"Deserter: Junji Ito Story Collection" is a compilation of twelve short stories by renowned horror manga creator Junji Ito, originally published between 1987 and 2000. Each story explores themes of psychological terror, supernatural phenomena, and the grotesque, often delving into the fragility of human sanity and the unknown.

The collection opens with "The Deserter," where a man encounters a mysterious figure from his past who claims to have deserted the military during a war. The figure’s unsettling presence and cryptic warnings lead to a chilling revelation about the consequences of abandoning one’s duty. In "A Father’s Love," a family is haunted by the grotesque transformation of their patriarch, whose obsessive love for his daughter takes a horrifying physical form. "The Long Dream" follows a hospital patient who experiences increasingly prolonged dreams, blurring the line between reality and nightmare as his condition worsens.

"Scripted Love" examines the dark side of obsession, as a woman becomes entangled with a man who believes their lives are predetermined by a mysterious script. "The Earthbound" tells the story of a man who discovers his family is cursed to remain bound to the earth, unable to leave their home without suffering dire consequences. In "The Will," a family’s inheritance is tied to a series of bizarre and macabre conditions, revealing the twisted nature of their deceased patriarch’s final wishes.

"Master Umezz and Me" is a meta-fictional tale where the protagonist encounters a fictionalized version of Kazuo Umezu, a legendary horror manga artist, leading to a surreal and unsettling experience. "The Strange Tale of Oshikiri" revolves around a boy who discovers a parallel world in his home, where a doppelgänger of himself commits heinous acts. "The Bridge" explores the eerie consequences of a cursed bridge that seems to trap those who cross it in a nightmarish loop.

In "Unendurable Labyrinth," a man becomes lost in a seemingly endless maze, confronting his deepest fears and regrets. "The Devil’s Logic" follows a group of students who play a deadly game of logic, where the stakes are life and death. Finally, "Village of the Siren" depicts a remote village where the inhabitants are lured by a mysterious siren’s song, leading to a horrifying discovery about their fate.

The stories in "Deserter" are interconnected by Ito’s signature style of blending body horror, psychological tension, and supernatural elements. The characters often face situations that challenge their perceptions of reality, leading to disturbing and often tragic outcomes. The collection showcases Ito’s ability to craft unsettling narratives that linger in the reader’s mind, exploring the darker aspects of human nature and the unknown.