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Japanese Urban Legends: An Illustrated Guide to Monsters, Myths & Terrifying Mysteries
240 pages, Paperback
Published March 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 23, 2026
1.5/5
124 micro stories.
The stories in this are barely 100 words each. Many make zero sense while others are just the same story barely changed. The danger guide is gimmicky and follows no rhyme or reason. It's cute for the first dozen entries but really adds nothing of value to the story. The art is strange. Some is very well done while other times it's awkwardly amateur. I can't tell if AI helped or what. The proportions are often wrong, kids' heads look squished and don't fit on their bodies, and awkward facial expressions of fear and side profiles take away from the creepiness of the story.
The stories need to be much longer. It was just 100 words (give or take) that just tell you a little tid bit, there's no build up of suspense or terror. It was disappointing. If you want creepy stories pick a different book or check out r/nosleep. I would even suggest a simple Google search.
I found this at my local library. I wouldn't recommend it to any age range but it is more juvenile. I appreciate the attempt here, but I would ask for other books by Japanese authors about urban legends and ghost stories. Stories that are longer will surely satisfy more than this collection.
124 micro stories.
The stories in this are barely 100 words each. Many make zero sense while others are just the same story barely changed. The danger guide is gimmicky and follows no rhyme or reason. It's cute for the first dozen entries but really adds nothing of value to the story. The art is strange. Some is very well done while other times it's awkwardly amateur. I can't tell if AI helped or what. The proportions are often wrong, kids' heads look squished and don't fit on their bodies, and awkward facial expressions of fear and side profiles take away from the creepiness of the story.
The stories need to be much longer. It was just 100 words (give or take) that just tell you a little tid bit, there's no build up of suspense or terror. It was disappointing. If you want creepy stories pick a different book or check out r/nosleep. I would even suggest a simple Google search.
I found this at my local library. I wouldn't recommend it to any age range but it is more juvenile. I appreciate the attempt here, but I would ask for other books by Japanese authors about urban legends and ghost stories. Stories that are longer will surely satisfy more than this collection.
September 15, 2026
Brought this from a local book store. Was pretty decent and I quite enjoyed it even though the stories and book itself was short. Some of them are pretty funny, such as the hip hop granny one. I think the book is more for teenagers and children. Overall, good book if you're into short stories.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews