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怪談えほん [Horror Picture Book]
Sus ojos me persiguen
La pareidolia es un fenómeno psicológico que provoca que veamos patrones con significado, como caras en nubes o manchas en rocas, pero… ¿y si todas esas caras empezaran a mirarte a vos, a seguir cada uno de tus pasos? Árboles, marcas en el escritorio, incluso las casas de la ciudad: por todas partes hay ojos que observan y todos fijaron su atención en el mismo niño… mientras nadie más parece darse cuenta.
Un trabajo del galardonado escritor Soshichi Tonari, con ilustraciones del maestro del terror Junji Ito y la curaduría de Masao Higashi. Una unión singular que da como resultado este estremecedor y fascinante cuento ilustrado, publicado originalmente en Japón en 2024, que no vas a querer leerle a ningún niño… a menos que quieras que no vuelva a dormir.
¡IVREA publicará el cuento SUS OJOS ME PERSIGUEN, ilustrado por JUNJI ITO!
Un trabajo del galardonado escritor Soshichi Tonari, con ilustraciones del maestro del terror Junji Ito y la curaduría de Masao Higashi. Una unión singular que da como resultado este estremecedor y fascinante cuento ilustrado, publicado originalmente en Japón en 2024, que no vas a querer leerle a ningún niño… a menos que quieras que no vuelva a dormir.
¡IVREA publicará el cuento SUS OJOS ME PERSIGUEN, ilustrado por JUNJI ITO!
Hardcover
Published June 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
May 28, 2025
Breve racconto dell'orrore per un pubblico giovanile, illustrato da un Junji Ito meno disturbante del solito... o quasi. Volevo quasi farlo leggere a mia figlia di dieci anni, ma le ultime due-tre pagine mi hanno fatto davvero accapponare la pelle...
December 11, 2025
Potrebbe essere un esempio, estremamente inquietante, di come ci si senta soffocati, soprattutto in un periodo delicato come l'adolescenza, da una società opprimente che lascia pochi sbocchi all'autodeterminazione ed alla libertà più ancestrale. Oppure, semplicemente, quando viaggiamo e ci mettiamo a guardare fuori dal finestrino ed allora guardiamo le cose con più attenzione e quante volte, oltre alle classiche nuvole a pecorelle (che poi che caz.. vuol dire nuvole a pecorelle!?), comunque ci vediamo altre cose e un viso e soprattutto degli occhi, emergono sempre... oppure no!? :O
Read
April 7, 2026Pięknie narysowane i wydane po polsku, bardziej jako album czy artbook niż samodzielna powieść. Zostawiam bez oceny, bo trudno mi się odnieść jednoznacznie do całości, ale ciekawy eksperyment z niesamowitą warstwą wizualną.
June 3, 2026
Maleństwo. Nie dość, że zajmuje zaledwie 30 stron, to jeszcze operuje całostronicowymi kadrami. Przyznaję, jest to fajnie zrobione. Atmosfera gęstnieje z czasem, motyw z zarysami twarzy poupychanymi w różnych miejscach bardzo ciekawy, a kadry ze sporą ilością wpatrzonych w bohatera oczu niepokojące. Miałem nawet przez moment gęsią skórę, ale szybko minęło, bo lektura trwała 5 minut
August 19, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and VIZ Media for the arc! Junji Ito is one of my faaaaavorites, so I jumped at the opportunity to read at this picture book he illustrated. The pictures were colorful, vivid, creepy, and beautiful. As per usual with Ito’s work. This was super short and sweet, but it got to the point with the eeriness. Faces on things are creepy! It took about two minutes to read, super simple, but the pictures were really fun to look at. So glad I got to read this, thank you again VIZ!
August 19, 2026
"The faces look at me. There, and there, and there. Everywhere, faces staring, only at me."
I loooove spooky picture books. It fuels my horror fire. Illustrations mixed with horrifying words just go hand in hand. There were many reasons to pick this up, just use your best guess.
This was a pure hair-raising delight. It was quick and to the point with the most horrifying illustrations to lead the way to the end. Ito is the true master and adding him to anything is pure genius.
I loooove spooky picture books. It fuels my horror fire. Illustrations mixed with horrifying words just go hand in hand. There were many reasons to pick this up, just use your best guess.
This was a pure hair-raising delight. It was quick and to the point with the most horrifying illustrations to lead the way to the end. Ito is the true master and adding him to anything is pure genius.
July 30, 2026
Gorgeous, creepy Junji Ito images + a short story. The story pales in comparison to the incredible Ito artwork and doesn't bring much to the book as it is written.
Thank you to NetGalley for this early release e-copy!
Thank you to NetGalley for this early release e-copy!
July 16, 2026
Una edición preciosa del primer "picture book" de Junji Ito. Siendo sincera, no me importa con quién trabaje, si es de Junji Ito lo voy a querer. La idea de la pareidolia es muy creepy, y la historia corta está muy bien lograda.
August 11, 2026
Un “horror book picture” que se lee en menos de cinco minutos y al que le falta profundizar. Lo mejor sin duda, el impacto visual de Junji.
August 31, 2025
Well, this feels more like art than manga, the colors look astounding.
August 25, 2026
lo he leído entero en 2 minutos en el fnac pero me ha dado escalofríos el dibujo, aprobado
September 14, 2025
beli pas 9 9
July 8, 2026
Ito ahora trauma paraidólicamente.
July 21, 2025
Creepy. Gorgeous. Stunning. The colors? Top notch.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This one lingers in a different way than the other two books in the series. The premise is that the world is filled with faces everywhere, and no one seems to truly notice them. Simple concept. Creepy execution.
What makes it work is how the “horror” isn’t really external. It’s a slow slide toward the edge of what’s real, and it captures that teetering feeling of not being sure if what you’re seeing is there or if your mind is just built to find faces in static, wood grain, clouds, anywhere, really, if you look hard enough. That’s the quietly horrifying part: this isn’t a monster you can point to. It’s a way of perceiving that, once switched on, you can’t switch back off.
There’s also a specific, uncomfortable relatability to it. Most of us have had a version of this, the moment pattern recognition tips into something unsettling, and you wonder ‘is anyone else seeing this?’. The book leans hard into that isolation, and it’s more effective for how ordinary it starts out.
*SPOILER ALERT*
The turn that really got me: once the main character acknowledges the faces out loud — names them, admits he sees them — they shift their focus, looking back at him. Like his awareness made them aware of him in return. Concerned, almost. That’s the moment the book stops being about noticing and starts being about being noticed, and it’s genuinely unnerving.
Docking one star because the ending, while it lands, resolves a little too cleanly for a story built on ambiguity — his worst fear turning up on his own body, inescapable, is a strong final image, but I wanted the dread to stay as formless as it was for most of the book rather than crystallize into one clear “gotcha.”
*END OF SPOILER ALERT*
If the idea of losing your grip on “consensus reality” scares you more than anything with teeth ever could. If you’ve ever felt like you were teetering on the edge of “sanity.” If you’ve simultaneously felt alone and watched in a room full of people, this, my pretty face, is for you.
Full review on my blog ♡ https://blog.bronston.ca/reading-room/
Thank you to VIZ Media and NetGalley for the ARC
What makes it work is how the “horror” isn’t really external. It’s a slow slide toward the edge of what’s real, and it captures that teetering feeling of not being sure if what you’re seeing is there or if your mind is just built to find faces in static, wood grain, clouds, anywhere, really, if you look hard enough. That’s the quietly horrifying part: this isn’t a monster you can point to. It’s a way of perceiving that, once switched on, you can’t switch back off.
There’s also a specific, uncomfortable relatability to it. Most of us have had a version of this, the moment pattern recognition tips into something unsettling, and you wonder ‘is anyone else seeing this?’. The book leans hard into that isolation, and it’s more effective for how ordinary it starts out.
*SPOILER ALERT*
The turn that really got me: once the main character acknowledges the faces out loud — names them, admits he sees them — they shift their focus, looking back at him. Like his awareness made them aware of him in return. Concerned, almost. That’s the moment the book stops being about noticing and starts being about being noticed, and it’s genuinely unnerving.
Docking one star because the ending, while it lands, resolves a little too cleanly for a story built on ambiguity — his worst fear turning up on his own body, inescapable, is a strong final image, but I wanted the dread to stay as formless as it was for most of the book rather than crystallize into one clear “gotcha.”
*END OF SPOILER ALERT*
If the idea of losing your grip on “consensus reality” scares you more than anything with teeth ever could. If you’ve ever felt like you were teetering on the edge of “sanity.” If you’ve simultaneously felt alone and watched in a room full of people, this, my pretty face, is for you.
Full review on my blog ♡ https://blog.bronston.ca/reading-room/
Thank you to VIZ Media and NetGalley for the ARC
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August 21, 2026(avis en français en dessous)
Horrifying.
It makes you feel deeply uneasy and watched, a sensation that lingers even after you’ve finished reading.
The contrast between the faces of the real humans, which are very neutral, devoid of apparent emotion, and almost frozen, makes the other faces appear all the more expressive and terrifying. I truly think this is the most unsettling book I have ever read. The real strength of Looking at Me lies in its illustrations. The tension builds page by page, culminating in a sense of horror and a total loss of control.
Short and effective. Terrifying.
*
Horrifique.
Ah, on se sent trop mal à l'aise et épié en le lisant et après l'avoir lu, le sentiment reste.
Le contraste entre les visages des vrais humains qui sont très neutres, sans émotion apparentes, comme figés, rendent les autres visages plus expressifs et apeurants. Je crois vraiment que c'est le livre qui m'a rendue le plus mal à l'aise de tous ceux que j'ai pu lire. Le fort de Regards / Looking at Me c'est l'illustration. Qui monte en tension au fil des pages pour arriver à un sentiment d'horreur et de perte totale de contrôle.
Court et efficace. Terrifiant.
(Lu en anglais)
Horrifying.
It makes you feel deeply uneasy and watched, a sensation that lingers even after you’ve finished reading.
The contrast between the faces of the real humans, which are very neutral, devoid of apparent emotion, and almost frozen, makes the other faces appear all the more expressive and terrifying. I truly think this is the most unsettling book I have ever read. The real strength of Looking at Me lies in its illustrations. The tension builds page by page, culminating in a sense of horror and a total loss of control.
Short and effective. Terrifying.
*
Horrifique.
Ah, on se sent trop mal à l'aise et épié en le lisant et après l'avoir lu, le sentiment reste.
Le contraste entre les visages des vrais humains qui sont très neutres, sans émotion apparentes, comme figés, rendent les autres visages plus expressifs et apeurants. Je crois vraiment que c'est le livre qui m'a rendue le plus mal à l'aise de tous ceux que j'ai pu lire. Le fort de Regards / Looking at Me c'est l'illustration. Qui monte en tension au fil des pages pour arriver à un sentiment d'horreur et de perte totale de contrôle.
Court et efficace. Terrifiant.
(Lu en anglais)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*Looking at Me* was definitely the most interesting of the Horror Picture Books I’ve read so far. The concept is creepy and creative—a little boy sees faces in almost everything around him—and the illustrations are wild, strange, and genuinely fun to examine. They’re definitely disturbing, but not so extreme that I found them overwhelming.
The ending was probably the most memorable part. After the boy skins his knee, he refuses to take off the bandage because there is a face in his wound. Gross? Absolutely. But it was also a clever way to end the story and fit perfectly with the overall concept.
My biggest issue is the writing. The language feels overly simple and flat, especially compared to how expressive and unsettling the illustrations are. I kept wishing the writing would match the artwork’s potential. More figurative language, stronger imagery, and darker word choice could have created a much more disturbing mood. The illustrations made me feel something; the writing mostly just told me what was happening.
There’s a really creepy idea here, but stronger writing could have turned it into something genuinely memorable.
The ending was probably the most memorable part. After the boy skins his knee, he refuses to take off the bandage because there is a face in his wound. Gross? Absolutely. But it was also a clever way to end the story and fit perfectly with the overall concept.
My biggest issue is the writing. The language feels overly simple and flat, especially compared to how expressive and unsettling the illustrations are. I kept wishing the writing would match the artwork’s potential. More figurative language, stronger imagery, and darker word choice could have created a much more disturbing mood. The illustrations made me feel something; the writing mostly just told me what was happening.
There’s a really creepy idea here, but stronger writing could have turned it into something genuinely memorable.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The cover is giving VERY Junji Ito-like art and that is the main reason I decided to pick this up. The cover is a work of art in itself.
^^OKAY EDIT: I had NO IDEA Junji Ito illustrated this until I actually opened up the book to the title page - LOLLLLL! Makes total sense why I thought it was giving Junji Ito, that’s because it IS.
I might be a *tad* bias but I loved this as I am a huge Junji Ito fan. This is just the right amount of horror. I would call it “bite-sized” horror. The horror is really conveyed through the art that it honestly probably didn’t even need words – but the words did add something to the story.
I liked this more than I expected & would recommend it. This would be such a cool book to own just for the art. You could use it as a coffee table book for a conversation starter.
The cover is giving VERY Junji Ito-like art and that is the main reason I decided to pick this up. The cover is a work of art in itself.
^^OKAY EDIT: I had NO IDEA Junji Ito illustrated this until I actually opened up the book to the title page - LOLLLLL! Makes total sense why I thought it was giving Junji Ito, that’s because it IS.
I might be a *tad* bias but I loved this as I am a huge Junji Ito fan. This is just the right amount of horror. I would call it “bite-sized” horror. The horror is really conveyed through the art that it honestly probably didn’t even need words – but the words did add something to the story.
I liked this more than I expected & would recommend it. This would be such a cool book to own just for the art. You could use it as a coffee table book for a conversation starter.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Pareidolia is a tendency to see faces in things that don't actually have faces, like in clouds or in a house with two windows (eyes) on either side of a door (mouth). Two random dots juxtaposed with a line can suggest a face on almost any surface, or in emails and texts for that matter.
The author of this picture book tells a short but creepy tale about a boy who starts seeing faces in more and more places, letting artist Junji Ito take pareidolia to the same extremes he once did with spirals in Uzumaki.
The ending might send an uncomfortable shiver through you even as you see it coming.
Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.
The author of this picture book tells a short but creepy tale about a boy who starts seeing faces in more and more places, letting artist Junji Ito take pareidolia to the same extremes he once did with spirals in Uzumaki.
The ending might send an uncomfortable shiver through you even as you see it coming.
Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
So, I asked to review this because I was genuinely curious if this was literally a picture book illustrated by the horror legend Junji Ito, and was not disappointed. This is a fascinating combination of art book, horror story, and weirdly kind depiction of developing mental illness. You are always in the point of view of a young boy who's ability to see faces in everyday objects starts to consume the way he sees the world. And of course, with Junju Ito at the helm, the depiction of the changing world goes from eerily subtle to frankly disturbing.
If you're going for a Goosebumps style easy resolution that isn't that unsettling, this is not the picture book for you. But if you want a fairly gentle intro into Junjy Ito's work with an interesting through line, this is a great choice.
Thank you to NetGalley and VIZ Media for the ARC of this book.
If you're going for a Goosebumps style easy resolution that isn't that unsettling, this is not the picture book for you. But if you want a fairly gentle intro into Junjy Ito's work with an interesting through line, this is a great choice.
Thank you to NetGalley and VIZ Media for the ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love Junji Ito's work so much, so I try to pick up anything he works on. This was the first of the horror picture books that I discovered, but the last one I read. I wish I had read this one first, I might've enjoyed myself more, but this is still a solid addition to the series. Definitely a scary book I would read to kids if they wanted it. Also, it takes like 2 minutes to read. I can't wait for these to be published in the US so I can recommend them to more people. I plan on putting in a good word to my library's children's purchaser, because I know so many kids who would just absolutely love this book. Also, as always, Junji Ito's work is fantastic and evokes so much emotion and chills. Great book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’m a longtime fan of Junji Ito’s wonderfully creepy work, so I was thrilled to get an early look at Horror Picture Book: Looking at Me. And honestly, the illustrations alone make this one worth picking up.
This is a very short, mostly visual story, but the haunting artwork completely pulls you into this poor child’s unsettling world. There’s something deeply creepy about the illustrations that makes you want to keep looking, even when you probably shouldn’t.
It’s a quick read, but it leaves an impression—and I can absolutely see myself wanting a physical copy to display on my coffee table. Creepy, atmospheric, and quintessentially Junji Ito.
I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a very short, mostly visual story, but the haunting artwork completely pulls you into this poor child’s unsettling world. There’s something deeply creepy about the illustrations that makes you want to keep looking, even when you probably shouldn’t.
It’s a quick read, but it leaves an impression—and I can absolutely see myself wanting a physical copy to display on my coffee table. Creepy, atmospheric, and quintessentially Junji Ito.
I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a pleasantly creepy book, heavy on atmosphere rather than gore or violence. Because it's such a short graphic novel -- graphic novella? graphic short story? -- I don't want to ruin anything, but it pulls on such a human evolutionary knack to do some really unpleasant things.
You can look at clouds, grains of wood, shapes and patterns in marble, rugs, or shadows and see familiar shapes, whether it's a dog, a horse, a banana ... or a face. But what if, when you're looking at those faces, those faces are able to look back at you? Very call of the void.
Great for younger readers just getting into horror. Thank you so very much for the ARC!
You can look at clouds, grains of wood, shapes and patterns in marble, rugs, or shadows and see familiar shapes, whether it's a dog, a horse, a banana ... or a face. But what if, when you're looking at those faces, those faces are able to look back at you? Very call of the void.
Great for younger readers just getting into horror. Thank you so very much for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
What an absolute joy to see Ito's art in color. This is such a beautiful and creepy book. It gives a deep sense of anxiety, and I felt very uncomfortable along with our main character as the anxiety grew and grew. It feels very relatable. We all have times in our life where we feel like everyone is watching us, waiting for us to do something embarrassing or mess up in some way. Art, obviously, amazing. Ito's work is always a treat for the eyes, and it's fun trying to find all of the tiny details in every picture.
Thanks to Edelweiss and VIZ Media for the DRC!
Think I'm going to see about using these for a creepy adult storytime around Halloween.
Thanks to Edelweiss and VIZ Media for the DRC!
Think I'm going to see about using these for a creepy adult storytime around Halloween.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Viz Media for the advanced copy.
This was a very effective short horror story with that classic creepy art from Junji Ito, though the story itself reminded me more of PTSD Radio, as it's more about the art telling the story than the few words there are. The story is very reminiscent of something from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and would make for a great gift for a young horror reader - the idea of eyes and faces everywhere is very unsettling and Ito's art makes it all the more unsettling, especially the last page. I was very creeped out.
I'd love a whole book like this, with several stories instead of just one!
This was a very effective short horror story with that classic creepy art from Junji Ito, though the story itself reminded me more of PTSD Radio, as it's more about the art telling the story than the few words there are. The story is very reminiscent of something from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and would make for a great gift for a young horror reader - the idea of eyes and faces everywhere is very unsettling and Ito's art makes it all the more unsettling, especially the last page. I was very creeped out.
I'd love a whole book like this, with several stories instead of just one!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’ve been collecting manga by Junji Ito for around 10 years now and was super excited to see this one in full colour!!
The story in this Horror Picture Book is minimal, but well done. We follow a boy who is the only one seeing faces everywhere, and it’s an isolating feeling.
The artwork is incredible. The colour is vibrant and stunning while the subject matter is absolutely disturbing. So many of the faces are literally looking at you, the reader, through the boy and it’s straight out of my nightmares.
Thank you to NetGalley and VIZ Media for this eARC!
The story in this Horror Picture Book is minimal, but well done. We follow a boy who is the only one seeing faces everywhere, and it’s an isolating feeling.
The artwork is incredible. The colour is vibrant and stunning while the subject matter is absolutely disturbing. So many of the faces are literally looking at you, the reader, through the boy and it’s straight out of my nightmares.
Thank you to NetGalley and VIZ Media for this eARC!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
This is easily my favorite of the Horror Picture Book stories I've read so far. I knew I was in for a treat as soon as I saw that Junji Ito was the illustrator for this one. I'm a huge fan of him, and his style of artwork definitely added so much atmosphere to this story. I also thought this one had the strongest premise of the series. It's the kind of concept that would be genuinely terrifying if you were the one experiencing it. The story combined with Junji Ito's wonderfully unsettling illustrations made this a memorable little horror book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
For the most part, I enjoyed this unsettling picture book. Honestly, I only read it because the illustrations are by Junji Ito. This totally feels as off-the-wall creepy as Ito's original works, and I'm almost surprised the story was written by someone else. While I usually enjoy horror short stories, the ending for this one felt a bit too abrupt. That's my biggest complaint. Side note: seeing Ito's work in color, as opposed to the usual black-and-white manga style, was eerie and wonderful.
Thank you to NetGalley for a digital copy of this title.
Thank you to NetGalley for a digital copy of this title.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Junji Ito illustrating a horror picture book was always going to be a win, but this one still managed to exceed my expectations. The concept is deceptively simple. The world is full of faces and nobody seems to notice them. That's it. And somehow it is absolutely terrifying. Ito's original oil paintings give this a texture that his usual manga style doesn't have, and it makes the whole thing feel even more visceral and wrong in the best way. Short, sharp, and genuinely unsettling. Loved every page of it.
August 10, 2026
First off, many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this picture book as an eARC! I greatly appreciate it!
When I signed up to read this, I was expecting a standard graphic novel, but no, it actually is a picture book! Pretty cool, honestly. The story is simple and spooky, with hardcore Ito vibes, obviously, and I had a great time reading it! This is definitely far and away my favorite of the three Horror Picture Books I was given access to!
Five stars to They're Looking at Me!
When I signed up to read this, I was expecting a standard graphic novel, but no, it actually is a picture book! Pretty cool, honestly. The story is simple and spooky, with hardcore Ito vibes, obviously, and I had a great time reading it! This is definitely far and away my favorite of the three Horror Picture Books I was given access to!
Five stars to They're Looking at Me!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews