Title: Lovesickness

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Media 1998

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 408

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Where I Got It: Library

Ryusuke returns to the town he once lived in because rumors are swirling about girls killing themselves after encountering a bewitchingly handsome young man. Harboring his own secret from time spent in this town, Ryusuke attempts to capture the beautiful boy and close the case, but…

Starting with the strikingly bloody “Lovesickness,” this volume collects ten stories showcasing horror master Junji Ito in peak form, including “The Strange Hikizuri Siblings” and “The Rib Woman.”

This collection didn’t quite work for me completely.

The Beautiful Boy at the Crossroads
A Woman in Distress
Shadow
Screams in the Night
The Boy in White

All of these stories were connected focused on a mysterious fog filled town full of fortune seekers. The middle really dragged, but I did like the ending.

Narumi’s Boyfriend
The Seance

Two connected stories that didn’t quite work for me. I didn’t like the characters.

The Mansion of Phantom Pain - Definitely my favorite! I loved the existential horror in this story.

The Rib Woman - Another great story, this time focused on body perfection.

Memories of Real Poop - Um, what did I just read? That’s going to be a no for me.