horror writing. But how does he handle some real-world spooks?
Rather joyously, as it turns out. Recently, Crunchyroll had the clever idea to take Junji Ito to tour the Winchester Mystery House, known as one of the most iconic real-life “haunted houses” around. The Winchester House is notably bizarre, as it was constantly being built, warping into itself, defying standard design and creating a vibe that feels like it might defy spatial reality itself.
Crunchyroll’s video of Ito’s tour is part deep interview, an exploration of Ito’s work, and part exploration of the mystery house itself. Ito handles the weirdness calmly and cheerfully, and seems to thoroughly relish the experience. It’s a great setting to hear Ito discuss his influences, like his casual fear of sharks or his fascination with an ever-growing building in Uzumaki that he admits might have indeed been influenced by the Winchester Mystery House. And as they get deeper into the house, even Ito gets a little creeped out.
If you’re not familiar with Ito’s work, all you have to do is wait: an adaptation of Uzumaki is hitting Cartoon Network next year.Â