Real rating: 3.8/10
Manga/GN rating: 4.8/10
This horror anthology gives the impression of being similar to a 1980s horror movie anthology.

Most of the stories within it are of average to low quality. They lack any real thought or depth, often relying solely on the idea of "hey, isn't this a cool premise?"

For instance, I only found the stories of "approval" and "dying young" to have somewhat decent premises. However, rather than dealing with these potentially interesting ideas, they are quickly brushed aside, almost as if they are nothing more than one-liners at a comedy open mic.

It's a shame because with a bit more effort and development, these stories could have been much more engaging and satisfying.

As it stands, the anthology feels like a missed opportunity to truly explore the horror genre and create something more substantial.

3.5 - The final installment of my Junji Ito binge for this year.

It has been an intense and thrilling journey through the strange and macabre world of Junji Ito's works.

Among all the stories I've read, "Headless Sculptures" truly stood out as the best.

The way Ito crafted the atmosphere and the sense of dread was simply masterful.

The concept of headless sculptures coming to life and causing chaos was both terrifying and fascinating.

The detailed illustrations added another layer of creepiness to the story.

I found myself completely immersed in the narrative, unable to look away.

Junji Ito's ability to create such unique and disturbing tales is truly remarkable.

Although this is the end of my binge for now, I'm already looking forward to the next time I can explore more of his works.

Overall, "Headless Sculptures" was a fitting conclusion to my Junji Ito adventure for the year.

I couldn't really say whether I liked it or not. As was to be expected, it disgusted me a great deal... I suppose I'm not used to reading this kind of thing, but still the story caught me, just like all of Junji Ito's stories do. It's great!

The experience of reading this particular work was quite a complex one for me. On one hand, the content was so repulsive that it made my stomach turn. However, on the other hand, there was something about the story that had a strange allure. Junji Ito has this unique ability to draw readers in, even when the subject matter is far from pleasant. Maybe it's the way he weaves the narrative, or the vividness of his illustrations. Whatever it is, it works.

Despite my initial aversion, I found myself unable to put the book down. I wanted to know what would happen next, even though I knew it might make me feel queasy. In the end, I think I can say that I'm glad I read it. It was a challenging and thought-provoking experience that has left me with a new appreciation for Junji Ito's work.

A collection of stories that present a mix of both strong and weak elements. It makes one wonder if the so-called "beautifying disease" was actually inspired by the concept of consumption. In a time when frail beauty was highly fashionable, it was said that the victims of consumption would become increasingly prettier until their ultimate demise. This idea was such a common trope in numerous stories during that era. It seems almost paradoxical that a disease could be associated with enhanced beauty. However, in the context of those times, it perhaps reflects the strange and often distorted ideals of beauty that prevailed. The idea of the beautifying disease may have served as a cautionary tale or a way to explore the darker side of the pursuit of beauty. Whether it was a fictional construct or had some basis in reality, it continues to fascinate and intrigue us today.

Flesh Colored Horror was undoubtedly the crown jewel of this collection.

He truly saved the most outstanding piece for the very end.

The other stories in the collection were enjoyable and entertaining, but they were all on an average level, each deserving a solid 3 stars.

However, the final story was an absolute masterpiece, worthy of a full 5 stars.

It had a shockingly nasty ending that left the reader with a sense of unease and horror.

This story perfectly showcased his classic body horror, which he does better than anyone else.

His ability to create such vivid and disturbing images in the reader's mind is truly remarkable.

Flesh Colored Horror is a must-read for fans of horror and those who appreciate masterful storytelling.

The short stories included in this collection are really amazing. Among them, "The Flesh-Colored Monster" is the most wonderful one.

It presents a terrifying and mysterious atmosphere that makes readers feel a shiver down their spines.

Secondly, "The Headless Sculpture" and "Ill-Fated" are also very good.

Their plots are full of twists and turns, and the details are extremely vivid, which can deeply touch the hearts of readers.

In general, Ito Junji's horror short stories are really excellent.

He has a unique talent for creating horror and mystery, and his works can always bring readers a strong visual and psychological impact.

If you like horror stories, then you must not miss Ito Junji's works.

My favorite stories within this collection were "Headless Sculptures" and the eponymous tale "Flesh-Colored Horror". The rest of the stories in this compilation were merely average.

The first story I mentioned, "Headless Sculptures", features headless sculptures that come to life, brutally murdering young individuals and using their decapitated heads to speak. This was, to say the least, extremely unsettling.

The titular story, "Flesh-Colored Horror", centers around a deeply disturbed child who has been horribly disfigured due to abuse. His deranged mother discovers beauty in skinless bodies. She subjects herself and her child to acidic beauty treatments in an attempt to find a way to remove their skin like a suit, believing it will make them more beautiful. Needless to say, reading about the child abuse and the gradual removal of peeling flesh as a result of these severe treatments was highly uncomfortable.

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We leave the alluring Tomie behind and are presented with a collection of short, disconcerting tales.

Long Hair in the Attic - one of Ito's favored themes, beauty, and a mainstay of J-horror, the long black hair. It evokes a sense of mystery and unease as we wonder what lies hidden within the attic.

Permission - a solemn and tragic little ghost story. It tugs at our heartstrings as we follow the plight of the characters, haunted by a past they cannot escape.

The Bee Hive - honeycomb obsessions! This story delves into the strange and perhaps even obsessive world of beekeeping, with a touch of horror added for good measure.

Dying Young - the pursuit of beauty rears its ugly head once more. It explores the lengths people will go to in order to achieve and maintain beauty, with some rather disturbing consequences.

Headless Statues - art is creation, but what if you make your creations incomplete? This thought-provoking story makes us question the nature of art and the implications of leaving something unfinished.

Flesh Coloured Horror - the titular story is a wild blend of mad science, beauty products, and Cronenbergian body horror. It takes us on a twisted journey into a world where science and horror collide, leaving us with a sense of shock and awe.

These short tales offer a diverse range of horror experiences, each one unique and captivating in its own way.

Junji Ito is a Japanese mangaka who started publishing short mangas in the early 90s, initially just as a hobby. However, after winning the prestigious Umezu Award for the best published horror manga, he decided to dedicate himself full-time to his career as a mangaka. Many of his works involve the portrayal of bloody and grotesque terror, yet they are very well presented. And although some of his stories may seem simple at first, they always have a great development and a very interesting ending.

According to Ito himself, he has been influenced by mangakas such as Hino Hideshi, Shinsaku Koga, Tsuitusi Yasutaka, and Umezu Kazuo, as well as the writer Hp Lovecraft. This has led Ito to create his own macabre universe where the artistic and literary references to the aforementioned authors can clearly be observed, but with his own style, which has made him a cult author in the world of Japanese manga.

"Flesh-colored horror" is part of a collection of horror comics (The Junji Ito horror collection, 1997-1999) which consists of 16 volumes, with this being the third one (Niku-iro no kai/1997). It is composed of six short stories, starting with "Long Hair in the Attic" and ending with "Flesh-colored horror". In general, it is an entertaining volume that has left me eager to read the entire collection. It has a good pace and the characteristic drawing of Ito that one always expects and that never fails to impress. Below, I leave a small synopsis of each story.

1. "Long hair in the attic": This story roughly deals with a girl named Chiemi whose boyfriend has just broken up with her and the subsequent events in her house due to her having such long hair.

2. "Approval": The next story is about a couple of lovers (Kyosuke and Misuzu) who are asking Misuzu's father for consent to marry and what happens in the face of the man's constant refusals to the couple's request.

3. "Beehive": It is about a boy named Takano who is a beehive enthusiast and collects them for his collection. And because of an unexpected encounter with a very strange child, his routine beehive hunts begin to change.

4. "Dying young": It narrates the events of some junior high school girls who, for some reason, start to become beautiful and attractive and then die suddenly.

5. "Headless sculptures": It is about two junior high school students who one afternoon, after class, decide to stop by the art club and help their teacher, but the next day the teacher is found dead and it is the girl's duty to discover the mystery behind this event.

6. "Flesh-colored horror": This tells the school life of an elementary school teacher and the strange relationship with a very strange student in her class named Chikara.

Some truly wonderful moments can be found in here.

These moments are like precious gems that sparkle and shine, adding a touch of magic to our lives.

They might be the smiles and laughter shared with friends and family, the sense of achievement after completing a difficult task, or the simple pleasure of enjoying a beautiful sunset.

Each moment is unique and special, and together they form a tapestry of memories that we can look back on and cherish.

We should strive to notice and appreciate these good moments as they occur, for they are the building blocks of a happy and fulfilling life.

Let us embrace these moments with open hearts and minds, and allow them to fill us with joy and gratitude.

For in the end, it is these good moments that will make our lives truly worth living.