To date, it has not been released officially in English, but has been scanlated in its entirety. The collected edition was first published in 1998. It was originally published in Japan in three parts from 1994 to 1998. It is an adaptation of the Mary Shelley novel Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus. While very quick reads, these Non-Non shorts are welcome palate cleansers, particularly if you have spent extended amounts of uninterrupted time with the book’s other stories.Frankenstein is the sixteenth volume in the Horror World of Junji Ito series. Fortunately, the whole package ends with two lighthearted short stories featuring “Boss Non-Non,” Ito’s once-upon-a-time, real-world pet dog.

This is a particularly gut-wrenching tale if you are a parent of young kids, as I am. The barriers between these dimensions break down from time to time, allowing all manner of reflections to cross over, and the results are freakishly awesome.Īnother standout story is The Hell of the Doll Funeral, which shows how a mother and father are forced to react as their daughter is slowly taken away from them. Among these are The Strange Tale of Oshikiri, six stories which follows a high school student living by himself in a large house that seems to be connected to multiple, horrific worlds. However, as mentioned above, there is quite a bit of additional content in the remaining pages of the book…Īside from Frankenstein, there are ten short stories that follow, and while they may not be the “headliner,” they really steal the show.

Like the novel, the manga moves along very briskly, resulting in an exciting and engaging page-turner that I very much enjoyed. Those teeth… are you sure you aren’t British?ĭespite the changes, the Frankenstein story remains as gripping and haunting as ever. The result may disappoint purists, and it also may not be different enough for those hoping for a wholly unique take, but one thing is for sure: if you read the manga version instead of the novel before taking a high school quiz, you’ll probably fail it. If I were to roughly estimate, I’d guess about 75% of the major story beats Shelley’s original have survived intact, with the rest of the pieces being stitched together by Ito. Ito opted to adapt the novel fairly faithfully, but he’s also made a few changes along the way. The chain of events sets both creator and creation on a collision course that ends in tragedy for both, and leaves the reader questioning nature, science, and what it is that truly makes a monster. Unfortunately, his reanimated creation proves to be violent, unpredictable and vindictive, and he wreaks deadly havoc across Europe, all the while tormenting his creator with threats and demands. The good doctor will leave you in stitches!įor those who may not be familiar with Frankenstein, the story follows a young scientist named Victor Frankenstein wh successfully uses science to bridge the gap between life and death.

Frankenstein manga junji ito