5 Reasons Why Junji Ito's 'The Bully' Is His Most Disturbing Psychological Horror Story
Junji Ito's short story, "The Bully" (*Ijimekko* or *Ijime Musume*), continues to spark intense discussion among horror fans, even years after its original publication. As of December 2025, the story's chilling relevance has been amplified by its recent adaptation in the Netflix anime series, *Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre*. This particular work is a standout in the master of horror's bibliography because it achieves maximum terror with zero supernatural elements—the true monster is purely human.
The story, which can be found in the English collection *Deserter: Junji Ito Story Collection*, focuses on the vicious cycle of cruelty. It is a stark, unforgettable exploration of how childhood trauma and resentment can warp a person’s psyche, leading to a devastating, self-perpetuating pattern of abuse that is far scarier than any ghost or cursed object. This deep dive will analyze the story's enduring power and why it remains one of Ito's most unsettling psychological masterpieces.
The Master of Horror: Junji Itō Profile and Essential Works
Junji Itō (伊藤 潤二) is a Japanese mangaka and illustrator whose work has defined the modern landscape of horror manga. His distinctive, meticulous art style and focus on cosmic, body, and psychological horror have earned him a global cult following and numerous accolades, including the prestigious Eisner Award. His career trajectory is as fascinating as his terrifying tales.
- Full Name: Junji Itō (伊藤 潤二)
- Born: July 31, 1963
- Birthplace: Nakatsugawa, Gifu, Japan
- Primary Profession: Mangaka, Cartoonist, Illustrator
- Former Profession: Dental Technician (a career that likely contributed to his meticulous attention to detail)
- Debut: 1987, winning an honorable mention in the Kazuo Umezu Prize with his story “Tomie.”
- Most Famous Works: Tomie, Uzumaki, Gyo, and The Enigma of Amigara Fault.
- Key Collection: "The Bully" was originally published as part of the 12th volume in the Horror World of Junji Ito series in 1997.
The Vicious Cycle: Understanding the Plot of "The Bully"
"The Bully" centers on a girl named Kuriko and her complex, deeply toxic relationship with a boy named Nao. The story unfolds in three distinct stages, each one escalating the psychological horror without introducing a single ghost or monster.
Kuriko’s Resentment and the Birth of a Bully
The narrative begins by establishing Kuriko as a lonely, unstable child who develops a crush on a neighborhood boy, Yutaro. When Yutaro rejects her, Kuriko’s fragile ego shatters. Instead of processing her disappointment, her resentment is immediately redirected toward a younger, weaker boy: Nao. Nao is a quiet, timid child who, in a twisted turn, seems to crave Kuriko's attention, even if it is cruel. Kuriko begins to torment Nao, forcing him into dangerous or humiliating situations under the guise of "playing." She commands him, abuses him, and derives a perverse satisfaction from his complete subjugation.
This initial dynamic is crucial. Kuriko isn't inherently evil; she is a product of rejection and emotional immaturity, using Nao as an outlet for her own pain and powerlessness. Nao, the victim, is tragically complicit, perhaps seeking a form of connection, no matter how toxic. This is classic psychological horror, where the terror is rooted in human dysfunction rather than the supernatural.
The Twist: The Bully Becomes the Bullied
Years pass, and Kuriko grows up, marries, and has a daughter. She believes she has left her cruel past behind. However, one day, she encounters an adult Nao. To her shock, Nao has transformed. He is now a confident, well-adjusted man who is completely indifferent to her. This encounter reawakens Kuriko's buried shame and guilt.
The real horror begins when Nao, now in a position of power, begins to subtly torment Kuriko. He doesn't physically harm her; instead, he uses psychological manipulation, mirroring the cruel games she once played. The roles have completely reversed. Kuriko is now the one feeling powerless, and the terror of her past actions is reflected back onto her, a terrifying form of karma.
The Devastating Ending: Why 'The Bully' Leaves a Permanent Scar
The conclusion of "The Bully" is what truly cements its reputation as one of Ito's most disturbing works. It doesn't offer catharsis or a clean resolution; instead, it presents a horrifying, inescapable reality—the cycle of abuse.
The final, chilling scene shows Kuriko’s own daughter exhibiting the exact same cruel, controlling behavior toward a new, younger victim. The cycle hasn't been broken; it has merely evolved and passed down to the next generation. This is the story's ultimate entity of terror: the learned behavior of cruelty.
- The Horror of Repetition: The story suggests that trauma and abuse are not isolated incidents but patterns that perpetuate themselves through generations if left unchecked.
- No Supernatural Escape: Unlike *Uzumaki*'s spiral curse or *Tomie*'s regeneration, there is no monster to defeat. The horror is embedded in the human condition, making it relatable and therefore, deeply unsettling.
- Kuriko’s Fate: She is trapped. Whether she becomes the one being bullied by her own child (as some interpretations suggest) or simply witnesses the replication of her own cruelty, her punishment is a life sentence of guilt and the knowledge that she has perpetuated the very evil she regrets.
Thematic Analysis: Trauma, Power Dynamics, and Non-Supernatural Dread
"The Bully" is a masterclass in non-supernatural dread, a subgenre where Ito excels. It provides a stark contrast to his more famous works, emphasizing human fragility and darkness.
The Power of the Human Monster: Many critics consider this one of Ito's scariest stories precisely because there are no supernatural elements to soften the blow. The cruelty of Kuriko is a real-world horror—a raw depiction of child abuse and emotional manipulation. This focus on real-life trauma and the dark side of childhood innocence is a recurring topical authority theme in Ito’s short stories, often overlooked in favor of his cosmic horror epics.
The Role of Resentment: The character of Kuriko is a study in misplaced resentment. Her inability to cope with rejection from Yutaro leads her to seek control over Nao. This dynamic explores the fragile nature of self-worth and how easily emotional pain can be converted into outward cruelty, a common thread in Japanese horror (*J-Horror*) that focuses on deep-seated psychological wounds.
The Anime Adaptation's Impact: The inclusion of "The Bully" in the *Junji Ito Maniac* anime has brought this relatively lesser-known story to a new global audience. The animated version, while divisive in its execution, successfully highlighted the emotional brutality of the narrative, solidifying its place among Ito's most essential works. It served as a powerful reminder that the scariest things are often the ones we can't see—the invisible emotional scars and the inherited traumas that shape our lives.
The ultimate takeaway from "The Bully" is that the true horror lies in our own capacity for evil. It's a chilling, thought-provoking narrative that uses the simple, painful reality of bullying to deliver a punch far more devastating than any otherworldly terror.
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