Lovesickness: Junji Ito Story Collection Review
by Junji Ito
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Quick Take
- Junji Ito explores the horror hidden inside love and obsession
- The title novella follows Ryusuke, a boy whose beautiful face drives people to madness
- Dark, romantic, and genuinely scary — one of Ito's most emotionally resonant works
Who Is This Manga For?
- Fans of horror with strong emotional and romantic undercurrents
- Junji Ito readers who want something slightly different from pure body horror
- Anyone curious how love and fear can become the same thing
- Horror fans who appreciate character-driven stories
Content Warnings & Age Rating
Age Rating: M (Mature) Content Warnings: body horror, disturbing imagery, themes of obsession
Please read the content warnings before diving in.
Yu's Rating
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Story Depth | ★★★★★ |
| Art Style | ★★★★☆ |
| Character Development | ★★★★★ |
| Accessibility for Non-Japanese Readers | ★★★☆☆ |
| Reread Value | ★★★★☆ |
Story Overview
The centerpiece novella follows Ryusuke, a strikingly handsome young man who returns to his hometown to discover that the local youth are obsessed with a crossroads where people confess their love — but something terrible happens to those who confess there. As Ryusuke investigates, he finds himself drawn into a web of obsessive love that has left a trail of broken people. The collection also includes several shorter stories exploring different facets of romantic horror.
Characters
Ryusuke is an unusual protagonist for Ito — calm, introspective, genuinely compassionate. His beauty makes him a target for the obsessive desires the crossroads inflames, but he retains his humanity throughout. The side characters who fall under the crossroads' influence are tragic — ordinary people twisted by feelings they cannot control.
Art Style
Ito's linework is as precise as ever, but Lovesickness feels slightly more restrained than his most extreme works. The horror here is often psychological and emotional rather than grotesque, and his art reflects that — faces drawn beautifully one moment, distorted by madness the next.
Cultural Context
The crossroads motif is deeply rooted in Japanese folklore — crossroads are liminal spaces where the supernatural and human worlds intersect. Ito uses this traditional belief system as the foundation for a modern story about how love can become something monstrous when it escapes the boundaries of reason.
What I Love About It
What moved me about Lovesickness was how it made me feel sorry for the people the horror destroys. In Ito's most extreme works, the victims sometimes feel like props. Here, you understand why they're vulnerable. The crossroads doesn't create obsession — it amplifies something already there. That is scarier. I have felt obsessive love before. Most people have. Ito shows what lives at the extreme end of that feeling.
What English-Speaking Fans Say
Lovesickness receives high praise from Ito fans who want something beyond pure shock value. The romantic horror subgenre is underexplored, and this collection shows Ito can do emotional complexity alongside grotesque imagery. Some readers find the shorter stories weaker than the novella, but most agree the title piece alone is worth the price.
Memorable Scene ⚠️ Spoiler Warning
Spoiler Warning: The revelation of what the crossroads ultimately does to those who confess there — and what Ryusuke discovers about his own connection to its horror — lands with quiet devastation. It is not Ito's most visually shocking moment, but it is one of his most emotionally painful.
Similar Manga
- Shiver: Junji Ito Story Collection — Another anthology with strong emotional undercurrents
- Smashed — More extreme horror, but shows Ito's range
- No Longer Human — Ito adapting Osamu Dazai — literary horror
Reading Order / Where to Start
Works as a standalone. Reading other Ito anthologies first helps you appreciate how different this one feels.
Official English Translation Status
Status: Complete Publisher: VIZ Media Volumes Available in English: 1 of 1
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Title novella is emotionally resonant and scary
- Unique romantic horror angle in Ito's catalog
- Characters feel human and sympathetic
- Excellent pacing for a novella
Cons:
- Shorter stories are uneven in quality
- Less body horror than other Ito works if that's what you want
- Ending may feel ambiguous for some readers
Format Comparison
| Format | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Paperback | Amazon | Standard VIZ edition |
Where to Buy
You can find Lovesickness: Junji Ito Story Collection on Amazon:
👉 Buy Lovesickness: Junji Ito Story Collection on Amazon
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Written by
Yu
Manga Enthusiast from Japan
I grew up in Japan and manga literally saved me during a tough time in elementary school. My English isn't perfect, but my love for manga is real — and I want to share it with you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.