Gyo (2-in-1 Deluxe Edition)

Junji Ito is nothing if not a connoisseur of the creepy and unsettling, and this may be the most unsettling story in all of the manga world. A fish with legs, a horrible stench and, well, what else do you need? This is Ito at his absolute finest. And now that it’s printed in hardcover with full-color illustrations inside the front and back cover, it’s more Ito than you’ve ever had before.

The floating smell of death hangs over the island. What is it? A strange, legged fish appears on the scene… So begins Tadashi and Kaori’s spiral into the horror and stench of the sea. Here is the creepiest masterpiece of horror manga ever from the creator of Uzumaki, Junji Ito. Hold your breath until all is revealed.

Something’s rotten in Okinawa…

Editorial Reviews

*05/18/2015
Ito (Uzumaki) plumbs the murky depths of the ocean in this gruesome tale. While on vacation in Okinawa, a young couple encounters a fish attached to a mysterious pair of metal legs. Despite being beaten, forced into a bag, and visibly decomposing, it continues to walk–and eventually, to attack. Soon, others join it, their arrival heralded by the smell of death: sharks, octopi, minnows, even whales. Japan is soon overrun by monstrous, mobile sea life–and, in short order, by rotting humans on mysterious metal legs as well. Ito is a master, and his talents are on full display in this book; his attention to detail, grotesque sense of whimsy, and love of body horror are all apparent within the first chapter. The book is at its best when these three talents harmonize into an absurd, horrifying whole. But the premise weakens in spots–there are times when the mobile fish are more unintentionally funny than anything else. Regardless, it’s a strong, scary piece of work perfect for any horror aficionado, and another solid entry into Ito’s already impressive body of work. (Apr.)
– Publishers Weekly

07/01/2015
Gr 10 Up–A near-death encounter and temperamental mate are enough to strain even the most solid of couples. Add a mysterious, sickening, and inescapable stench to the mix, and a frayed relationship completely unravels. The figurative and literal demise of the romantic relationship between main characters Tadashi and Kaori begins with the arrival of an odor referred to as the „stench of death“; a repugnant smell eclipsed only by the arrival of grotesque, multilegged fish. These repulsive creatures multiply and skitter all over Japan like an invasive cockroach species, causing panic and delivering the death foreshadowed with the arrival of the odor. This invasive species causes irreparable damage and destruction through the emission of an airborne pathogen (that brings the people of Japan to the brink of extinction). Although classified as horror, this work has an underlying social commentary that is likely to be the subject of spirited discourse among mature readers. Ito masterfully builds suspense through his strategic use of shadowing, unidirectional line, hatching, and action panels featuring „sound“ as the only text. The illustrations are paradoxically understated, appropriately disgusting, and achieve the right balance of abhorrence and desire to know what happens. VERDICT A suspenseful horror tale balanced by the pull of the plot and push of disturbing images.–Tamela Chambers, Chicago Public Schools
– School Library Journal