Thank you NetGalley & VIZ Media for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been reading and collecting almost all of Junji Ito’s works since the pandemic began. They served as a form of escapism (and I’ve said this in another Ito review), being that “at least I’ll never have to be like one of these characters”!

Seeing the creative horrors and misfortunes in another newly translated novel was quite a treat, and this one held some memorable stories at that. I highly enjoy his short story collections and for new fans they can be a great introduction into a range of Junji Ito’s imagination. I have no idea how he comes up with this stuff, but I’ll keep giving him my money.

Tombs: Junji Ito Story Collection by Junji Ito

Three-time Eisner Awardee visual storyteller Junji Ito has wrought a visually-arresting set of macabre manga in Tombs: Junji Ito Story Collection. Originally published in Japanese in 2013, the English translation will be released on March 28, 2023. Though manga is normally not a genre I read, this collection captivated me with its dramatic set of creepy stories, reminiscent of Edgar Allan Poe’s grotesque, gothic work. The digital ARC I received has the manga reading in traditional Japanese fashion, so a Western eye accustomed to reading graphic novels from left to right, top to bottom, will have to reorient their reading for this format. Ito masterfully paces his stories, and this collection could be easily devoured in a single sitting. I appreciated the originality, creativity, and Japanese cultural sensibilities reflected in the various stories, as well as Ito’s exploration of morality and ethics. The book opens with the titular tale, “Tombs,” in which Kaoru, the protagonist, and her brother, visit her friend, Izumi, who moved away the year previously. Izumi lives in a town peppered with gravestones. As corpses begin morphing into tombstones immediately, townspeople do not move the bodies of the dead, as doing so will disrupt the process, trapping the deceased between the world of the living and the dead, so that the spirit will never be at peace. Another memorable tale, “Floaters,” provided an intriguing exploration of the chaos that ensues when people’s thoughts begin escaping their brains, becoming free-flying animated black creatures that voice aloud even the darkest, most repressed secrets and desires, and how the various characters exploit the power of those floaters for their own selfish purposes. Recommended reading!

I've read nearly all of Junji Ito's work and I don't think he ever misses. This might be one of my favorite anthologies I've read from him. Truly a masterpiece! Thank you for an ARC of this brilliant work.

I have long been a fan of Junji Ito's work and this collection is no exception. The art and stories in this book are absolutely chilling, and cover a wide range of themes. I will recommend this book to anyone who has the stomach for it.

This book was just as creepy as all of Junji Itos stories. This one unfortunately was not my favorite; that belongs to Black Paradox still. This one was really creepy and interesting though! All of them had something to do with death and dying. My favorites were the Tunnel and the Bloody Story. Definitely recommending this to all the Junji Ito fans. Horror king has done it again

The art was wonderfully creepy! I enjoy the author’s style a lot. Every story had an interesting premise, and I would get drawn into the story. However, most of the stories had disappointing endings. They felt abrupt and unsatisfying, or left too many questions unanswered. It felt like several of the stories didn’t have a deeper meaning to them, they were just creepy to be creepy. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but you have to really go all out if that’s the case. I think this collection could have benefited by scrapping a story or two and fleshing out the rest more completely. The best story was The Strange Tale of The Tunnel, as it felt the most complete. The best art was for Slug Girl, although the story wasn’t very memorable. I would be willing to read more from this author because I really really wanted to enjoy the stories since the art was so good, but unfortunately overall I was disappointed.

Delightfully creepy, beautifully drawn. This was my first visit to horror manga and it's a wonderful way to start!

"Tombs" is an anthology of horrifying stories that feel straight out of modern legend. Junji Ito's illustrations add to the creepiness factor and some pages may startle you! Each story is unique, with plot choices and twists that I (an experienced horror fan) didn't see coming.

Junji Ito always has great collections and this is no different. He has a knack at making the most mundane things and concepts into terrifying reads.

Another great collection by Ito. He rarely disappoints and this collection is no different. The short stories collected in here are well told and give the classic horror that Ito fans know.

Junji ito did it again! This collection was fun to read. I admit that I’m still making my way through his work so most of these stories were new to me which made it enjoyable. I love that his stories range from terrifying to unsettling to sometimes silly, this collection didn’t disappoint.

I reviewed this title for Booklist. Please see Booklist for the complete review and full feedback regarding this title.

A decent collection of tales. Tombs by Junji Ito has a little something for everyone with dark tales, but also some lighter somewhat ridiculous fair (such as Slug Girl).

I don't think I could ever be disappointed by Junji Ito. Each story in this collection was so incredibly unique. In so few pages, Ito manages to suck you into the story and connect with characters you barely know. In a horror world of humdrum monsters and half-baked plotlines, Ito stands above it all.

Of course I could neve do a worthy praise of the illustrations. He has the ability to perfectly convey fear, anxiety, anger, confusion, so many emotions with a single frame! The way he is able to illustrate movement and texture, the gore has a fluidity to it that unnerves me in the best way.

Another splendid collection from acclaimed author Junji ito. A pleasant mix of some of his classic stories along with lesser know stories receiving their first official translation.

I enjoyed this horror manga very much! Having grown up reading stories like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, In a Dark Dark Room & other Scary Stories, Goosebumps, Fear Street, and The Midnight Club. I enjoyed this collection very much! Most of this manga is a bunch of different short stories, all of which are entertaining and unique. No stories is similar to the others and all have interesting ends that fit very well. Overall I could not stop reading this manga! This is definitely for more mature readers or even young adults readers.

I really enjoy when Junji Ito does a short story collection, he has a way of having a perfect balance of introducing you to that particular world and also diving right into the horror and suspense. A few of the stories depicted in the manga have been transformed for TV in his Netflix show, but I enjoy that their stories are expanded on in Tombs.

I loved this collection! It’s classic Ito, with stories about murder, ghosts, slugs, monsters, etc. My favorite story would probably be Bronzed Statue, but really all of them were great, quick reads. I will be purchasing my own copy of this when it releases and will continue to keep an eye out for anything Ito comes out with.

One of the stronger collections of junji ito’s work and an excellent entry point to his brand of horror.

Tombs is another great example of a Junji Ito anthology. These stories are a fantastic look into Junji Ito's creative story-telling ability and unique art style, especially for reader's just discovering Ito's works. Another home run anthology from the master of horror mangaka.