Souichi's Diary of Delights; 双一の楽しい日記; Souichi no Tanoshi i Nikki

Souichi #1

by Junji Ito, 伊藤潤二

Souichi's Diary of Delights is volume five in the Horror World of Junji Ito series. It was originally published in 1997.

The stories in this collection focus on Souichi Tsujii, a young boy who is obsessed with curses and the occult, much to the annoyance of his typical Japanese family. Souichi tends to not only make trouble for other people with his strange and mischievous behavior, but he also gets himself into hot water as well.

Collected stories:

Fun Summer Vacation
Fun Winter Vacation
Souichi's Diary of Delights
Souichi's Home Tutor
Mannequin Teachers
Souichi's Birthday

Genres: Manga, Horror, Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal

226 pages, Comic

First published February 1, 1998

About the author

Junji Itō (Japanese: 伊藤潤二, Ito Junji) is a Japanese cartoonist and illustrator, best known for his horror manga.
Ito was born in Gifu Prefecture, Japan in 1963. He was inspired to make art from a young age by his older sister's drawing and Kazuo Umezu's horror comics. Until the early 1990s he worked as a dental technician, while making comics as a side job. By the time he turned into a full time mangaka, Ito was already an acclaimed horror artists.
His comics are celebrated for their finely depicted body horrors, while also retaining some elements of psychological horror and erotism.
Although he mostly produces short stories, Ito is best known for his longer comic series: Tomie (1987-2000), about a beautiful high school girl who inspires her admirers to commit atrocities; Uzumaki (1998-1999), set in a town cursed with spiral patterns; Gyo (2001-2002), featuring a horde of metal-legged undead fishes. Tomie and Uzumaki in particular have been adapted multiple times in live-action and animation.

Reviews

[JL Shioshita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find Souichi to be one of Junji Ito's most interesting and disturbing characters, because when you strip away all of the supernatural/occult elements, the core of the story is very real. You have a well adjusted family with no overt dysfunction. They're only claim to fame is that they have a sociopathic adolescent son, and the underlying conflict is how they as a family choose to react to and discipline him. Souichi constantly acts out, displaying anti-social behavior and an apparent disregard for life. He's obsessed with the occult and the supernatural and flippantly casts curses and spells upon people he feels have wronged him. Throughout the book, you wonder if he truly is acting out for attention and all of this is merely a cry for help, or if there's no saving him, if he truly is evil. The family seems content to just ignore him, blind to how dangerous he truly is, and though each tale ends up with Souichi hoisted by his own petard, you wonder when he will truly cross the line.

[hannaღ · Rating 5 out of 5]

New favourite character: Souichi 🖤

[Suica · Rating 2 out of 5]

OMG I hate the boy character Souichi so badly. And he is also very disturbing. EW.

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

⛱️ Fun summer vacation :- 2.5 stars
❄️ Fun winter vacation :- 2.5 stars
📖 Souichi's diary of delights :- 3 stars
👩‍🏫 Souichi's home tutor :- 3.5 stars
🗽 Mannequin Teacher :- 4 stars
🎁 Souichi's birthday :- 3 stars

Overall :- 3 stars 🌟🌟🌟

[Aliaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the touch of humanity he added to the story's villain, I liked how I am still not sure if Souichi is a horrible kid or just someone troubled and lonely.

[Tutku · Rating 4 out of 5]

fuck you souichi

[jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

i kinda like souichi

[Vladimir Veškovac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Možda najslabije kad je Ito u pitanju, ali i dalje ludo.

[Jovana Radovanović · Rating 3 out of 5]

prve dve priče su mi baš legle, dok mi se ostale nisu toliko svidele

ipak, tu je i drugi deo da popravi utisak

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, it's becoming increasingly obvious that I'm reading the Ito collection completely out of order but I am not to be stopped. This is more of the same as Souichi's Diary Of Curses, what I said about that book also applies here.

I will add that I'm amazed at how much free reign Souichi's parents give him. They're incredibly fine with his interests and lifestyle, like, I wish my parents were like that. Kid is out there spitting nails and going into the woods at night to play with voodoo dolls and they literally don't care and treat him just as well as his siblings. Another hilarious detail is how at one point the teacher gets replaced by a very obvious doll and everyone just.... doesn't give a shit?

"Don't you think the teacher looks kinda like a doll?"
"That's silly! Anyway...."

I honestly rate these as comedies more so than horror stories because of how nonchalant everyone is in regard to the chaos going on.

[Azur · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did everybody in that story forget about emergency services? Don't they exist in this universe? And why has nobody taken Souichi to a psychiatrist/psychologist? Everybody agrees that he acts weird and is dangerous (hurting and almost killing several people), but nobody does anything about it. Instead they just invite him for a piece of birthday cake. They don't seem too afraid to do anything about him, or afraid at all, either. I hate it when there is no logical explanation for such passiveness.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the first volume in this collection that I’ve been pretty indifferent to. It started out creepy. However, the farther I got into the story the more it began to drag. Also, each chapter centered around this boy named Souichi, who I hated more than words could explain. It got to the point where I wasn’t even scared of him. I was just annoyed by his presence.

It’s sad because there was potential here. On their own, the premises were all super interesting and intriguing, but Souichi kind of ruined any enjoyment I could have gotten out of reading this.

[Razor · Rating 3 out of 5]

4.0 stars
the long awaited introduction of Souichi and it did not disappoint. he manages to be a creepy character despite only being a middle schooler because there isn't much you can do to defend yourself against inevitable curses. I especially liked the chapters that featured Machina and her experiences with Souichi.

[Sharika · Rating 4 out of 5]

সোউ-ইচি বয়সের হিসাবে একটা ছোট বাচ্চাই বলা চলে, কিন্তু আচরণে খোদ শয়তানের ছোট ভাই। পরিবারের লোকজন থেকে শুরু করে সহপাঠী, আত্মীয়-স্বজন, এমন কি শিক্ষকরাও তার বিভিন্ন ধরণের প্র‍্যাংক থেকে রক্ষা পায় না। প্র‍্যাংকের বদলে বুলিয়িং শব্দটাও ব্যবহার করা যায়।

প্রথমদিকে খুব রাগ উঠছিলো পড়তে গিয়ে - পরে রিয়েলাইজ করলাম এই চরিত্রটাকে জুনজি ইতো তার অন্য ভিলেইনদের থেকে একটু ভিন্নভাবে উপস্থাপন করেছেন। সোউ-ইচি যেসব অপরাধ করে প্রায় সবগুলোই তার উপর ব্যাকফায়ার করে এবং গল্পের শেষে এসে সে নিজেই কোনো না কোনো বিপদে আটকে যায়। এটা বোঝার পর গল্পগুলো কম বিরক্তিকর এবং বেশ হাস্যরসাত্মকই হয়ে উঠেছিলো।

কাহিনী অ্যাজ অলওয়েজ ইউনিক, জুনজি ইতো স্পেশাল😃 মাঝে মাঝে মন চায় এই লোকটার ব্রেইনের ভেতর গিয়ে যদি একবার ঘুরে দেখে আসতে পারতাম! রিয়েল লাইফে এতো জলি একজন মানুষের মাথাভর্তি এমন উদ্ভট চিন্তা ঘোরাফেরা করে!

লাভড ইট ওভার-অল।

[TAJ ALGADDAFI | تاج القذافي · Rating 5 out of 5]

يوميات سويتشي المبهجة (بالإنجليزية: Souichi's Diary of Delights)‏
هي مانغا يابانية من تأليف ورسم جونجي إيتو، نشرت من قبل أساهي سونوراما في مجلة هالوين الشهرية، منذ أغسطس عام 1991 حتى مايو عام 1993، تم تجمع فصول المانغا في مجلد تانكوبون واحد نشر في فبراير عام 1998. هذه المانغا هي المجلد الخامس من مجموعة جونجي إيتو.
القصة
1.عطلة صيفية سعيدة
تدور أحداث القصة عن سويتشي تسوجي الذي يذهب في عطلة الصيف لزيارة أقاربهم في الريف.
2.عطلة شتوية سعيدة .
3.يوميات سويتشي المبهجة.
4.البروفيسور يزور منزل سوتشي.
5.أستاذ من قماش
6.عيد ميلاد سويتشي.
.
شخصية سويتشي فريدة جدا من نوعها مثل شخصية تومي ، و رغم ان الكاتب في هذا المجلد حاول يوضح كل شي عن سويتشي بس مع ذلك لسى الغموض طاغي عليه ، وسعيدة ان المجلد السادس رح يتضمن قصص عنه ايضا لان الشخصية تستاهل ان يكون لها سلسلة لحالها اصلا هي وتومي .

[Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’m absolutely in love with souichi, i genuinely can’t get enough of these sociopathic, demon characters they’re my favourite thing in the entire world

[Romane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Junji Ito Horror Manga Collection #5

Tsujii Souichi often brings his undoing upon himself.

He finds himself stuck in a rut from time to time. He also has this habit of casting curses which, most often than not, backfires.

He hates people as well. I like this kid.

Souichi's crush, Anjyou Yuriko, looks lovely.

Furhermore, any story with Souichi on it has a horror-comedy take.

* * *

Chapters:

Chapter 1: Fun Summer Vacation
Chapter 2: Fun Winter Vacation
Chapter 3: Souichi's Diary of Delights
Chapter 4: Souichi's Home Tutor / House Call Interview
Chapter 5: Mannequin Teachers
Chapter 6: Souichi's Birthday

[DeAnna Knippling · Rating 3 out of 5]

So earlier we had Tomie, which was "WOMEN ARE MONSTERS." Now we have, "PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS ARE MONSTERS." Tomie was a fun read, though. This one was more of a grind.

[Stephen West · Rating 5 out of 5]

Souichi's Diary of Delights is a fascinating and deeply disturbing collection of horror stories from Junji Ito, one of the most talented and innovative writers and artists in the genre. The book focuses on the character of Souichi, a mischievous and malevolent child who delights in causing chaos and tormenting those around him. Each story in the collection is a self-contained and terrifying masterpiece that showcases Ito's incredible talent for creating eerie and unsettling visuals that will stay with you long after you've finished reading.

What I love most about this collection is how Ito manages to infuse each story with its own unique atmosphere and tone, ranging from chilling horror to macabre humor. Souichi is a truly unforgettable character, and Ito does an excellent job of exploring his twisted psyche and delving into his motivations and desires. The art in the book is also outstanding, with Ito's signature style of intricate line work and grotesque imagery adding to the sense of unease and horror.

One of the standout stories in the collection is "The Ghost of Golden Time," which centers around a group of schoolchildren who are tormented by the ghost of a former classmate. The story is a haunting exploration of grief, loss, and the ways in which childhood trauma can manifest itself in unexpected ways. Another memorable story is "Souichi's Curse," which sees Souichi using his powers to torment his family and neighbors in increasingly sadistic ways.

Overall, Souichi's Diary of Delights is a must-read for fans of horror and manga. It's a chilling and disturbing collection that showcases Junji Ito's incredible talent and creativity, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thrilling and unforgettable reading experience. Five stars.

[Dimitris Papastergiou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creepy Souichi is a disturbed little boy with iron deficiency who compensates for it by sucking on iron nails, having them in his mouth like a toothpick (I KNOW) and well, that's Souichi for ya!

Both volumes include him and his friends and family going into creepy adventures and with random supernatural stuff happening to people (guess who makes them happen) and at the end of every story there's an explanation (mostly) of how this and that happened and why.

A page-turner at times, even though it's not something that will leave you in awe or something, but interesting and of course creepy and as always with Junji, great artwork!

Sadly the end of Souichi is what I didn't like because there's nothing to it and I need to know what happened to him.

[Greg Kerestan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I like Junji Ito, always have. But... "Souichi" does nothing for me. In fact, any Souichi story typically does less than nothing for me, it lowers the quality of the collection in which it appears. A lot has changed in thirty years, and Souichi is not a character who has aged well. Not only does he come across as a terrible Reddit/4chan stereotype, one step above the "tendies" lad, but it's hard to look at him and not see a caricature of an evil autistic person. And that's not a great look for comedy-horror.

[Am Y · Rating 1 out of 5]

Souichi is supposed to be an anti-hero of sorts - an evil protagonist. We are supposed to laugh at him and regard him as a clown whose antics always land him in trouble instead of the hellish success he hopes to achieve. However he is extremely irritating and juvenile, and doesn't always get his just desserts. In the meantime, innocent people suffer for no reason at all. If Ito's aim is to make you hate Souichi and not wish to read anything with him in it, he has succeeded.

[Kyle Spishock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saw this character in the Junji Ito Pop Collection and figured I would give him a chance. I can see why this and it’s follow-up were never translated in English. Souichi is a ghoulish preteen with voodoo powers. However, anytime he causes chaos, he’s inevitably embarrassed and everything miraculously resolves itself. I personally found them humorous, but I can see where a Western audience would be completely lost.

[Roxane · Rating 5 out of 5]

J'ai beaucoup aimé les histoires de Soïchi. Contrairement aux autres histoires d'horreur de Junji Ito que j'ai pu lire, où on ne peut pas échapper à l'horreur, ici on est dans un environnement familial rassurant : Soïchi est un sale gosse qui fait des farces horribles et de la sorcellerie, mais il n'est pas tout puissant et il est possible de l'arrêter et même de le gronder. C'est donc moins angoissant et traumatisant, mais aussi plus drôle et on s'attache même au personnage de Soïchi.

[Nekochimachan (⁠｡⁠•̀⁠ᴗ⁠-⁠)⁠✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It introduce a boy who likes curses and the occult. He's literally a fifth grader but he doesn't look like one. His name is Souichi. He's an outcast and prefers to talk alone. He's way more tolerable than Tomie. Sometimes his curses backfire and it's hilarious.
Fun Summer Vacation- 3 stars
Fun Winter Vacation- 2.5 stars
Souichi's Diary of Delights- 3 stars
Souichi's Home Tutor- 4.3 stars
Souichi's Birthday- 4 stars

[ashes ➷ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm gonna be honest-- Shouichi does get a bit old after a while. There, I said it, I'm sorry-- I prefer the new, fresh tales Ito comes up with, and I feel like with Shouichi they kind of start to... feel like they're coming out of a mold? But of course everyone has tastes! And obviously I finished the book, so. Yup.

[Cris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A more light-hearted approach to the Tomie anthologies, the evil boy Souichi is what happens when you give an garden variety internet troll voodoo powers and immunity against all sorts of punishment. Disturbing but more often ridiculous at times, it's a good break from the doom and gloom of the past volumes from Ito-san.

[Nisa Greennnpanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3 stars

The Itou Junji Kyoufu Collection 5 is a collection of horror short stories with Souichi as the main focus. Souichi is a peculiar boy who is interested with and believes in paranormal activities.

For those who are interested to start reading Ito's horror mangas, this is a good start.

[Hafeez · Rating 4 out of 5]

The whole volume is about Souichi, a problematic, annoying and weird boy that likes to do prank. He stated that he can use black magic. But, all the supernatural things that happen are due to coincidence. Actually, I'm not so sure whether it is coincidence or Souichi really can do black magic. The storyline is so good.

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not as invested in Souichi's stories as I am with Ito's other short stories, but as the next volume is the second and last about Souichi, I will continue reading for the sake of reading as much Junji Ito as I can.