Remina (Junji Ito)

Spoiler-free review: Remina is a true cosmic horror in terms of tone and scale. It achieves a sense of impending dread while holding up a mirror to humanity and showing just how cruel we can be as a species when pushed to the brink. In this respect, Remina features two kinds of 'monsters' equally terrifying in their motivations and actions. The pacing of the narrative is perfect and escalates in a logarithmic fashion that keeps you hooked and unable to put the book down. Readers should be warned that they may experience existential dread and a few sleepless nights. It is difficult to find many faults with Remina but if I am pressed to find any, it would be in the way that some science fiction elements are presented. The story, out of necessity, takes place in the future and requires the use of particular tropes that Ito does not have much experience in portraying. The manner in which particular pieces of technology are illustrated or explained, indicates that Ito could have done a bit more research before starting this book. This is just a minor gripe and it does not detract from the overall narrative. Ito's style of art is well-suited to the subjects portrayed in Remina. He has perfectly captured horrific imagery at both the micro and macro scale in this book. There are numerous splash pages with illustrations that are utterly haunting but impossible to look away from. Determining where this book ranks among his previous works is difficult. Gyo will always be his best but I find Remina to compete very closely with Uzumaki for second place. An absolute recommendation for this book if you are an Ito fan. Because of its grand scale, I would say that this should be the 4th or 5th book you loan to a friend to get them into the works of Junji Ito.

I love the art of Junji Ito. I love his story-telling ability. The tale he undertakes here is compelling. It is also exhausting to me. I decided to let it wash over me without expectation or prejudice. I simply wanted to experience it; and, once I had, I felt drained. Maybe it's a little too accurate. The story is the improbable tale of a planet-eating planet named Remina named after the daughter of its discoverer, Dr. Ogura. The revelation to the public is met with awe and the doctor and his daughter, especially his daughter, are raised to the level of celebrity. Demure, Remina really doesn't want the limelight or all the perks that come with it. In short order, men are fighting over her. She definitely doesn't want that. She is quickly reduced from celebrity to a source of angst, a condition that only worsens when it is realized that the planet, Remina, is loose and eating other planets in our solar system. Mob mentality is central to the story and it is handled with grave acuity. Just as her celebrity had been thrust upon her, Remina and her father are irrationally blamed for "calling" the planet into our solar system. When it's obvious that it's heading toward the Earth, society collapses into homicidal chaos. Far from being the fought over focus of competing men, Remina quickly finds herself on the run from the insane mob. Separated by her father and dependent upon one reliable friend, she watches as her world disappears around her; and, as the planet named after her closes in on Earth, it seems most likely that the end is near. I will not spoil the story, but I will affirm that nothing particularly uplifting occurs and Remina's future, and the future of humanity, is left very much in doubt. Maybe, just maybe, this can be viewed as a commentary about public opinion and how easily swayed it can be in our time, but it simply left me in the deepest imaginable of depressions. It's a worthy tale, a masterpiece I suppose, but it's one you must approach with caution.

So Junji Ito ... my wife is addicted to his writing and manga ... so when he was at SDCC ... I knew I was in trouble. So we went to his speaking engagement and the man is really brilliant (honestly I had no idea who he was prior to this) ... I felt bad for him because his hands are very badly gnarled because of years of drawing. But no one can take away the horror he inspires with everything he writes and draws. He creates horrors that give nightmares horrors ... the things he writes and draws is amazing and terrifying and beautiful at the same time. The stories are all enthralling and tell tales that will give you nightmares but you will soon realize that even your nightmares pale in comparison to the nightmares he is writing. It's truly awe inspiring to be honest. One day we will lose this horror genre master but for now, I recommend everyone buy his books and be both inspired and terrified.

I am a Junji Ito fan and in the process of collecting all of his works. That being said I already had high hopes for this. The artwork is fantastic as always and as for the story it progresses fast. This story doesn't focus much on character development but jumps right into the action as his stories generally tend to do. I enjoyed it but it is one of the more violent stories I've read of his and it continues to escalate throughout reading, focusing mainly on the way the humans are reacting to their impending doom more than the disturbing planet itself. Definitely a "humans are the real monsters" type of telling. I definitely recommend this for any Junji Ito or general horror fan.

Remina by Junji Ito is a nightmarish descent into cosmic dread, paranoia, and mob hysteria. The premise is deceptively simple: a new planet appears from another dimension, and as it hurtles toward Earth, humanity spirals into chaos—blaming the scientist’s daughter, Remina, for the impending doom. What follows is a brutal, surreal chase through a collapsing society, rendered in Ito’s signature grotesque style. This VIZ Media deluxe edition is beautifully produced. The hardcover is sturdy, the pages are crisp, and the print quality does justice to Ito’s intricate linework and disturbing imagery. The pacing is relentless, and while the story leans more into allegorical horror than psychological nuance, it’s a visceral experience that lingers. If you’re drawn to apocalyptic themes, body horror, and the terrifying irrationality of crowds, Remina delivers. It’s not subtle—but it’s unforgettable. A must-have for Ito collectors and fans of cosmic horror that feels both grand and claustrophobic.

Ik ben dol op Junji Ito manga maar deze valt me tegen.

What happens when your entire planet is about to be devoured? This manga is a page turner or sure, the art and perspective are amazing. I am subtracting one star though since it arrived with a slightly damaged cover and a worn spine, I thought it was supposed to be a new copy but seems to be a used one. Again, in proper storage caused the book to smell a bit musty on arrival.

Ito's first ever cosmic horror, story treatment and style is different this time as Ito is mostly into paranormal and body horror. This is a must read for Ito fans and Lovecraft fans and for the horror fans in general. Art is as usual beautiful and horrifying at the same time, usual Junji Ito there.

Tbh I don't think I will ever leave less than a 5 star review for Junji Ito, I have all his books and I can't get enough! My favourite manga author by far. His books are fantastically and fascinatingly 'scary', with just downright awesome stories. Not to mention, the art is phenomenal.