Thank you NetGalley and Viz Media for the ARC! Stitches combines short horror stories by Hirokatsu Kihara with disturbing artwork by Junji Ito. The stories are reminiscent of those told within friend groups mostly during the middle school/junior high years. They are fun, slightly creepy, but not so horrific that they'll keep you up at night. The biggest seller for this collection is the artwork by Junji Io and it does not miss, but for fans of his manga, they may be left underwhelmed.

The stories were really interesting but I was kind of surprised to find that they were in actual book format and not graphic novel. I was expecting more artwork by Junji Ito. I was a little disappointed that there was only a page of artwork following every chapter, although it did help bring the story to life for me. I always appreciate the artwork Junji Ito creates.

Stitches is truly a bit of an odd read. The closest comparison point might be the classic scary stories to tell in the dark collections. The tales contained within are generally too sleight to have much impact, combined with the sort of emotionless tone that is often typical of Japanese folk horror the stories end up a bit wanting. The one exception is the one manga story at the end, where Ito’s art does shine, but it’s not enough to be able to really recommend this one.

I love Kihara and Ito but I found this collection a little boring. I was looking for something a little scarier with more illustrations. I now know that this is a collection of previously released stories so I guess I get it, but still.

Not what I was expecting. I assume Junji involvement meant it was a manga. However it's just a few of his illustrations accompany a story by Hirokatsu Kihara. The stories are hit or miss but nothing terrible.

First of all, thanks to Viz Media for sending this e-galley, I appreciate the trust you put into my work.

Now, let's get into the topic. Stitches is an anthology of short stories from Japan, all of them illustrated by the master of horror in manga: Junji Ito.

The stories were very different from each other, which I'm grateful for, and they share the same essence: Characters with just a letter for a name and very disconcerting and scary situations that would never want to experience in my life. Even though they were entertaining, I think they could have been longer. Yes, each story had a great foundation and plot, but everything happened so quickly that you could barely start to feel scared about what's going on. I would love to revisit these stories, but in a longer format. I think it would a whole other experience.

Now, the illustrations by Junji Ito are responsible for scaring me to death and make this experience unbelievable. The short lenght of the stories was overshadowed by the amazing illustrations that accompanied the book. From ghosts to puppets and dark rooms filled with secrets, all these drawings gave me goosebumps.

Stitches is an entertaining book to read on a busy week or a chill and dark weekend. I'm sure that horror fans would enjoy the stories and would love the illustrations.

I'm being generous with my rating because I'm assuming some of the punchiness of the prose was lost in translation, but these stories are...dull. I requested this because the marketing team emphasized Junji Ito's involvement, so I thought it would be similar to Mimi's Tales of Terror (in which Junji Ito both adapted the text and created the illustrations). Here, there are illustrations interspersed throughout (plus a fun mini-manga at the end), but it's primarily blocks of Hirokatsu Kihara's text.

It's a disappointing effort, but I enjoyed the art.

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

If you like short story collections similar to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, then this will be a good book for you. If I'm not mistaken, all of these stories are based on real events that happened, making them even more interesting (you'll find that main characters' names are abbreviated to just the first letter). They're also bite-sized, perfect for campfire telling and sleepovers. There is also a bonus mini manga in the very back that is the perfect essence of subtle Junji Ito horror.

As always, Ito's art adds a heart-racing flair to each story, though I wasn't too impressed with the layout for a few stories and many illustrations are reused throughout the pages of their stories (cropped or mirrored or otherwise minimally altered), which made me feel like it was sadly lacking in the illustration department. I was, however, most pleased when the cover illustration shows up in a two-page spread and its story has multiple unique illustrations--so that won't be disappointing, I can promise!

The stories themselves are mostly ghost stories and none are so terribly frightening that even a child wouldn't enjoy the thrill of reading them. Some are sad and there's at least one I can immediately recall that has a relatively happy ending. Everything was translated nicely. It's just a good set of stories that can be read in any order.

This collection of illustrated stories is a great option for young readers interested in scary stories or just being introduced to scary stories. The illustrator, Junji Ito, is what drew me into reading this book of illustrated horror stories, but I can see how they might appeal to young readers. The length of each story seems right for a young reader, giving just enough information to draw them in and give them a spooky thrill.

Kihara tells some imaginative ghost tales for youngsters that will entertain. The description says it is for adults, and while I will agree that the Summer Graduation Trip, by Junji Ito, leans towards adult, the rest of Stitches seems to be for children. And, maybe I’m wrong about the intended audience for the book overall, but for me it read more like a children’s book of ghost stories. If it was, indeed, for adults, I don’t think it quite hit the mark. The stories did not have much depth to them.

I received an ARC from NetGalley to review and the ARC included a watermark in the center of each page, making some pages difficult to read. This was a minor inconvenience.

A collaboration between Hirokatsu Kihara and Junji Ito. I was really looking forward to the collection of short stories since Japanese horror and ghost stories tend to be very scary. However, I found the stories lacked a scary factor. The illustrations were great! My favorite short story was Folk Dance.

Thank you NetGalley, Viz Media and Viz Media LLC

A collection of short horror stories that lack an oomf factor. I was intrigued because Junji Ito was illustrating for it but unfortunately that didn't make up for the lack of substance in the stories. As a horror buff I was disappointed. I did like the open ended extra manga short that Ito wrote at the end.

Classic Ito. Unfortunately, this means it was way too scary for me so I did not make it through the whole novel. The art, though terrifying, was beautiful.

Interesting and creepy short stories, I wanted more insight and details on most of them, like the local history behind the stories or the legends they were generated from.

The perfect compilation of disturbing stories that stay with you, from master of horror Manga Junji Ito and alike. Each story was creepier than the other. If your a fan of Horror Manga and Junji Ito, this will not disappoint!

"Stitches," a collaboration between Hirokatsu Kihara and Junji Ito, brings together a series of ghost stories complemented by illustrations. The collection includes nine tales that explore various themes of horror, alongside a bonus manga story. Ito's illustrations are a key feature, adding visual depth to Kihara's narratives.

The artwork is notable, with Ito's ability to convey horror visually standing out. The inclusion of a manga story at the end provides an added dimension to the collection, showcasing Ito's storytelling skills.

However, the collection has limitations. The stories, while initially engaging, often conclude abruptly, leaving a feeling of incompleteness. This brevity can make the tales less impactful and memorable. The collection's similarity to other horror anthologies aimed at a younger audience suggests it might not fully meet the expectations of those familiar with Ito or Kihara's more in-depth work.

In summary, "Stitches" is an interesting yet uneven collection. Its illustrations are a highlight, but the storytelling sometimes lacks depth. It may appeal to younger readers or those new to the genre, but seasoned horror fans might find it lacking in complexity.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! 3.5 of 5 stars.

I enjoy horror, short stories, and graphic novels so this was right up my alley. I also am fascinated by other cultures and this had really interesting insights, albeit not a lot of explanations.

It was very much a “Scary Stories to tell in the Dark”. I can appreciate the build up and suspense and then the resolutions not really resolving the stories. Or there being resolution but not what you hope or expect.

Vague, I know but I want this to be spoiler free.

I really appreciate horror as a genre and the variety of stories that can be told. I like that these tales had the gloom and darkness aspect but not a “popular” or “mainstream” feel. No “jump scares” so to speak. If you’re expecting something to be entertaining in that way, this isn’t that. To me the stories encapsulate the grim realities of life and take it a step further to give nightmares and fears a reality. They just sit there staring, existing and waiting for you to succumb.

The illustrations were very good. The perfect accompaniment to the tales.

My favorite part is that these are true unsolved mysteries, true stories of the strange and unknown in our world…

The bonus manga at the end was excellent!

The stories were extremely average. Some of them had interesting beginnings, but they always landed badly. Junji Ito's illustrations were good, as always, but not truly stunning like they sometimes are. Just an okay book.

What can I say? I love anything with ties to Junji Ito! This was yet another creeptastic read. I loved the illustrations and story as well.

I love all things Junji Ito, and overall this book was fairly good. I loved the illustrations he did in this book. I realize he was not the author of the stories, but it seems more like a collection of children's scary stories than the normal adult horror of Junji Ito. The stories were intriguing but I wish they were longer and had more details and context. If the stories were more fleshed out, I think it could be great.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

This is a book of short stories with accompanying illustrations by Junji Ito. I wanted to like this collection but honestly it fell pretty flat. The stories were very short (to the point of feeling underdeveloped at times) and not at all scary. These stories felt like campfire stories more than anything. I think in that environment they would be decent but compiled in a book they were very unsatisfying. Even the artwork lacked anything actually scary. I love Ito's talent for drawing the horrific and uncanny but none of the illustrations took advantage, it was mostly just drawings of regular people with occasional ghosts (boring ghosts, at that). I did like the bonus manga, at least.