Itou Junji Kyoufu Manga Collection: Namekuji Shoujo

This volume returns to the tried and true formula of collecting various one-shots which are wholly unconnected. This mostly dealt with body horror and disfigurements, similar to earlier volumes. Story, 6: The premises were varied and interesting, though the execution of several chapters was a bit lackluster. It was nice to go back to the storylines without a recurring cast, but this made the characters feel much weaker in comparison (expanded on later). Art, 8: Ito excels at body horror, and since this volume is mostly concerning disfigurements or otherwise creepy characters, it was a pleasant (the term "pleasant" should be interpreted loosely here, as the artmay be a bit disturbing) read. Characters, 6: The characters mostly returned to being archetypal, but two chapters in particular had surprisingly solid characters ("Ryokan" and "The Groaning Drain"). Fans of Souichi may be disappointed that he does not make any appearances in this volume. Enjoyment, 6: I really enjoyed the middle chapters this time around, but the volume started and ended on a fairly weak note. Overall, 6: The art and variety of stories makes this a fun read, but I was so underwhelmed with about half of the chapters that I would feel odd giving this a higher rating. If you didn't like the focus on Souichi in the previous volumes (or if you simply happen to be reading this volume as a standalone), I would recommend it, but note that its focus on biological horror may be unsettling. Favorite Chapter: "The Groaning Drain"; Least Favorite: "Biohouse"