This was interesting, but was not able to hold my attention all the way through. I think I would've enjoyed this book more if it was in a physical form. This is not at the fault of the book itself, but I believe the formatting of the E-ARC made it more difficult to enjoy. Overall, this was an interesting story, but it did not capture my attention in the way I was hoping it would.

I would read anything by Junji Ito and love it. The Liminal Zone has just strengthened this opinion. This is a great set of short horror stories where Ito has taken an idea from real life and twisted it into something completely out of this world. Put these brilliant stories together with the classic artwork and you get something you can read over and over.

Liminal Zone - Junji Ito

What destiny awaits them after the screaming?

After abruptly departing from a train in a small town, a couple encounters a “weeping woman”—a professional mourner—sobbing inconsolably at a funeral. Mako changes afterward—she can’t stop crying! In another tale, having decided to die together, a couple enters Aokigahara, the infamous suicide forest. What is the shocking torrent they discover there?

The master of horror Manga is back with some new nightmares!
I was introduced to Ito’s work by daughter No1 and I really enjoyed the first book she leant to me, so, spotting a new proof available on Netgalley I knew I wanted to read it.
The stories are packed full of delicious horror and stunning artwork. These stories were all great fun to read and I recommend Ito’s works to any horror fans.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you @netgalley and @vizmedia for my ecopy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

5 Stars!!

Spoilers ahead. I will not reveal anything big - most of the review vaguely alludes to plot, structure, and characters.

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The Liminal Zone is excellent, and it exemplifies everything that makes Junji Ito, Junji Ito. His art style veers between deceptively simple to almost grossly detailed, and he is the king of interconnected plotlines. The panelization is excellent and the depth of the images is incredible. This is yet another beautifully illustrated piece of horror manga that will give you the creeps, with images that will stick with you (I, personally, keep thinking about that very last panel). I don't know how he keeps coming up with such strange ideas, but I'm grateful for it!

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Again, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Since the spooky season is here, I thought it would be fitting to read a Junji Ito graphic novel as he’s a notable horror mangaka. This is my second time reading Ito’s work (my first experience was reading The Drifting Classroom) and another anthology piece. The Liminal Zone is a collection of stories originally written for the LINE manga app in Japan and has now been converted into graphic novel form. Because of this, I do feel like there’s a shift in Ito’s storytelling method, but it also gives him a chance to create plots surrounding a concept by not having a page limit.

It goes without saying that there are multiple trigger warnings within this anthology (like with most horror) such as death, suicide, and mental illnesses so take caution before reading. The collection consists of four stories: The Weeping Woman, Madonna, The Spirit Flow of Aokigahara, and Slumber. Each story brings its own uniqueness to the collection while all equally being spine-tingling. For me, the collection wasn’t too scary which is saying a lot. I have always had a hard time reading horror vs watching a horror film. The stories are digestible and like with most Ito works readers the art is what sticks with you long after finishing the story.

Ito's art style as per usual is a balance of beauty and grotesqueness. Each story starts off with an eerie calmness, but you know something creepy is lurking around the corner. Even the horror figures/villains themselves become more unsettling to look at as the story progresses. My favorite aspect of Ito’s stories is how he finds horror in the most mundane things such as nightmares that lead to restless sleep, a statue with a powerful presence, or a small town in the countryside. If I had to rank the stories in the collection they would be:

1)The Weeping Woman
2) Slumber
3) Madonna
4) The Spirit Flow of Aokigahara

I really enjoyed how The Weeping Woman story played off a folktale aspect and the twist ending felt very satisfying. The Spirit Flow of Aokigahara just was okay. I felt like the story was left on a cliffhanger that really didn’t explain much of what was happening. I would go into more detail but I don’t wait to spoil the stories for those that haven’t read the book.

The Liminal Zone by Junji Ito is a unique and intriguing horror story collection. As far as Ito's work goes, it captures his style well. I don't think it's his most haunting work, but the collection has some good stories, with a few wacky ones -- as I've come to expect from Ito.

Junji Ito doesn't miss! It may not be one of my favorite anthologies, but I loved all the stories nonetheless. The Weeping Woman story was my favorite of the four, and the murder mystery of the last one was a new direction for Junji Ito, would love more stories like that. Thanks so much for the opportunity for review!

For those who enjoy Junji Ito's work will know what they are getting into and most likely will enjoy. It is another new batch of stories of various mysteries, horrors, and phobias. The best in my opinion is that of a Catholic schoolgirl inquiring and investigating upon the suspect phenomena of classmate disappearances and witchery. In great Junji Ito fashion we see it in hauntingly detailed depictions from both the human and the mythic.

Once again, this is another solid compilation of stories that is sure to satiate Junji Ito and horror manga fans all around.

As always with Junji Ito, this is beautifully illustrated. The stories that go along with this amazing artwork are just as interesting as the illustrations.

Not as good as his previous collections but still enjoyable. Will be bringing this book in to my store to promote it with the manga readers

Another classic from the master. The subject matter of these four long stories will seem somewhat familiar to fans of Junji Ito in a general sense, but - unsurprisingly at this point - he always finds a way to make his imagery and narratives seem fresh. The "Weeping Woman" story is not merely terrifying but also deeply profound and affecting, for example, while "Madonna" tells an all too relevant tale of what happens when faith meets dogmatic will. Even the fairly straightforward serial-killer thriller "Slumber" is so well executed that you don't mind the relative predictability of the plot.

One of the characteristics that make Junji Ito a master of horror, aside from his own imagination and creativity, is the way his stories are often connected to Japanese folk character and tradition. It's something that all the best horror writers do, tapping into mythology and dark fears rooted in traditions that have an element of the eerie or bizarre about them. That's true about at least two of the stories in this new collection, but there are other deep concerns related to recent social and health issues that seem to have influenced and added to how Ito approaches the dark turns each of these stories take.

In his afterword, Ito talks about how these stories may have only made it to the light of day because of the Covid lockdown. Developed from sketches of ideas that had been around for a long time, it seemed the right time to let his imagination and talent loose on them. The fevered aspect of the stories certainly reflects some of the concerns and fears going through his and other minds around this time, although few I would imagine as vividly imaginative as Junji Ito. The execution of these stories, if I can put it that way, is deadly.

Weeping Woman Way
One tradition that is not unique to Japanese culture is the idea of the professional mourner. In Weeping Women Way, the weirdness starts when Mako and her boyfriend Yuzuru stop off at a small village and witness a weeping woman at a funeral, not just sobbing her eyes out but seeming to be genuinely overcome with grief, even though employed as a professional mourner. It's a old tradition to help the dead pass over into the spirit world, but it died out long ago, so the couple are surprised to see one.

It seems to have a deep impact on Mako, who since they saw this, is filled with sadness and unable to stop crying. They return to the village of Tohoku looking for a cure or find why this is happening and find another strange village with a line of buildings on Weeping Woman Way where they learn of the legend of Lady Orui, who 200 years ago wept so much she filled a lake and saved the local people from a severe drought. The strange inhabitants of the village believe they can bring her back...

Madonna
Transferred recently to Tensei Academy, a missionary girls' boarding school, Maria Amano finds that the school is a little strange, if not just downright creepy. The Principal's wife thinks she is the Blessed Mary and is a bit of a scary character. There are all sorts of rumours surrounding her and the cause of her behaviour, and rumour has it that she is a witch. There are other strange behaviours however relate not least to their obsession with the Virgin Mary. And why is there salt everywhere? Things are going to get even more strange. as Ito characteristically pushes this one to the limit, maybe even a little over the limit this time.

The Spirit Flow of Aokigahara
"Mount Fuji is Japan's most sacred mountain. It's not surprising this strange kind of phenomenon would happen", Norio says early in the third story in the collection and it's definitely not surprising that these things occur in a Junji Ito story about a young man suffering a terminal illness who has travelled there to end his life. The question is how strange can it get, and... well, it's Junji Ito so I suppose that question is easy to answer as well.

How about a blinding light in the forest where Norio has ventured with his girlfriend Mika, stripping and blanching a ring of trees that to a hard-to-find cave known as the Dragon's Mouth? How about the belief that it's the exit for the spirit flow and that there are believed to be a network of caves underneath? You may wonder where this is going to go, but only Junji Ito really knows, and only he can illustrate it in his own inimitable way...

Slumber
Slumber is based around an interesting and strange premise that seems to be inexplicable. Tayuka Terada has terrifying dreams of himself wandering the streets and hacking victims to death. What is even more terrifying than these nightmares is that they seem to be really happening, the news reports showing the same victims that he killed in his sleep. And now he finds the hooded parka and the knife in his room. A student lawyer, who has failed his bar exam three times, is the stress getting to him? And becoming a killer isn't a good start for a career as a lawyer.

There is evidently a twist, somewhat fantastical of course, but like the other stories in this collection, it's about pushing these ideas as far as they can go, as deeply and dark as they can be, without the restrictions of an imposed page count. That means that the artist is free to let these stories flow at their own pace, each of them building to a punchy, explosive revelation. More than just being effective little horror tales with dark twists, the beauty of these stories in how Junji Ito illustrates fear, horror in his own shockingly effective way.

This manga was a series of four shortish stories from the bizarre mind of Junji Ito. Each one followed a different premise with different characters, and yet I felt immersed in each story almost immediately. Sure, they moved fast, but in a short story in a manga format, you have to move fast if you want it to be interesting!
None of these were overly terrifying like some of his other work, but they were certainly greatly unsettling. That being said, I enjoyed all four a lot and will definitely keep reading anything Ito publishes!

This wasn't my favorite Ito title, but his artwork and imagination continue to be spellbinding. I thought the stories and plots themselves were a little weaker than other Ito works but was compelled to keep reading to see in what weird and unexpected direction each story would go.

I just reviewed The Liminal Zone by Junji Ito. #TheLiminalZone #NetGalley

Junji Ito continues to show that he is the master of horror and the quintessential horror manga artist and writer. This is a new collection of 4 short stories. 3 of them I think were really great which were the Weeping Woman, Madonna and Slumber. Slumber particularly I thought was good as it felt different than the others by going for a thriller tone instead of purely supernatural horror. Spirt Flow of Aokigahara looked nice as all of Ito's work does but the story felt lackluster. Reading his afterword it was interesting to see an Ito not be bound by length as he has been in the past and I look forward to seeing what he is able to do with this new freedom.

I am a big fan of Ito’s; however, this is not my favorite Junji Ito book. It is a book of 4 short stories. The art, as always, is amazing but the stories weren’t polished or finished, they felt rushed and Ito even admits in his afterward that he felt his stories were weak. If I had to choose, I liked the Madonna story about a corrupt Catholic school, and the Slumber which has the main character thinking he might be a secret serial killer.
Overall, this one is truly for fans of Ito’s!

Another collection of amazingly bizarre tales from the genius mind of Junji Ito. His tone and unique style never fail to entertain fans!

There's nothing really more to say about a Junji Ito work other than he really is a master of horror. While I often wish that we had longer stories from Ito like Tomie or Uzumaki. However, The Liminal Zone, with it's 4 short stories, does give you the feel for a more cohesive narrative structure. This time, the horror is focused on the destinations people arrive to after death. What horrors can stay with you after your spirit has passed? My favorite story is about a couple who choose to go to the infamous Japanese suicide forest and we delve into their psyche's with one of the most uncomfortable stories I've read from Junji in a while. Something about him capturing the tensions of places that feel eerie, lonely and desolte. I don't think any other book of his has gotten this under my skin in a while.

My youtube review will be up soon as I recieve my physical copy in the mail!

Did not disappoint. Junji Ito is never out of great, weird story ideas and this collection is no exception. The art, as always, is amazing.

Although he doesn't mention it in his afterword, the theme of this Junji Ito collection really feels like "folklore." The first story, "Weeping Woman Way," draws on the idea of professional mourners and myths of the Banshee (and other creepy weepers from folklore around the world) to create a story that feels at once unique and very familiar. Ito says that the idea of tear tracks was behind this, and I know I won't be referring to the dark lines beside my cats' noses as those ever again.

"Weeping Woman Way" is the strongest of the four tales included, though all are interesting in their own rights. "The Spirit Flow of Aokigahara" is a very different take on the so-called Suicide Forest, turning it into a strange purgatory of people addicted to the strange powers that come from a mysterious cave within. "Slumber" is probably the weakest, although it's plot of a deranged therapist who links with others to share his crimes is an interesting one. "Madonna" takes the mythology of both Lot's wife and the Virgin Mary as its base, and while I enjoyed the way Ito plays with both, I'm also not Christian, and I suspect that devout followers of that religion may find the story uncomfortable.

All in all another solid piece of horror despite Ito's concerns. I can't wait to see what he does with the pandemic once he feels he can write about it.