Junji Ito’s memoir and manual falls far short of its’ aspirations. Uncanny is for manga students and superfans, but even my teenager isn’t sure it succeeds.

Uncanny: The Origins of Fear is a menacing title for a pretty lightweight book. I’ve compared Junji Ito to Stephen King in the past, and this is Junji Ito’s On Writing. The difference is that King’s book was as essential to non-writers as to writers, and I’m not sure this is essential to anyone. My teenager (and Junji Ito obsessive) agrees.

As with On Writing, this is half memoir, half discussion of his craft. There are two big differences, though. First, King’s story of addiction and recovery is harrowing and inspiring, while Ito’s upbringing was fairly mundane and trauma-free. He writes about being a bit of a misfit in school, hiding his manga work while doing what he was expected to by those around him. He starts work in a dental clinic while honing his craft. He meets his (lifelong) editor and slowly, hard work, dedication and some good timing leads to success. It’s not gripping, but it’s fine. Ito references several other influential manga artists, and I imagine my teenager will start to bring some of these to me soon (I’ve already read and mostly enjoyed Umezz’s The Drifting Classroom).

The other difference is that King’s writing is compelling. Ito’s a visual storyteller, and his writing feels shallow and direct. Even where conflict or insight does occur, it’s described in plain language with no drama. In the second half, Ito begins to discuss the work and how he approaches it, things start to pick up. His ideas about his craft are well-developed and surely somewhat useful for aspiring manga artists, if somewhat unoriginal to an old head like me.

It’s not that Ito can’t write things that aren’t manga. His Cat Diary is one of my favourite works. He has a fun and self-deprecating side that could have made this book a warm and fun read, but those are in short supply in Uncanny. It feels rushed and half-hearted.

Uncanny is written for two specific audience: superfans and students. I’m neither (more of a forced completist), and to me it seemed like an attempt to get something in stores with Ito’s name on the cover for the holidays.

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