first; fans of the horror manga creator might know that there is no Junji Ito manga with the exact title of Junji Ito Maniac, so we have to determine which titles the new Netflix anime adapts.
Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre adapts 20 stories by Junji Ito.
Some of the most well-known and popular ones are Tomie, Souichi, and Kubitsuri Kikyuu (which you might have heard referred to as The Hanging Balloons).
Tomie is about a succubus-like girl who can make any man fall in love with her and often manipulates them into unspeakable acts of violence.
Meanwhile, Souichi is one of the most well-known Junji Ito characters. While he's only 11 years, he's odd in both creepy and funny ways.
One of his most characteristic and weird quirks is that he often eats iron nails to make up for his iron deficiency.
Lastly, The Hanging Balloons is a nightmarish short that was originally part of The Face Burglar, one of the volumes of the Horror World of Junji Ito collection.
Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre is a collection of different works by the beloved creator, so the best strategy to read the source material is to find spaces that have as many of these works as possible.
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Where to Read Junji Ito Manga Online
There is no entirely free way to read Junji Ito's manga titles legally, but we have found some of the best places to get into the creator's haunting world:
Viz
While Viz doesn't allow you to read Junji Ito manga online, it has a dedicated Junji Ito page with all the latest updates on the Ito-verse as well as a list of places to buy the manga.
ComiXology
Amazon's ComiXology web page allows you to find Junji Ito manga both in print and online for the Kindle app.
Getting the manga online allows you to read them anywhere you are, and they're a bit more affordable, too.
MangaPlaza
Most Junji Ito manga aren't available on MangaPlaza and you're better off looking for the well-known ones elsewhere.
However, if you want something from the beloved creator that isn't the stuff of nightmares, MangaPlaza lets you check out Junji Ito's Cat Diary: Yon & Mu, which details some of Ito's real-life trials as a cat owner.
Discover more of our insights and the latest anime news by following us on Twitter @epicstreamanime.