There’s no doubt in my mind that last year was one of the biggest years for Junji Ito fans internationally for a number of very obvious reasons. While opinions were mixed, we finally got to sink our teeth into a real Junji Ito anime series, and the master of horror saw a number of manga-related releases to coincide with it too. But for someone who deserved to be in the spotlight so long before 2018, why let their ride in the spotlight die there? Thankfully VIZ Media is here to take care of that, announcing that they’ll be bringing Junji Ito’s “No Longer Human” manga to the West in all its terrifying glory.
Announcement: The debut of Junji Ito's NO LONGER HUMAN, an adaptation of Osamu Dazai's masterwork of Japanese literature, comes fall 2019. pic.twitter.com/GQW3No1I2c
— VIZ (@VIZMedia) February 11, 2019
Based on the 1948 novel of the same name by author Osamu Dazai, Junji Ito’s manga take on No Longer Human has been two years in the works, originally beginning publication via Big Comic Original back in 2017. It was announced via VIZ Media’s official Twitter accounts that the series would begin releasing Fall 2019, though no further details were shared. Amazon lists the book on their website, complete with the following synopsis:
Nothing can surpass the terror of the human psyche.
Mine has been a life of much shame.
I can’t even guess myself what it must be to live the life of a human being.
Plagued by a maddening anxiety, the terrible disconnect between his own concept of happiness and the joy of the rest of the world, Yozo Oba plays the clown in his dissolute life, holding up a mask for those around him as he spirals ever downward, locked arm-in-arm with death.
Osamu Dazai’s immortal?and supposedly autobiographical?work of Japanese literature, is perfectly adapted here into a manga by Junji Ito. The imagery wrenches open the text of the novel one line at a time to sublimate Yozo’s mental landscape into something even more delicate and grotesque. This is the ultimate in art by Ito, proof that nothing can surpass the terror of the human psyche.
While there’s definitely still plenty of information to be revealed surrounding the release, we’re sure VIZ Media isn’t planning on keeping us waiting too long. Until then, we’ll be sure to keep you updated with all the latest information.