Junji Ito is considered a master of horror. His works have been adapted into various forms of media, including games and films, with some titles seeing wide success. The games inspired by his stories often feature visuals and stories that are an homage to his works.
Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre began streaming on Netflix on January 19, 2023, allowing new and returning fans to enjoy his bone-chilling manga voiced and animated. With many game creators and developers adapting and drawing inspiration from Junji Ito’s works, there are interesting titles that players can explore if they’re looking for more.
8 World of Horror
World of Horror is a Junji Ito manga in video game form. Fans of the disturbing and macabre comics have to play this rogue-lite RPG with intricately horrific pixel art. It claims to be inspired by the works of Junji Ito and H.P. Lovecraft.
The apocalypse is looming, and the protagonists must solve puzzles and mysteries in the town of Shiokawa as they fight against the awakening of the Old Gods. The game is set to release in Q2 or Q3 of 2023.
7 Nextdoor
Inspired by Junji Ito’s Mimi’s Ghost Stories, YouTuber Markiplier played Nextdoor as a part of his Scary Games! Series on his channel. Creepy neighbors can make for a popular game trope, as seen in games like Hello Neighbor.
The theme that mirrors the horrors of Junji Ito is the creepy woman in black that the MC spies on. The skin-crawling imagery has elements of body horror and some possible arachnophobia, making for quite a scary antagonist. Nextdoor is a short game that packs a large Junji Ito punch.
6 Ghost In The Pool
Junji Ito’s manga are recognized for their eerie comic art style. Ghost in the Pool reflects Junji Ito’s manga and is styled as a visual novel with a Japanese comic style that is derived from the original horror comic series.
Yaru is a student that finds herself accepted to a prestigious school for gifted students. Because she got in for a swimming scholarship, Yaru struggles with the academic side of her schooling. She visits the school’s swimming pool after school hours in the hopes of bettering herself and initially ignores the gossip about a ghostly presence. However, rationality cannot begin to explain the occurrences that happen at the school’s pool.
5 The Doll Shop
Headless Statue was part of Episode 11 in the Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre Netflix series. The episode made the concept of dolls and puppets even more terrifying, and The Doll Shop delivers a similar creepy feeling.
The game is set in Japan, where a doll maker resides in a small village. The doll maker makes dolls and repairs dolls around the village but is quite alone and isolated. A woman arrives in the village that catches the doll maker's attention. The young woman’s fate becomes entangled with the doll maker, as doll parts are found around the village and the story of a missing little girl is explored.
4 Tomie GB
Based off of the Junji Ito manga, Tomie, this fan made game has released a Chapter 1 demo on itch.io. Tomie is dead, and her remains are scattered everywhere. The demo begins at Tomie’s funeral, where the MC finds information while walking around and discovers a mystery package. Later, the students are being warned about the dangers that befell Tomie, and then Tomie suddenly appears.
While everyone else would be in shock, Tomie simply apologizes for being late. The demo ends shortly after this, and the creator is working on releasing more content. Fan made games like this show the influence that Junji Ito has.
3 Death Stranding
Hideo Kijima, the creator of the hugely popular Metal Gear game series, has expressed his praise for Junji Ito and his latest manga, Sensor. Hideo Kijima has a foreword in the manga and has featured Junji Ito in the scary post-apocalyptic gameDeath Stranding.
Junji Ito was added as an NPC in Death Stranding named The Engineer, who helps players with creating the Power Skeleton. His cameo in the game is a fun addition for his fans, and fans of the work he would have done with Hideo Kajima on the game that didn't materialize, Silent Hills.
2 Scorn
Junji Ito’s manga masterfully use body horror to create some serious stomach-twisting tales. One of the most disturbing body horror games is Scorn, released in 2022. The first-person shooter game features grotesque manipulations of the human form inspired by the works of H.R. Giger, but it is a must-play for those who enjoy the body horror of Junji Ito’s manga.
After the short life of an initial protagonist, Scorn’s main protagonist is infested by a parasite that allows them to interact with the gory alien world around them. The infestation grows on the main protagonist and needs to be removed, and the game’s story revolves around the interaction and removal of this infestation.
1 Tokyo Dark
Detective Ito Ayami’s partner, Kazuki Tanaka has gone missing, and she sets out to find him. What should be a simple and straightforward case becomes an absolute horror for Ayami, with twists and turns that lead to 11 different endings. Below the streets of Japan, there are supernatural secrets that Ayami explores in order to find him.
Players must maintain a sanity meter and make hard choices that will heavily impact Ayami and Tanaka’s story. The multiple endings of the game explore themes of sanity, mental health, substance abuse, and the supernatural. There is a rerelease planned for consoles that is subtitled Remembrance