Where to watch Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre
Junji Ito maniac set to premier on Netflix!
Horror animes aren’t necessarily the most popular or watched genre, but nevertheless, people seem to enjoy them.
Additionally, Netflix s’ attempt to experiment with various cultural horror stories from all over the world is seen as a positive step within the horror anime community.
Junji Ito Maniac Japanese tales of the Macabre has very recently dropped on Netflix.
It’s an animated anthology series of various spooky stories based on the works of infamous horror manga artist Junji Ito.
His works have been a successful cult phenomenon, and now one of the biggest streaming platforms in the world is shining a light on them.
The name Junji Ito is synonymous with creepy and uncomfortable horror stories which give sleepless nights to many of his readers.
A veteran of writing horror stories, Junji Ito is known for his peculiar writing style, which initially gives a false sense of security, but by the end, readers are left with a spine-tingling sensation.
Fans of Junji Ito have been long wondering if and when his stories receive an anime adaption, and thankfully Netflix obliged with the latest horror series titled Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre.
Before you begin the creepy binge-watch, here is everything you should know about Junji Ito maniac.
Junji Ito Maniac Japanese Tales of the Macabre is rated 6.7/10 and ranked #5231 with 17k members on MyAnimeList
WHAT IS THE JUNJI ITO MANIAC RELEASE DATE?
On 9th June 2022, Netflix announced during its Geeked Week livestream on Wednesday that it is developing Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre, a new anime based on horror manga artist Junji Ito’s various stories.
The Junji Ito maniac release date was later confirmed as 19th January 2023, and a key visual alongside the Junji Ito maniac Season 1 trailer was also revealed.
Junji Ito maniac Japanese Tales of the Macabre will consist of 12 individual episodes but will portray 20 original stories from the Junji Ito maniac manga series.
All 12 episodes from season 1 of the Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre anime series are expected to release for global OTT streaming at the following international times:
| REGION | TIME |
| Pacific Time | 12 AM |
| Eastern Time | 3 AM |
| British Time | 8 AM |
| European Time | 9 AM |
| India Time | 1:30 PM |
| Philippine Time | 4 PM |
| Japan Time | 5 PM |
| Australia Central Daylight Time | 6:30 PM |
You can watch the Junji Ito maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre Season 1 trailer below:
JUNJI ITO MANIAC PLOT
Netflix revealed that Junji Ito maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre would adapt 20 Ito stories in 12 episodes which are as follows:
The Strange Hikizuri Siblings: this story is about the Hikizuri siblings who have lost their parents and live alone in a creepy house situated near a graveyard with huge inheritance.
The siblings include a serious-looking oldest brother- Kazuya; a blue-lipped oldest sister- Kinaki; a strange middle brother- Shigoro; a beautiful middle sister- Narumi; a silent little brother, Hitoshi; and an always energetic little sister, Misako.
Kazuya comes across a spiritual photographer Sachiyo and invites her for a séance which she agrees.
During the séance, Shigoro fakes possession by vomiting his ectoplasm to become the head of the family.
But Sachiyo informs Kazuya that the ectoplasm was actually wheat flour, and the whole thing was a charade put on by Shigoro.
He confronts his brother, who admits his act, but during the confrontation, Hitoshi is possessed by his father, Gozo.
In the end, it seems Gozo showed up because he wanted the siblings to stop fighting and come together.
The Story of the Mysterious Tunnel/ Ice Cream Bus: A haunted tunnel lies in the middle of the mountain, and according to widespread rumors, if one enters it, they don’t come back.
A young boy Goro is forced to enter the tunnel after his sister goes missing in search of their mother. A cosmic x-ray lab exists within the tunnel, but it isn’t the big secret, as the tunnel sucks everyone through its walls.
The second story follows a bewitching and alarmingly friendly ice cream man who drives kids around the city, providing them with free ice cream.
But no parents are allowed on board the bus, which makes one father skeptical, especially when he hears that the kids eat from a pile of ice cream.
When the father returns home day, he is shocked to see all the children have slowly melted away into various flavors of ice cream while his son licks them to death.
Hanging Balloon: after a popular idol dies by what appears to be suicide, there are multiple sightings of her giant, grotesque balloon heads floating in the sky. Attached to the Balloon is a noose that grabs people to death.
The Balloon also cannot be destroyed as once busted, the one resembling its face will die.
Four x Four Walls/The Sandman’s Lair: Koichi can’t study because his younger brother Soichi constantly makes noise, but his father wants no part of their fight.
Frustrated by Soichi s’ antics, Koichi asks a creepy-looking carpenter Mr. Tagisu to build a soundproof room.
Mr. Tagisu gives the room an eerie silence which is preceded by multiple doors and a cramped place for Koichi to study. But Soichi doesn’t mend his ways and keeps bothering his brother, who grits his teeth and decides to bode through the suffering.
The Sandman’s Lair is about a man called Yuri who is tormented by his dreams and asks his friend Mari to keep him awake. However, as Mari is taped to his hands, she ends up sucked into the dream world, where she’s bound to stick with him forever.
Intruder/Long Hair in the Attic: Oshikiri hears strange footsteps in the house he lives in alone. Outside he sees someone digging, and it’s Oshikiri, which leaves him confused as he just saw his double.
Oshikiri is unhappy and confronts his double, leaning out the window and shouting at him. Suddenly, he disappears after pointing a finger and chuckling at them.
Long Hair in the Attic follows Chiemi and her boyfriend, who have grown distant over the years so much that he tells her to leave forever.
Chiemi returns home and sees the pictures of his ex and her on a beach, wherein he tells her to grow her hair. This memory prompts Chiemi to get a haircut, but moments later, her mutilated body is found in her room.
Only her head with long hair seems to act on its own. Chiemi s’ ex is visited by her head, who twists his body until it explodes.
Mold / Library Vision: A year after renting his house to Mr. Rogi on the recommendation of Seji, Akasaka finds mold growing everywhere.
Seiji points out something dangerous going on here, reminiscing chillingly about Mrs. Rogi and her baby, who slowly ended up infected by this strange mold. Akasaka heads in to investigate and finds Rogi and his family entirely consumed by the mold. And unfortunately, the same occurs for Akasana too.
Library vision is about Koko’s husband, Goro, who is obsessed with maintaining his library, but what happens when the books start behaving demonically?
Koko tries in vain to stop him, but eventually, the whole place goes up in flames, with Goro inside and letting the flames consume him. Those books, though? Well, it appears they were taken by some strange guy with a twisted, disfigured face.
Tomb Town: Tsuyoshi and his sister Kaoru are off on a road trip to meet their friend Izumi; however, the former hits a girl out of nowhere in the middle of the road.
With no medical facility around, the girl passes away, and the pair dump him in their trunk to look for a hospital.
The pair arrive in a nearby town and are shocked to see tombstones lying on the road. Izumi arrives amidst their shock and explains the town s’ custom to erect a tombstone wherever the person last took his breath.
Izumi receives a piece of shocking information that her sister has disappeared, and immediately a manhunt is set forth to find her.
Upon finding the details of the missing girl, Tsuyoshi and Kaoru realize it’s the same girl they hit.
Layers of Terror The Thing that Drifted Ashore: When an accident causes her to lose half her face, Reimi discovers that her younger selves still exist inside her. In the second story, an eerie sea creature drifts ashore whose stomach is filled with deceased humans.
Tomie’s Photos: A menacing transfer student named Tomie isn’t happy that a girl named Tsukiko has been taking and selling pictures of popular boys in their school.
Unendurable Labyrinth/The Bully: Two friends get lost in the mountains and come across a community of ascetic monks. The monks, albeit irritated by their presence, continue their ritual of transforming themselves into mummies.
The Bully follows Kuriko, who makes friends with a younger boy named Nao in the playground. While initially enjoying his company, Nao becomes too clingy, which annoys Kuriko, who, in anger, dunks his head in the fountain, followed by viciously beating him.
Years later, Kuriko is all grown up and is resentful of her actions toward Nao, who she now loves, and eventually gets married. She gives birth to a son, Hiroshi, who inhabits the same annoying qualities as her father.
As a result, Kurkio decides to head to the park and “play” with her son that night, sporting menacing make-up and a pretty chilling demeanor.
Alley/Headless Statue: a man named Ishida begins living in a boarding house, but the area around is eerie, and the landlord s’ daughter Shinobu is creepy.
At night, Ishida hears voices calling for Shinobu, and the following day he confronts her, who tells him to ignore it.
Ishida gets a visit from a past tenant who fearfully tells him to look for a window behind the closet wherein the children’s bodies are buried in the alley.
Initially skeptical of the man s’ claims, Ishida checks the room and does find a window overlooking an alley. Towards the end of the alley is a locked vault outlined by the silhouettes of dead people.
Before Ishida can react, Shinobu knocks him down and reveals that she is the killer. Ishida bleeds out, and Shinobu drops down to check on him, but the ropes snap as the ghostly apparitions begin to approach her menacingly.
Headless statue is about an art teacher known for his headless sculptures, which are found murdered with no head.
Whispering Woman Soichi’s Beloved Pet: Mayumi is hysterical and begins having panic attacks when she has to make even the most straightforward decisions.
A carer called Mitsu is bought in to help Mayumi, and immediately her gentle demeanor takes over Mayumi s’ wild nature. Mayumi becomes more positive in life and even follows the order of her carer.
Her father is impressed by Mitsu s’ influence but is worried about her background. He quickly checks through his assistant, who informs him that Mitsu lives with an abusive roommate, Aga, which is why she is adamant about helping Mayumi.
On the same night, Mitsu is found dead, and her roommate is accused of murder. This sends Mayumi into a mental tailspin which is still controlled by Mitsu s’ spirit.
In Soichi’s Beloved Pet, Sayuri adopts a stray cat, and the creepy Soichi follows it around, laying a curse on it. The cat begins eating anything from centipedes to hell spiders.
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JUNJI ITO MANIAC CAST, CHARACTERS, AND CREW
Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre is directed by Shinobu Tagashira, who also designs the characters.
Music is composed by Yuki Hayashi, and the series is scripted by Kaoru Sawada. Hozumi Goda is the sound director, and while theme song is performed by MADKID.
Animation is developed by studio Deen which has given us shows like Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc: The Cage of Flames, When They Cry, and Descending Stories: Shôwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjû.
You can find the list of Junji Ito maniac characters and voice cast below:
| CHARACTERS | VOICED BY |
| Izumi Murakami | Aya Uchida |
| Hitoshi Hikizuri | Ayaka Asai |
| Akasaka | Daisuke Hirakawa |
| Shinya Shiraishi | Daisuke Kishio |
| Rumi | Fumiko Orikasa |
| Shigorō Hikizuri | Hajime Iijima |
| Oshikiri | Hiro Shimono |
| Kimata | Hiroyuki Yoshino |
| Sayoko | Hisako Kanemoto |
| Kagumi Fujino | Iori Nomizu |
| Mari | Junko Oka |
| Kai Hirohara | Kaito Ishikawa |
| Rogi | Ken Uo |
| Seiji | Kōsuke Okano |
| Reimi | Lynn |
| Kaoru Yoshikawa | M.A.O |
| Mitsu Uchida | Mie Sonozaki |
| Mother | Mina Kobayashi |
| Kuriko | Natsumi Takamori |
| Tomie | Rie Suegara |
| Kazuko Morinaka | Riho Sugiyama |
| Koyama | Risa Mizuno |
| Narumi Hikizuri | Risa Shimizu |
CONCLUSION
Junji Ito maniac is a must-watch for horror fans.
