Deserter, an anthology from Junji Ito, is a collection of some of his earliest works. As a horror fan, I’ve read many offerings from Ito; Deserter stands out as showing some of the first iterations of ideas Ito draws on continuously in his career. Unfortunately, it also showcases most of the weakest.
That’s not to say this is a bad collection, but Ito has such wonderfully scary other pieces that many in this volume fell flat for me. Ito is to manga what Stephen King is to novels, and both have their fair share of duds.
There are a few stand-outs in the collection like “Where the Sandman Lives”’ a story about a man’s inner shadow self literally turning him inside out. This one had a slow burn before the descent into madness vibe, a trademark of Ito’s horror. The title story “Deserter” and “The Long Hair in the Attic” had unexplainable manifestations of evil that made me want just a few more answers.
But then there’s ones like “The Reanimator’s Sword” which seems interesting at first, but then it devolves into an immortal chosen one style of story. Or “Scripted Love” about a jilted lover who murders her ex after she receives a tape of pre-recorded messages from him. It’s not that these stories are bad, they are just missing out on some of the cosmic or grotesque horror I tend to read Ito for.
Ito’s artwork is always bouncing from the ethereal beauty of ghosts and nature to the disgusting body horror and gore of an R-rated film. The art in Deserter is no exception, with “Sandman” winning my vote for the awfully bloody ending Ito gives the two main characters. “Village of the Siren” highlights Ito’s forest and mountain motif which he uses frequently to isolate the characters from the rest of the world.
As both author and artist, Ito has a wealth of material for libraries to pick from. Just here on the site, I’d recommend Lovesickness or Shiver over this title. That being said, if you already have a wealth of Ito fans in your library this should be an instant buy. As it is an anthology, you can purchase or leave this one without it affecting your other titles. The publisher recommends this for older teens and adults who love a good scare. However, this one is mostly for the completionists.
Deserter: Junji Ito Story Collection
By Junji Ito
VIZ Signature, 2021
ISBN: 9781974719860
Publisher Age Rating: 16+
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18)
