Netflix, Please Don’t Ruin Junji Ito 'Maniac' - Japanese Tales of the Macabre
The esteemed and worldwide celebrated horror mangaka Junji Ito has a way of storytelling.
His work is nightmarish and abductive, fixating all your senses on his pages as he intricately weaves notes of anxiety and tension into his narratives. So, if he can do this through words and illustrations, then imagine what a great anime adaptation could do. Well, this may soon become a reality.
Netflix has recently announced that 20 of some of Junji ito’s best stories will be brought to life in ‘Junji Ito Maniac - Japanese Tales of the Macabre’, released in January 2023. Although the full list has yet to be confirmed, fan favourites such as Tomie, Uzamaki, and Return of the Hanging Balloon are all set to receive digital renditions. This means newcomers to the genre can dip their toe into the franchise and long-time fans can experience many of their beloved stories all in one place.
The question is whether or not this adaptation will be able to capture the dark and melancholic essence of Junji Ito’s Genius. With such a unique art style, one that has crawled out from the deepest and darkest depths of Ito’s mind, it is hard to imagine how some of these spine-chilling illustrations could be displayed.
As well as that, Ito is most notably known for the way his stories are able to suffocate the reader throughout long winding stories, building up tension and toying with anxieties and fear. To recreate this within just one episode will be a difficult task.
Although we are hopeful, as this is a Netflix original so it's sure to have a big budget, we are not holding our breath for a masterpiece. If the previous adaptations of Ito’s work is anything to go by, we may see something that doesn’t quite hit the standards we would hope for. The 2018 collection left a lot to be desired, so we are hoping that this will not follow the same path. Although the same studio that created this will be behind the 2023 series, so doubt is shrouding this incredible announcement.
