Another horror review for Friday the 13th! Here is my review the 2018 manga collection Frankenstein by Junji Ito:

Manga artist Junji Ito lends his beautifully disturbing vision to this adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus, and the results are as haunting and grisly as a fan of either horror icon could want. Ito’s work is macabre and often surreal, making him uniquely qualified to adapt Shelley’s influential Gothic tale of medical student Victor Frankenstein building, abandoning, and being hunted by a Creature of ghastly design and formidable intelligence. The body horror is awesomely gruesome, but what elevates this manga is the depth of emotion and palpable dread drawn in each character’s expressions. For Shelley purists, this is the most faithful adaptation of Frankenstein I’ve encountered, and the few liberties Ito does take (such as a sequence in which Victor actually gives life to a Bride for the Creature; in the original, he destroys the Bride’s body before she’s “born”) serve to extend the theme of unchecked pride grasping beyond natural limitations.

The chills don’t stop when Victor and the Creature’s story ends. After Frankenstein is a series of six original stories about a teen boy named Oshikiri whose parents work overseas, leaving him alone in a house that seems to be a magnet for twisted paranormal activity. Other terrifying tales include The Hell of the Doll Funeral and Face Firmly in Place. And just to leave on a lighter note, the collection ends with the adventures of Ito’s sassy Maltese, Non-Non!

While Ito’s style isn’t appropriate for every reader, those who crave wildly creative horror will definitely be sated by Ito’s Frankenstein. It can be a fantastic gateway for two genres: Gothic lit and manga. A teen who loves Death Note or My Hero Academia could be pulled in by the art and find that they’re now interested in more Gothic classics, while a fan of Edgar Allan Poe or the Brontë sisters could come for the story and decide they want to explore more of what manga has to offer. The best news is that Ito’s bibliography boasts dozens of great titles, including Uzumaki and Tomie, more short story collections, and even a few comedies like Cat Diary: Yon & Mu! He’s definitely a name you want on your shelves if you’re looking to expand your library’s manga selection.

Ito, Junji. Frankenstein: Junji Ito Story Collection. VIZ Media LLC, 2018. ISBN 9781974703760. Hardcover, $17.50.

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus. 1818. Afterword by David Pinching, CRW Publishing Limited / Barnes & Noble Collector’s Library, 2004. ISBN 9780760750803. Hardcover, resale at $10.20.