Japanese folklore has long been steeped in horror, profoundly shaping the landscape of Japanese entertainment. The 1950s marked a significant rise of horror as a popular genre within manga, a trend that continued into subsequent decades. This culminated in a notable explosion of creativity during the 1980s, giving birth to many of today’s most respected manga artists and writers. Among these talents is Junji Ito, whose work has recently made its way into the popular survival horror game, Dead by Daylight.
Ito has introduced a memorable cast of horror protagonists throughout his career, and several of these figures are now represented as paid Survivor skins in Dead by Daylight.
An Overview of Junji Ito’s Survivor Skins in Dead by Daylight
Yui Kimura – Tsukiko’s Outfit from Tomie’s Photos
The initial of the three Survivor skins inspired by Junji Ito is Yui Kimura, who sports an outfit reminiscent of Tsukiko Izumisawa—the main character from several stories in the Tomie series. Tomie is widely regarded as one of Ito’s most iconic creations, featuring a multi-part narrative that chronicles the life of a captivating young woman endowed with supernatural traits. Tomie possesses the uncanny ability to generate clones of herself, often using her own blood and organs to propagate her likeness.
In the narrative, Tsukiko first encounters Tomie while capturing her photo for a classmate. As Tsukiko learns more about Tomie, it becomes evident that there is much more beneath the surface, leading to surreal and harrowing experiences, including surviving multiple dangerous encounters with Tomie.
Yun-Jin Lee – Terumi’s Fame from The Hanging Balloons
In the 6th chapter of volume 4 from the Horror World of Junji Ito collection, titled The Hanging Balloons, a woman is plagued by a gigantic balloon resembling her recently deceased celebrity friend. This haunting soon escalates into a terrifying phenomenon where similar balloons, each depicting the faces of local citizens, begin to appear. Contact with these balloons tragically leads to the demise of the people they resemble, as they hang lifelessly from a noose.
In this chilling collaboration, Yun-Jin Lee from Dead by Daylight receives a skin inspired by Terumi Fujino, the ill-fated celebrity from the tale.
Interestingly, Junji Ito was once associated with a project alongside gaming legends Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro for the now-canceled Silent Hills, making his artistic vision even more impactful in the gaming sphere.
Kate Denson – Puppet’s Dancer from Marionette Mansion
Marionette Mansion, found in the 7th chapter of the 10th volume of Junji Ito’s Horror World, narrates a disturbing tale about a puppeteering family who discovers they are controlled by the very puppets they believed they commanded. This unsettling storyline leads to a series of violent and tragic occurrences. In this new crossover, Kate Denson is transformed into one of the life-sized ballet dancers from the eerie Marionette Mansion.
Additionally, this collaboration not only features Survivor skins but also introduces five Killer outfits to the game, including one themed after the aforementioned Tomie, further enriching the gameplay experience.
Leave a Reply