Written by Jesus Figueroa
A slow start culminates in fantastic horror stories in Junji Ito's "Fragments of Horror."
Eight stories of horror show a magnificent return to horror by Ito.
The stories start with "Futon," which is illustrated well and is magnificently strange.
The story isn't much of a horror story by the end, but it serves to give a small taste and a way for readers to ease for the horror stories to come.
"Whispering Woman" is a strange and fantastic horror story which sticks in the mind well after the reader puts the book down.
A connection established between the work a woman does and her personal life creates a bond which while was creepy to start off, but as the story progresses becomes obsessive and alarming.
The story goes to show that Ito still has the mindset to write truly terrifying horror stories.
"Gentle Goodbye" is less of a horror story, but is still emotional and well written.
The story makes a commentary on dealing with the death of a loved one. It continues to bring chills as it describes the selfish acts a family does to deal with the deaths of family members gradually over time.
The story isn't frightening at all, but it is touching and makes a reader think.
Each story throughout the entire manga deals with a different topic which people can relate to.
The topics include family, relationships and death. Some of the stories are true horror stories and some are just thought provoking.
The illustration style is clear and beautiful. It is fitting to the well paced development of the stories.
"Fragments of Horror" by Jinjo Ito is available through Viz Media.
