Summary
Junji Itois one of the most celebrated horror mangaka of all time. His works have shot to the mainstream in popularity, with tales likeTomieandUzumakiserving as a gatewayfor aspiring Ito fans. Many readers have begun with these, to eventually stumble upon the litany of short stories that form the bulk of Ito’s work. All of these tales are scary in some form or another, so it may be puzzling for fans to seek out Junji Ito stories that lean more towards the funny side of things.
However, most long-time fans of this talented artist know about his tendency to lean towards the goofy side of his storylines from time to time. Some of Ito’s work parodies his storytelling structure, while others include wacky plotlines and eccentric characters that inject a lot of humor into a story that can still scare players out of their wits.
5Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu
The Mangaka Must Get Used To His Fiance’s Cats
Though he’s known forhis unwavering focus on horror, it’s endearing to check out a manga penned by this creator that deserves way more love than it receives. The story focuses on Ito’s attempts to bond with two cats after he moves in with his fiancé. Despite the horrifying appearances of the cats, it’s clear that these felines are more cute than scary as readers rifle through the pages and see Ito’s unique brand of comedy at play.
Ito’s attempts to bond with the cats and gain their approval are as wholesome as they come, showing the authenticity of this story’s origins. Every chapter is full of human stories and the bonds that cats have with their caretakers. While his fiancé may have a relatively effortless time with the cats, Ito’s attempts to force his love on the cats either backfire, or pay off in a satisfying manner. Either scenario is quite entertaining.
4Graveman
Many people consider Junji Ito’s magnum opus to behis huge body of short stories, which give readers tantalizing glimpses into his twisted mind and the horrifying stories that he brings to life. While there’s no denying thatGravemanhas its fair share of spine-chilling moments, it’s hard not to laugh at this story’s premise once players witness one of the main characters of the tale. The protagonist, Mimi, relocates to a new town where her room ominously faces the graveyard.
What makes things eerie is that she notices the gravestones moving in the night, with the culprit revealed to be her next-door neighbor who is the very definition of a musclehead. Watching his ripped body shift the stones around is equal parts weird and hilarious, but things swing in favor of the latter when Mimi sees this man flexing his muscles for the spirits in the graveyard, who love to check out his sculpted figure. It’s ridiculous and leads to one of the biggest laugh-out-loud moments in Ito’s body of work. Still, he manages to scare readers quite a bit after this weird bodybuilder is chased out, only for the spirits to become disturbed after their source of entertainment is taken away.
3Souichi’s Diary of Delights
The Oddball At The Heart Of Things Is Ridiculously Goofy
Souichi isa weird kid who makes a creepy first impressionwith the nails in his mouth and the way he plays with voodoo dolls. It takes no time to figure out that this kid practices black magic, terrorizing his cousins. However, as this character plays a central role in more tales, Ito doesn’t shy away from showing his goofy side.
This leads to some of the funniest stories this mangaka has penned, with Souichi’s pathetic nature adding to the hilarity as his exploits fail time and time again. However, there are moments when he gets the upper hand, such as when he turns the inside of his room into a maze or sucks the life out of a teacher giving him a hard time at school.
2Gyo
The Ludicrous Concept Of The Death Stench Machine
Many things about Gyo make itone of Junji Ito’s scariest stories. It’s a unique twist on an epidemic in the same vein as a zombie apocalypse. The role of the invading monsters is played by mechanical constructs made during World War 2 in a hidden experiment that went wrong. The project was abandoned, but the death stench that powered these machines became sentient and used these robotic skeletons to take over marine life. Seeing these undead fish walking across the coastlines of Japan is scary enough, but it’s the revelations to follow that makeGyoso funny in the eyes of many.
When these machines start taking over humans, fans get to see how these machines take control of humans. After infecting a host with the death stench, the ailing human becomes an unwilling host that is kept in place with two pipes that enter the digestive orifices. This, coupled with the bloated bodies of the victims, means that the death stench machine uses the farts and burps of its victims to keep itself fueled. It’s one of the funniest ways a man-made monster can take over the population.
1Junji Ito’s Dog Diary
A Lesser-Known Story About An Angry Dog
Most people are well aware of the fact that Junji Ito is a dog person, especially if they’ve read his statements in hisCat Diary. So, it’s a shame that one of his stories that documents his life with a domesticated dog is relatively unknown.
Junji Ito’s Dog Diaryisone of his least-known works, featuring some lighthearted adventures between Ito and his pet. It’s a short yet hilarious documentation of Lulu’s hijinks and how Ito reacts to them, serving as a foundation of sorts that the mangaka eventually evolved to fit into hisCat Diaryseries.
