Another classic collection from Ito. This collection includes a few stories that are also featured in the Netflix series Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre.

If you're familiar with Junji Ito, you already know he's an odd duck, so this collection will hold no surprises (other than the constant surprise that is "where did that come from?"). If you're not familiar with Junji Ito, this is a good starting point, as are any of his short story collections. This particular collection was first published in 1992, and is full of creepy, spooky goodness just waiting to give you the shivers! The stories are all good, with of course some being better than others, but I won't comment on the stories individually; my favorites might not be your favorites, and I prefer not to influence others to that extent beforehand. The art is very Ito, meaning there are scenes of visceral horror that bring the "ew" factor, but nothing ridiculously gross. Ito isn't a perfect writer; his flow is sometimes a bit chunky, and his endings can be very abrupt and leave the reader wanting something more. His endings can also be very precise and just what the story needed, so take what I say with a grain of salt. I find any faults in his work to be inconsequential personally, and I can't bring myself to give his books less than 5 stars, because his work is just so delightfully weird with lots of "wtf?" moments, and I always enjoy it!

#AlleyJunjiItoStoryCollection #NetGalley

I enjoyed this collection a lot. It had some stories that I was familar with from anime or from previous collections and it was nice to revisit them. B there were also stories that I was happy to read for the first time. While his work is always unsetling, there were two stories in this one (The Ward and Mold) that especially made me feel so unwell. Some of the newer Junji Ito collections have had some translation choices that felt a little off to me, this did not have the same problem. Overall, a great collection.

I found myself here after seeing the Netflix show that was based on Junji Ito's stories and the book versions do not disappoint. Creepy, skin crawling, scary stories. Different definitely, but it gave me nostalgic feelings similar to when I reread Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

Once again, Junji Ito provides dark & macabre tales that leave readers in a hair raising suspense, with impeccable artwork that penetrates the readers deepest underlying fears and anxieties.

Another wonderful instalment of short horror stories. Junji Ito’s art style has always been my favourite in Manga and it still rings true. I found a few of the stories similar but there were definitely some new fantastic stories in this book! Particularly Town of No Roads was creepy, interesting, and even though these are short I found myself trying to guess what was next and find the underlying meaning.

More Junji Ito goodness! His short stories, in my opinion, are where he does his best work. The titular story that is told first in this book maintains the usual ominous tone the author often has. I especially appreciate his through provoking, open ended stories that have the reader questioning what dark doom may befall on the characters.

Thank you to Viz Media for the digital ARC via Netgalley. I thought it was a solid overall collection. I thought it had great horrific imagery. It would be nice if Netglalley found a way to release graphic novels without the watermark. It makes it distracting from the story. Overall, a good and creepy story.

Junji Ito is brilliant and can do know wrong. Even the worst story in this book is better than most horror manga I have read. Ito is an absolute legend!

This is not my favorite of Junji Ito's works, but is still pretty good. I would recommend it to horror fans.

This was a great collection of short stories. As a fan of Junji Ito's works, I found this collection to be one of the better ones that have been published in English. I would definitely recommend this to any fans of horror, manga, and short stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and VIZ Media for providing the ARC.

I always find Junji Ito's compilations to be a mix of the macabre, the horrific and occasionally the bewildering. This book is no different. While not as strong on the horror aspect as some others, it delivers that classic Ito style and content. The art remains impeccable as always.

Definitely a good read for anyone who is a fan of Ito's works or wants some interesting, stylistic horror.

This is another short story collection of Junji Ito - there's one story with nudity in a non-sexual capacity, except there are people peeping in on someone. This makes it a little less of an option for school libraries, unfortunately. the horror stories in this one weren't as scary as some of the other story collections.

3.5/5 Stars, rounded up to 4. I am always impressed at how much world-building the author can get across just in the unsettling nature of his art style. I find myself often frustrated at how short some of the stories are, as I have enjoyed Ito's Uzumaki and its focus on a specific town plagued with a particular problem. His short story collections are a practice in patience for me, as I often enjoy the premise of the short stories and wish there was more to enjoy. However, I would say that this isn't necessarily a negative criticism, as this has never stopped me from reading the next collection that I can get my hands on as soon as I can.

I especially loved the horrifying imagery in 'Town of No Roads'. I thought this was the most powerful story in the collection by far. There were so many unsettling layers to peel away, really leaving me as the reader feeling like I was also journeying into this strange ramshackle town built of people's homes. I loved the detail of the masks and the very external struggle for privacy or to escape the need for privacy.

Well worth the read!

Junji Ito's latest work plunges readers into a realm of unsettling horror, featuring tales of grotesque transformations, otherworldly entities, and inexplicable phenomena. Ito's imagination is both disturbing and captivating, with artwork that adds a level of unrest only he could create. While some narratives may lack narrative cohesion, their unsettling atmosphere and nightmarish imagery are sure to haunt readers long after the final page.

While not as strong as its predecessors, "Alley" still stands as a titan of horror manga, and perfect for anyone unfamiliar with Ito's work.

With ten eerie tales, Alley is a fascinating look into Japanese fears. With serial killers, ghosts and demons, most horror sub-genres are represented. My favorite story, Blessing, even has a mystery to solve within it. Many of the stories are unique enough to be remembered long after the story is finished.

Whether you like horror or Japanese culture, Alley is a good choice. At 344 pages, there is plenty to like within its pages. 5 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and VIZ Media for providing me with an advance review copy.

Not my usual read but I liked it a lot. The stories are creepy, and the illustrations are great. Most of the stories are quite short and have a satisfying ending. I enjoy horror in general, and this was a great new format for me.

Thank you, NetGalley, VIZ Media, and Junji Ito, for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was really looking forward to Alley, as I am a huge Junji Ito fan, and he did not disappoint!
While I didn’t find it as dark as some of his other work, it was still a very enjoyable read that I found very difficult to put down.

I do wish some of the stories were a bit longer, as I was interested to see where they would go, but overall, all the stories were masterfully illustrated, and extremely well told.

My favourites from this collection were: “Blessing”,“Town of No Roads”, and “Memory”.
I highly recommend it for any fans of Junji Ito, or for anyone who wishes to start reading horror manga.

Thank you to Junji Ito and VIZ Media via NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Viz Media for the ARC! Alley gathers 10 disturbing stories from the mind of Junji Ito. These haunting tales include an icecream craze that's not your typical soft serve, a story that speaks of the dangers of too many eyes on our lives, a father that digs too deep into the ground to start a hot spring bath house, and a closed in alley where the sounds of children echo in the night. These stories are sure to please horror fans as well as fans of Junji Ito, with artwork that will haunt your dreams!

This book is pretty different than Junji Ito's usual short stories. It's a collection of short stories, more like Scary Stories to Tell In the Dark than Tombs or Smashed. The stories are incredibly short, weird, and haunting. Even having read the description, I was expecting more story to each, but honestly, they grew on me quickly. They're just fun. I really enjoyed this collection.