A man begins an affair with a young woman, who's only attraction to him is the plethora of ghosts that hang around him for her to feast on. 'I Don't Want to Be a Ghost' - 2/5 The least memorable of the lot. A kind of allegory for divide and hatred, but one that has a few too many plot holes. 'In Mirror Valley' - 2/5 Two rival villages, having split off because of their intense hatred for each other, place mirrors around the town to reflect their evil gazes. 'Soichi's Beloved Pet' - 3/5 An entertaining story about Soichi's corrupting influence on a very sweet cat. I thought it would be a straight retelling of the previous story but from the villain's point of view, but it was more of a prequel/sequel. 'The Mystery of the Haunted House: Soichi's Version' - 2/5 I liked this one even less. 'The Mystery of the Haunted House' - 2/5 Another interesting idea (a man curses his family and uses them to run a traveling haunted house because he's fleeing his son's monster mother), but too much was going on and it didn't draw me in. What happened to her brother? Why does the ghosts stop appearing so suddenly? I wish there had been a little bit more internal reflection. It takes a well-deserved, gruesome turn (but who wouldn't want to kill the man who killed your family?), and then ends flatly. 'Death Row Doorbell' - 3/5 The remaining family members of a gang killing are haunted by the ringleader, begging for their forgiveness. I thought, at first, that they had something to do with the crime committed, but then couldn't find a pattern. Wonderful and creative idea, but I wish the poses had been explained a little more. It's gradually revealed that they're drawn to spots of guilt and shame.

'Earthbound' - 5/5 On day in Japan, people start to become cemented to a particular spot in strange poses. 'Roar' - 3/5 Two hikers find a ghost flood, where the disastrous dam burst is recreated every day, and the man who is obsessed with it. Great twist that they're tickling everyone, and wonderful ending: they achieve world domination. 'Ghosts of Prime Time' - 4/5 I actually really liked this one! A very strange comedy duo uses their spirits to ensure that they always kill.

'Bloodsucking Darkness' - 3/5 A young woman develops an eating disorder after a breakup, and a student from her school decides to use his pet vampire bats to feed her while she sleeps. 'Ghosts of Prime Time,' 'Death Row Doorbell,' and 'Earthbound' are also inventive and wonderful. Sometimes bad things just keep happening, and the villains win.Īnd Ito is ridiculously creative and original I had no idea what 'Smashed,' the title story, would be, but it was unexpected and great. What I love about Ito's stories is that there isn't always a happy ending.

Smashed by Junji Ito