Junji Ito's 13 Works Become Omnibus Series: 'Strange - Junji Ito's Sleepless Nights'
Exciting news for fans of Junji Ito, one of the undisputed legends of the horror genre: The first promotional image, teaser video, and new stage photos have been released for the omnibus drama series "Strange - Junji Ito's Sleepless Nights" (Japanese: "Strange - Junji Ito no Yoru mo Nemurenai Kimyou na Hanashi"), which brings together 13 of the master's most beloved stories. This production will bring Ito's dark and disturbing imagination to the screen in live-action format.
According to Natalie's report, the visual features a sideways-facing girl with multiple eyes on her face, immediately conveying the series' eerie atmosphere. A total of 13 short stories will be adapted in the series, including "The Lovesickness of the Dead" (The Lovesickness of the Dead). Junji Ito's special story was first published in 2002 and is a terrifying tale of a disease that affects people in strange ways. The production is expected to be directed by Kazuma Kawamori and Ryohei Ito, who have previously worked on adaptations such as "Tokyo Ghoul" and "Kakegurui". (The full cast and number of episodes have not yet been announced.)
Since the 1980s, Junji Ito has built a worldwide horror fan base with iconic series such as "Tomie", "Uzumaki", and "Gyo". Interest increased even further after the anime adaptation of "Uzumaki" by Adult Swim aired in 2024. This new live-action series aims to offer fans a different experience by focusing on Ito's lesser-known stories. The omnibus structure will allow each episode to tell a different horror story, reminiscent of anthology series like "The Twilight Zone" or "Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities". This format is a perfect fit for bringing together Ito's stories from different genres (body horror, psychological horror, supernatural) under one roof.
Although the release date and platform for the series have not yet been confirmed, the release of the teaser video and images indicates that production is in its final stages. Junji Ito's works have previously been adapted into anime series such as "Junji Ito Collection" (2018) and "Junji Ito Maniac" (2023), but the live-action version has the potential to present his universe in a more realistic tone. Horror and manga fans in Turkey can hopefully look forward to this production arriving on local platforms. Stay tuned to follow the developments.
