What were those things in Junji Ito's 'Hanging Balloons'?

Oh you mean the salt they spread around the house on page 13? That's just a Japanese superstition that salt will keep bad demons out of your house. It actually kind of worked, except that the family decided to run out of the house. :/ hope that helps. joking. read more

Just ignore the balloons for now and think of the story as showing how one suicide will prompt others. Once upon a time, the idol Terumi was famous and loved across Japan. She is a high school student and was best friends with another girl named Kazuko. read more

The first half up to the Jack in the Box chapter was great, but after that it felt like Ito was scraping the bottom of the barrel to make spiral shaped things scary or disturbing (except for the Hospital chapters though, those were great). read more