Petrifying Picks – Fear takes many forms Faith Orcino October 28, 2016 Articles, Reviews Manga fans of the dark and gruesome have more to read with one of artist Junji Ito’s latest anthologies of short stories “Fragments of Horror.” Originally released in 2014, Viz Media brought over Ito’s collection of eight twisted tales that dealt with the darkness that manifested into chaos. Whether it is tempting lust, a near-death experience or a rare opportunity, the next move may be your last. Known best for his 1987 story “Tomie” which several Japanese directors adapted into a film series, Ito proved he still has more to show. His art had a cleaner look that veteran artists of the industry would have after many years illustrating. However, he still used his cross-hatching technique to create depth and detail that added more to the character’s faces of disgust and shock. According to the translated afterward in the book, Ito mentioned he did not have the strength he had years ago since the last time he released a collection. Still, with help from his editor, he worked hard to produce this book. It seemed he spared little expense to frighten his audience, so do caution when reading. These stories were not for the faint of heart and Viz Media rated it for “Older Teen” due to some mature and graphic content. Collectors will enjoy the special hardbound book with a full color and slightly embossed dust jacket. Ito’s cover illustration showed his own rendition of Edvard Munch’s iconic painting “The Scream” with characters from the book. Of course, with all these additions compared to a normal manga, interested readers have to give a bit more than usual to purchase the book. Still, to those that are dedicated fans of horror and manga would be willing to pay for this unique piece of art. For more information, visit Viz Media’s site or your local manga vendor. Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)