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Junji Ito is a mastermind of creating horror stories. But he does not always go down the common path of ghosts in his stories. Rather, some of his best-performing series, likeUzumaki, are about creepy and unexplainable supernatural events that alter humans.
Ito’s manga can make you horrified without any depiction of jumpscares, and that is why the author has garnered such fame in the horror manga industry. One of his stories from The Liminal Zone collection has religious undertones, which the author has explained in an interview.
Junji Ito Used the Bible as Inspiration to Create a Catholic Horror Story
Inan interview,Junji Itowas asked about a specific short story of his,Madonna, that takes place in a Christian school. Thus, the interviewer wanted to know where Ito’s interest in religion and Christian mythology originated.
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According to Junji Ito, people in his circle had told him that the Bible has very interesting content, so he bought a copy to help him think of new ideas for upcoming stories. This led to the creation ofMadonna,a manga in which a Catholic school is theepicenter of mysterious events.
I am not Christian, and I have not read everything in theBible, but I thought it could constitute great elements to draw stories, just likeMadonna.
Junji Ito has also admitted that it is because of his interest in the Bible and the old origin of Catholicism he could find a wide variety of interesting concepts, which he waseager to use in his manga.
Catholic Elements in Junji Ito’sMadonna
Madonna, also known asThe Witch, follows Mari Amano, a girl who has been transferred to a strict Catholic boarding school for girls. Soon, it is found out that the headmaster, Tenjo, keeps a close eye on Mari, but he has a wife, Misuzu, who is a vicious woman and controls the school and its students.
Apparently, the headmaster has affairs with various teachers as well as students and Misuzu has become bitter due to his repeated cheating. Here, Mari’s conflict as a Catholic is portrayed when Tenjo invites her to rever Mary. While Catholics do respect her, she is not considered above God, and this feels weird to Mari.
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Another reference to the Bible is salt coming out of the ears of other students. According to Tenjo, it is a sign that the women are pious. He then recounts the story of Lot from the Bible and his wife, who became a salt pillar due to her lack of faith.
Tenjo also weirdly believed that Mari was the reincarnation of Mary, who he was supposed to marry. This is why he cheats with various women because he initially thinks they are Mary before they turn out to be corrupted. This twisted mindset sets a background for apsychological horrorinMadonna.
The Liminal Zoneby Junji Ito is available for purchase on Viz Media.
Aaheli Pradhan
Anime Content Writer
Articles Published :1558
Aaheli is an Anime Content Writer at FandomWire with 1300+ published articles. With five years of experience under her belt, she is a living, breathing encyclopedia for anime and manga. From Shonen and Shojo to the most niche anime, nothing escapes her radar. Her poisons of choice are Assassination Classroom, Gintama, Ouran High School Host Club and every Ghibli movie ever. She believes in living a slow life, surrounded by incomplete art projects and her beloved cats.
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