Unfortunately, I dnf'd this title.

I love Junji Ito and his works, but I just couldn't get into the behind the scenes talk. It's amazing to see how he's come up with these stories and I really appreciate that he compiled such a story for readers to get a peek behind the scenes. I will definitely buy a copy and try it out again in a few months.

I really enjoyed this look at Junji Ito's life and his inspiration for writing certain stories as well as his thinking behind some of his characters and themes. It definitely made me want to go back and read some of his titles again. I always look forward to anything new by Ito and this was a great way to get a look inside the mind of my favorite horror manga artist.

An amazing insight into the Crazy world of Junji Ito. This fascianting character that creates these amazing and surreal worlds. A true master of his craft and this book delves deep into the process that goes on. Great Read

After reading several of Junji Ito's horror manga over the years, it was fascinating to get an insight into his creative process here. Part autobiography, part instruction manual, I thought the way in which the narrative was constructed was great and found a lot of both informative and enjoyable passages throughout. As always, the illustrations were fantastic and it was wonderful to see glimpses of these images from their earliest iteration to the finished product. Overall, I really enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone who likes Ito's work, or anyone with a love for drawing.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The king of horror manga does it again. This is Junji Ito's non-fiction book on why we enjoy horror and being scared. It is illustrated throughout by the man himself so it is horrifying in the best way possible. Love it.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Junji Ito is one of my favorite artist let alone manga writers of all time. His work is powerful, terrifying and can speak to deeper feeling and fears within us. So I was really excited to read this memoir. I was absolutely not let down. This is a deep look into his life and how he creates his work with great images of his process, manuscripts and early works. It was amazing!

Uncanny by Junji Ito is a masterclass in unsettling horror, where his signature style of grotesque, yet captivating, illustrations combines with spine-chilling narratives to leave a lasting impact. Ito’s ability to twist the ordinary into the extraordinary is unmatched, creating a sense of constant unease with every page. The stories in Uncanny are both eerie and deeply fascinating, showcasing his remarkable skill in blending psychological horror with visual terror. It’s a must-read for fans of horror comics, offering the perfect balance of disturbing and mesmerizing.

Thank you to VIZ Media and NetGalley for the eGalley to review!

What a fascinating life Junji Ito has lived! It was so neat getting to read about his life with his own words. I absolutely loved that he included some of his oldest manga from when he was a kid, as well as some select art from the media that shaped his own. He also included the history behind his most famous works, from the inspiration to the process. This is then summarized into common ideas that surround his entire body of work. There are even illustrations he has made just for this autobiography. It's just so cool to see how his mind works and to see where his inspirations lie!

Some things were so surprising to me, like the fact that he was aiming to be in dentistry when he was in high school because he was convinced that even if he did make it into art school he would only become an art teacher. He was supposed to get on the science track in the twelfth grade but it was full, so he ended up on the arts track anyway--which sounds like the universe was adamant about him becoming a king of Japanese horror we know today! He did attempt a job as a dental technician sculpting teeth, but it took such an awful toll on his mind and body that he gave it up to draw manga instead. In his own words, if he was going to die at forty like he saw himself doing while being a dental technician, then he was going to do what he enjoyed until that time came. I admire his resolve and it was quite inspirational reading about how he overcame all the struggles he had getting his start as such a prolific mangaka.

If you are curious about the man behind some of the most famous horror manga, there's nothing better than an autobiography written by himself and this is a great one. Definitely pick it up if you love Ito's work!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher from the free digital ARC. There is so much content packed in this book that I'm honestly surprised it's not longer! It's part memoir, discussion of fear, and writing advice. Ito goes into great detail on how he comes up with his horrifying ideas and is very honest about how he takes inspiration from his own fears. It was interesting to hear his story about how he got into manga in the first place and things just snowballed from there. The book also includes in-progress sketches and notes he made while working on his stories. I loved seeing that! I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys either reading or writing manga.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

This is definitely a 5* book.
What an absolute treat it was to get a glimpse into the mind of one of the greatest horror mangkas!
I found this fascinating. To see the behind-the-scenes creation of some of his best-known collections, especially Tomie and Uzumaki. A must read!

Junji Ito weaves together the history of manga and Japanese media into his own story, using the milestones of his life to touch on important moments in cultural history as well as well.. Reading this biography will give you a peak into the mind of master of horror manga, while also providing interesting information about the progression of horror, manga, horror manga, and more. It is a charming tale, which one might not expect based on the authors other works.

I suppose being a fan of the author is always a plus when it comes to reading something new and informative, especially as 'Uncanny: The Origins of Fear' delves quite beautifully into who Junji Ito is, and too condense simply, his inspirations and motivations when it comes to writing the horror he is well known for. I found the illustrations immersive and like with Ito's other works, inviting into the world filled with the writer's thoughts and introspection. The book is split into two sections, Ito's autobiography, and the writing process. For those familiar with Stephen King's 'On Writing', this book may feel quite similar in terms of contents and the author's perchance for horror, however, I would argue that Ito's work is far more enthusiastic and illustrated in terms of his writing process and the advice he gives onto inspiring writers and readers alike. I would recommend this book and it should be in every writer's toolkit moving forward.

A new favourite biography. I have loved Junji Ito’s weird and wonderful illustrations and manga for years. This far exceeded my expectations, the way that the history and lore of manga is intertwined with Junji’s own experiences and how the culture wraps this all up in a bow is masterful.

This had more history and cultural information than I had anticipated and I’m so glad it did. It really enhanced the reading experience. A high recommendation.

As a fan of Junji Ito, I was super excited to get my hands on a copy of this book! This reflective autobiography/analysis of horror literature by Ito is a fascinating dive into just how we got here. With lots of quotes from his inspirations and allusions to his own favorites, there’s a lot to unpack here. I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting, but I guess I thought there would be more information on fear and how it’s inspired Ito as well.
I think this will definitely appeal most to those who are already fans of Ito and his work.

Please see my full review in Booklist for a full analysis of this work. Thank you! I appreciate the opportunity to review this work professionally.

I am a huge fan of Junji Ito, so getting a peek behind the curtain so to speak was such an enjoyable experience. The combination of photos and writing elevated this book, and it's definitely an interesting read for fans of his and those looking to develop their own creativity.

Great read that really dives deep into the psyche and origins of Junji Ito. Learn about the origins of his life, what inspired him to write certain stories and he touches on some of his iconic characters.

This book was a great read! The story had a great pace and the characters were well developed. It was very easy to get sucked into the story and in just a few sittings, I was done reading the book!

A memoir and light look of skill of Ito's works. Ito discusses his life and inspirations. This can be somewhat of a collector's book into the art. The book aims to explore whether his love for horror influences his writing and if he can separate it from his family life.

Ito's autobiography is an amazing look into the mind of one of the greatest horror mangakas. He guides the reader through his early life to show how the seeds of his creativity sprouted early and made sure to credit those that inspired him. I really enjoyed the works in progress and early drawings that he included for some of his most famous works and style. This is a great addition to any Ito collection.