On September 24, 2022, Netflix Anime on Twitter shared some screenshots from Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre. We have voice actors and 20 stories to enjoy seeing animated, and we know what some of them are!
And after watching the Junji Ito Collection on Crunchyroll, I’m happy to say the art is top-notch. There’s also another anime project based on Junji Ito Masterworks Collection coming.
Uzumaki is still being worked on, and we can’t forget the new manga this legend produces. But, of course, having more content doesn’t equal better quality.
And there’s always the risk the studio will change some of the stories, like how the Gyo film differed from the manga. But I’ll gladly sit through any of Junji Ito’s adaptations!
20 ways to make you hide under the bed!
Even though I love Junji Ito’s work, I still haven’t been able to collect all of his stories or see all of his adaptations. But, some of the characters you’ll meet in Maniac have been introduced in the Jinji Ito Collection.
But, their stories haven’t been told in full such as with Tomie and Soichi. So, here is a list of which stories we know of and their voice actors!
The Strange Hikizuri Siblings: The Seance
Also known as Sleuth Kids: Assembly of the Fallen Ghost. It’s the fifth chapter of volume 13 in the Horror World of Junji Ito: The Circus is Here.
- Tomoko Kanade voices Misako
- Ayaka Asai is Hitoshi
- Risa Shimizu is Narumi
- Hajime Iijima is Shigoro
- Romi Park is Kiko
- Takahiro Sakurai is Kazuya Hikizuri
The Room With 4 Walls
Also known as The Silent Room, The Room With 4 Heavy Walls, and Chapter 2 of Souichi’s Diary of Curses. You can see some of Soichi’s antics in the Junji Ito Collection.
- Yuji Mitsuya voices Soichi
- Yoshimasya Hosoya is Koichi
- Yuka Saito is Sayuri
- Yutaka Aoyama is Tagaisu
Tomie: Photo
Tomie is Jinji Ito’s first published work and has been in films; the Junji Ito Collection and VIZ Media released the entire Tomie story in a single hardcover edition. Photo is the fourth chapter of her story.
- Rie Suegara voices Tomie
- Yumiri Hanamori is Tsukiko Izumizawa
- Taku Yashiro is Yamazacki
- Tomokazu Sugita is Tachi
- Hiroyuki Yoshino is Kimata
The Hanging Balloons
The Hanging Balloons is the 6th chapter from the 4th volume of the Horror World of Junji Ito Collection: The Face Burglar. It’s one of Junji Ito’s most famous short stories.
- Riho Sugiyama voices Kazuko Morinaka
- Daisuke Kishio is Shinya Shiraishi
- Iori Nomizu is Kagumi Fujino
Intruder
Intruder was first published in Junji’s Horror Collection Volume 3: Fun Summer Vacation. You can find it along with the rest of the Oshikiri stories in Junji Ito’s manga adaptation of Frankenstein.
Intruder is the fourth chapter, and you can see two of the Oshikiri stories in The Junji Ito Collection. Hiro Shimono voices our hapless Oshikiri.
The Unendurable Labyrinth
Also known as The Unbearable Maze, it’s the second story in Blood Bubble Bushes. It was initially published in Halloween Monthly in 1990 and was reprinted as the 9th chapter of Museum of Terror Volume 3.
You can watch Blood Bubble Bushes in the Junji Ito Collection. Hisako Kanemoto is Sayoko.
The Long Hair in the Attic
The long Hair in the Attic was published in Monthly Halloween in 1988. It’s also the first story in Flesh-Colored Horror and the fifth story in Museum of Terror Volume 3.
Yoko Hikasa voices the unfortunate Chiemi.
Bullied
Also known as The Bully. Bullying is a common theme in some of Junji Ito’s works, but this one gives it a new meaning. Its been published in Museum of Terror Volume 3 and Junji’s Horror Collection Volume 1: A Deserter in the House.
Natsumi Takamori plays our bully, Kuriko. Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre will also include Where The Sandman Lives. But there’s no word on any voice actors for it yet.
For a list of possible stories that might be included in the Macabre collection click here!