256 pages
English language
Published May 15, 2020 by Viz Media.
Another of Junji Ito's classics, the sci-fi masterwork Remina tells the chilling tale of a hell star.
An unknown planet emerges from inside a wormhole, and its discoverer, Dr. Oguro, christens the body "Remina" after his own daughter. His finding is met with great fanfare, and Remina herself rises to fame. However, the object picks up speed as it moves along in its curious course, eliminating planets and stars one after another, until finally Earth itself faces extinction... Is the girl Remina the true cause of the catastrophe? A masterwork of horror from Junji Ito, unfolding on a universal scale.
A great example of Junji Ito's inspiration from HP Lovecraft. Remina is a story that tells a story of the end of the world through some unknown entity beyond the comprehension of mankind. We have no idea of the origin or purpose of the monstrous planet, Remina. What we can do, though, is appreciate a master of the genre at the peak of his skills.
This is my first full-length Junji Ito read, as I’ve only looked at his short works before. As a standalone, this has a somewhat odd narrative, but the visuals and cosmic horror are top notch—creating a perfect atmosphere for that feeling of slightly unsettled in your own skin. The main downside is that the plot had a lot of conveniences and was overall a bit strange, with odd pacing throughout. There is also a rather large cast of characters that pulls the story in a few different directions, which can be jarring.
Still, the central concept of the ‘alien’ planet that comes to threaten earth raises a lot of interesting philosophical and more physical questions—like who gets to survive a catastrophic event, and what qualities are needed to survive in such circumstances. I wanted some more depth from this, but it was a relatively short work, so I wasn’t too …
This is my first full-length Junji Ito read, as I’ve only looked at his short works before. As a standalone, this has a somewhat odd narrative, but the visuals and cosmic horror are top notch—creating a perfect atmosphere for that feeling of slightly unsettled in your own skin. The main downside is that the plot had a lot of conveniences and was overall a bit strange, with odd pacing throughout. There is also a rather large cast of characters that pulls the story in a few different directions, which can be jarring.
Still, the central concept of the ‘alien’ planet that comes to threaten earth raises a lot of interesting philosophical and more physical questions—like who gets to survive a catastrophic event, and what qualities are needed to survive in such circumstances. I wanted some more depth from this, but it was a relatively short work, so I wasn’t too surprised in that regard.
The visuals, in classic Junji Ito style, are the best part of this. Every perspective on the planet of Remina is stunning and terrifying at the same time. The cosmic scenes and faces of horror are spot on. It’s just a pity that the characters and plot drag behind, but given the quality of the art and the fact that it was a quick read, it was still enjoyable.
