Junji Ito's space-horror manga Hellstar Remina (地ç„星レミナ) will receive its first English release this year. The acclaimed horror author Ito weaves a macabre tale of cosmic horror in the style of H.P. Lovecraft in his manga originally published in 2005.
In February, VIZ Media posted an announcement from Ito himself on Twitter claiming that a “horrifying planet beyond the stars is fast approaching,†adding that the manga now known simply as Remina will be released in Winter 2020. The release of Ito's early 2000s manga signals that his increased popularity may justify further English releases.
Crunchyroll's Junji Ito Collection released in 2018 features adaptations of many of his short stories, including a two-part Tomie finale. An animated, episodic adaptation of Ito's Uzumaki by Production I.G and Adult Swim was announced in 2019 and is set for release on Toonami this year. Meanwhile, Viz Media has released updated editions of Ito collections including Gyo, Tomie and Uzumaki as well as his newer works including Shiver in 2017 and Smashed in 2019. A collection of Ito's manga art, The Art of Junji Ito: Twisted Visions, is set for release in May.
Remina, while on the surface a nightmarish tale of space-faring evil, also turns it's hungry gaze on society's celebrity obsession. Nobel Prize-winning Professor Oguro has discovered an entity which he names Remina after his daughter. Both she and the planet are 16 years old, a coincidence that elevates the young woman to stardom. Her fame comes at a price, however, as she's hounded by the media and adoring fans. Meanwhile, scientists notice that the Planet Remina is acting rather odd, some times exceeding the speed of light as it moves erratically through space. A troubling observation is raised: stars that Planet Remina approach disappear from the night sky.
Eventually, Remina leans in to her newfound popularity and takes up work in showbiz. As her star rises, her namesake planet turns it's attention toward Earth. When the news breaks, the swarming, panicked masses point the finger at the Remina herself, linking her and her father to their inevitable demise.
Inspired by the work of author H.P. Lovecraft, Ito's foray in to evil from beyond the stars is a rare treat for fans. The threats that appear most often in Ito's work typically reside within humans, from Tomie's killer love to Uzumaki's very down-to-earth spirals -- and the often memed The Enigma of Amigara Fault. But cosmic horror isn't necessarily defined by being of space. Rather, the concept of cosmic horror, exemplified in Remina and Lovecraft classics such as The Call of Cthulhu, involves creating a powerful sense of inescapable dread beyond the understanding of we mere mortals. Most of Ito's work falls in to this category, whether the threat is of land-based or intergalactic, alternate-dimensional origin.
As the situation unfolds, and the reality of the entire solar system being destroyed by this otherworldly creature is accepted, citizens the world over turn to occultism. A group of survivors, including Remina, rush to escape from the clutches of the mob, but human nature takes over. Greed and revenge overcome the masses, resulting in mob rule and the wealthy abandon the planet in hopes of safety elsewhere. In the sea of darkness, a glimmering shimmer of hope resides in a stranger and his desire to survive and protect Remina from harm.
Ito's telling of the tortured escape is reminiscent of Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth, wherein villagers who have succumbed to the influence of a sea-dwelling horror have formed a cult and deemed one particularly unlucky visitor worthy of sacrifice. The horror, while physically dreadful, stems primarily from the chase, with the ultimately unavoidable end a harsh critique of human nature. There is no confirmation, after all, that Remina's sacrifice will amount to the hungry planet sparing the world, but with hope fading, survivors grasp at straws .
It isn't all doom and gloom in Ito's work -- for a palate cleanser, read Ito's autobiographical Junji Ito's Cat Diary: Yon & Mu -- but finding a happy ending in Remina is a task suited for only the most ardent optimists. Regardless, Ito's intricate artwork should provide enough of a distraction from the horrors of the story to warrant a deep reading.
Remina is set for a Winter 2020 release from VIZ Media.