A lot has happened since our last update on Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre. We have more cast revealed, more story confirmations, a fantastic opening song, and a short clip!
There’s a lot of Tomie featured in the opening, but she isn’t the only female figure! Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre will have 20 stories across the Junji Ito universe, and some are being animated for the first time.
Tomie is one of Junji Ito’s most notable characters, and I’m thrilled to see her again. But it would have been nice to focus more on the lesser-known characters.
What’s new in Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre?
The opening clip does a great job of hinting at what’s to come, and the release date is January 19, 2023. MADKID performs the opening song, Paranoid, which fits the Junji Ito universe, and the visuals are stunning!
We also see some old friends from the Junji Ito Collection returning to their roles in this new adaptation. Shinobu Tagashira is the director and character designer.
Kaoru Sawada is the scriptwriter, and joining them are Yuki Hayashi for composing the music, and Hozumi Goda is the sound director. The newly announced cast and stories are:
Ice Cream Truck
Also known as Ice Cream Bus, it’s chapter one in the tenth volume of World of Junji Ito Collection, House of the Marionettes. Always remember: if it seems too good to be true, run!
- Ryotaro Okiayu is Sonohara
- Sara Matsumoto is Tomoki
- Takatsugu Chikamatsu is The Ice Cream Man
Tombtown
I couldn’t find any information on this story, which could be a good thing. But, on the other hand, it might only be available in Japan, which means most fans can experience it for the first time.
- Ryohei Kimura is Tsuyoshi Yoshikawa
- M. A. O. is Kaoru Yoshikawa
- Aya Uchida is Izumi Murakami
Library Vision
Also known as Library of Illusions is available in Smashed.
- Yuuki Kaji is Goro Shinozaki
- Tomoe Hanba is Koko Shinozaki
Headless Statue
Also known as Headless Sculptures has been included in several collections but was never available in English. And it’s one of the strangest stories Junji Ito has created!
- Fumiko Orikasa is Rumi
- Takashi Kondo is Shimada