At the end of a quiet alley stands a mysterious shop known as Ijyudo, the Strange Beast Hall. Every day, people burdened by an unfulfilled thirst in their hearts are drawn to this place. Within its walls dwell fantastical beasts, each one a bizarre and beautiful entity that exists at the intersection of human desire and supernatural horror. Whether these strange beasts will quench the visitors’ thirst or lead them into deeper darkness is the central question of each encounter.

The manga is structured as an anthology of standalone horror-fantasy tales, linked by the recurring setting of Ijyudo and the theme of longing. Written and illustrated by Sangatou, the series weaves together stories that span different eras, locations, and types of beasts. One story follows a career woman who falls into a strange romance with a snake called Gorgon that inhabits a beautiful man’s body. Another features a lonely man who becomes captivated by a floating, intangible creature known as Beta. A third tale centers on an angel who desperately seeks love, while another presents a mandragora that shifts its face to mirror the person who loves it most. A tragic love story unfolds between a bird of paradise and an innocent girl.

Later installments expand the scope across time and space: a Taisho-era tragedy involving a one-eyed, lame boy and a man‑tiger that brings slaughter; a mysterious party in a house of freaks somewhere in America; a shy boy’s secret hours with shadow people; a book‑eating fairy sharing the end of a old woman’s life; a man in the highlands of Tibet who swallows a tornado and embarks on an unusual romance; and an office lady who crosses a forbidden line with a jellyfish while seeking healing.

The stories are collected in multiple volumes, each gathering a set of these eerie, atmospheric tales. At its core, Ijuudou Kitan explores the strange and often dangerous intersections between human yearning and the supernatural, presenting a world where every heart’s deepest thirst finds a strange beast waiting to answer.