In the beginning, "Gyo" draws you in with its strangeness. The depicted scenes are so bizarre that it makes you wonder how they will be explained and what their underlying meaning is.
Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, there is no deeper meaning behind this story. The explanations provided are weak and hard to believe.
This leaves me questioning: What is the point of this manga? What was the author trying to convey, if anything?
I suppose this manga does offer some truly disturbing images which might appeal to some readers (though they didn't impact me much, either positively or negatively). But what value do these images hold if they aren't backed by a decent story?
The artwork, in my opinion, is lacking. You may disagree since art is highly subjective and depends on personal style. My rating of the art is low, but that's not an objective judgment. If you really want to know how good the art is, read a chapter or two and decide for yourself.
The characters lack depth and development. They behave in a very straightforward manner without much thought. While they may express emotions, there's no genuine feeling behind them, and you don't get a sense of their inner thoughts. In short, they come across as superficial.
I did not enjoy this series at all. But you might; read it if you're curious.
After finishing "Gyo," I was left with a question: Why does this manga exist?
Just like Uzumaki, I feel that Gyo started out very well, perfectly conveying that feeling of strangeness, but little by little it was lost.
I don't know if it's us, the readers, who simply get used to the absurdity of ideas, but what I noticed is that Ito presents us with something we've never seen before and then makes it so absurd that we're not actually scared or uncomfortable, but yes, just admiring how quickly it escalated. Which for me takes a lot of the tension out of the scenes. In fact, that might be why I preferred the beginning of his manga.
I even had fun with Gyo, but for me, he wasn't as "charming" as Tomie or as bizarre as Uzumaki.
I’m a huge Junji Ito fan, so this review might be a bit biased. That said, I absolutely LOVED Gyo. It’s so insanely bizarre that I ended up reading the entire manga in one sitting. Just when you think, "this can't get any weirder," Junji Ito proves you wrong. Every page turn felt like a jump scare, and the artwork is simply phenomenal. If you decide to pick it up, you're in for a wild ride until the very end.
Personally, I really enjoyed the strange storyline, and the more bizarre it became, the more I wanted to keep reading. However, if you don’t appreciate an utterly silly premise, I wouldn’t recommend it. If you prefer your horror with a lot of depth, you won’t find much of that here.
There's frightening, and then there's terrifyingly irrational. 'Gyo' scared me beyond comprehension, more than any horror film or book I've ever experienced. This manga is genuinely horrifying.
The story revolves around a couple, Tadashi and Kaori, who are vacationing on a remote Japanese island. However, their holiday takes a dark turn when they encounter a walking fish in their house. What follows swiftly escalates into one of the most nightmarish apocalypses imaginable.
This manga left me disturbed - I highly recommend it.
Horror is a challenging genre to execute in comics today without it becoming just a mindless bloodbath of gore and fluids splattered across the walls. Junji Ito excels at delivering creepy tales that either scare or deeply disturb us. "Gyo" is one of his recent works, taking a risk by offering a fresh perspective on what lies beneath the sea. Additionally, this series includes two short stories at its conclusion, leaving readers terrified of venturing under their houses or hiking again.
Story:
The main narrative effectively builds tension and suspense with each chapter. However, it falls short of perfection due to two carnival-set chapters that feel lacking and an ending that doesn't provide a satisfying resolution. Despite these issues, the story offers a compelling explanation for our protagonist's predicament and develops a strong storyline. The additional short stories are intriguing; the first one is too brief and lacks depth or horror but leaves you curious. The second story is notably better, capable of inducing shivers, providing sufficient context while raising questions about the characters' motivations and the identity of a mysterious figure at the end.
Art:
The artwork in this story is exceptional, with well-drawn main characters, stunningly detailed backgrounds, and monsters (or fish) illustrated with unparalleled skill. This sets a high standard for how a story should visually appear, leaving no room for complaints.
Character:
Our four central characters have varying levels of depth. The female lead is a constant complainer, which can be grating, though her reasons become clearer over time. The male lead is cool and lucky throughout most of the story. His uncle remains somewhat enigmatic, lacking enough backstory for a connection. The assistant character is interesting but not fleshed out enough. The short stories' characters suffer from similar lack of depth, understandable given their brevity, although the second story provides slightly more insight into its duo.
Enjoyment:
The main story was enjoyable but not so much as to warrant multiple re-reads. Conversely, the short stories hold up well to repeated readings. Overall enjoyment depends on your initial impression of the tale.
Overall:
This is a solid horror story that might disappoint due to its weak ending. Fans of horror and Junji Ito will appreciate it, as will anyone seeking a good story with remarkable art. Warning: This story contains graphic violence, nudity, and disturbing images. If such content offends you, avoid this story entirely!
If you're a fan of zombies and fish, your search for aquatic horror ends here. Gyo tells the story of a world besieged by what initially appear to be spider versions of the entire underwater kingdom but later turn out to be bizarre spider machines that take control of any living thing, transforming them into walking biological weapons. The narrative follows Tadashi and, to some extent, his easily hateable girlfriend Kaori as Tadashi tries to survive the invasion and look after his girl, discovering the source of the invasion and his uncle's involvement along the way. While reading this, I couldn't help but be reminded of those cheesy Japanese monster movies like Gojira (on a smaller scale), but like those films, it ends up working very well! However, it's not all sunshine and lollipops for this manga. There was one part that felt like a Naruto filler, something I don't appreciate in my manga. The whole circus chapter was just pure randomness, and I feel it could have been left out.
While the story gives the manga the feel of a 1950s monster flick, the art is what makes it genuinely creepy. I've never seen a more badass-looking shark than one with mechanical spider legs and a bunch of tubes running through it (don't even get me started on the whale). Along these lines, the most hideous creatures in this manga are the humans themselves, bloated as they are filled with gases and hooked up to those machines (although that tube going up the rectum once a human is attached to the machine is rather hilarious). The characters' realistic depiction adds to the overall mood of the manga itself.
Compared to everything else, some characters seem somewhat predictable, which is alright, but it could have been much better. The typical everyman characteristic of survival genres is portrayed as the main character, alongside the mad scientist and his beautiful assistant. Moreover, the circus ringleader, like the entire circus segment of the manga, was incredibly random and didn't appear enough for his character to get fleshed out more. The same can be said for the mad scientist's assistant. She has a few instances of dialogue, and right when you think some deeper insight into her is about to be revealed, she flies away (literally). What keeps the characters part of this review from getting a 5 instead of the 7 I gave it is Kaori. While reading this manga and further learning about Kaori, I came to the conclusion that I hated her... oh how I hated her. She's obnoxious, rude, selfish, and jealous (even in death). Now I'm going to assume that the author intended to portray Kaori this way, in which case he did an amazing job.
Overall, despite a trip to a random circus and some eye-rolling character types, I enjoyed the manga very much. Very rarely do I see a manga pull off horror, although this one can have some comedic characteristics, it does a decent job. The art, though, is what really hooked me; it's honestly drawn very well. The feeling of vintage monster movie nostalgia was something I truly enjoyed about this manga as well.
The story of Gyo begins with an absurd premise: fish with legs invading Okinawa. Much of Junji Ito's work excels in creating suspense and bizarre situations. However, for Gyo, the horror felt surreal and somewhat disgusting, which served its purpose, but the plot was predictable, making it easy to guess what would happen next as the story built to its climax.
There are only four characters in this story, and they can be described as bland and clichéd. The main character seemed to have plot armor, surviving amidst all the chaos. The female lead is a mentally unstable girl who constantly needs reassurance from the main character. It goes on like this, making the characters feel boring and dull.
The art is undoubtedly one of the redeeming features, as expected from Junji Ito. Several panels genuinely capture the horror aspects perfectly. Another aspect that didn't sit well with me was how the manga lacked coherence regarding the origin of the machine and how it came about. They tried to provide a scientific explanation, but it fell short, making things confusing since this isn't a supernatural event in the manga.
Overall, if you're looking for something absurd featuring horrifying creatures, Gyo might be up your alley. But beyond that, there are some significant issues with predictability, character development, and coherence in the storytelling.
I really enjoyed the manga, but it wasn't as repulsive as people claim. Perhaps I have a strong stomach or maybe I've seen so many disturbing things that I've become desensitized. I felt the story progressed well, though I didn't appreciate the open-ended conclusion as much. The additional stories were quite entertaining; they felt like appetizers leading up to the finale, which I think stumbled a bit and lost some of its creative edge. I've read several works by Junji Ito, but this one felt the most substantial (and it wasn't just a collection of short stories). I read Gyo to build excitement for Uzumaki, as I believe it will end up being my favorite work by the master.
This was a truly startling read for me. It began with an air of mystery and eeriness, but it escalated into outright horror as the story progressed.
I'm somewhat relieved that we never receive a definitive explanation for what these entities are. I don't believe horror tales require detailed backstories for their monsters, and although two potential explanations are offered, there is no concrete answer.
The ending caught me off guard, to be honest. It left me feeling profoundly sad, which was genuinely unexpected. Sadness isn't typically what I anticipate from horror stories. It's more than just bittersweet; it's deeply melancholic. But I wouldn't say that's necessarily a negative aspect. The narrative starts slowly, yet it concludes rather abruptly.
Despite having a score of only 7, I found this manga quite enjoyable. It stands apart from the other two Junji Ito works I've read, Uzumaki and Tomie, by being even more bizarre. The concepts of death stench and leg machines are uniquely imaginative, something I could never have conceived, let alone combined to create such fascinating horror/body horror. The artwork is truly remarkable, albeit grotesque at times. Although the main characters were unremarkable and the overarching story somewhat lacking beyond the core idea, it's an intriguing experiment in what can be achieved within the horror genre. Overall, it was pretty good.
This is the first Junji Ito manga I've read so far. Yes, I know, I'm a bit late to the party, but I must admit that I enjoyed this story. While it didn't scare me, it was definitely intriguing. Reading it in one sitting was quite an experience. However, I've heard that most people prefer his other works, so I'm excited to dive into more and hopefully get scared.
His art - phenomenal. What else can I say?
The characters - good. I enjoyed the dialogue, which flowed very nicely. Some of their decisions were questionable, and Kaori was annoying as hell, but they weren't bad characters. I found myself rooting for them not to die, which is a good sign. Poor Tadashi, he didn’t deserve all that, especially having to deal with Kaori during the first half. He was a real one.
The story - good. I appreciated that things that needed explaining were actually explained, making certain aspects of the story make sense. There weren't many unnecessary plot holes. The first half flowed smoothly, then it got really weird, and the pacing picked up even more. I could barely absorb new information before another scene began. From when he woke up in the hospital to when he left his Uncle's house, the pacing felt a bit off to me. Not majorly though, nothing that detracted from the story.
I also really enjoyed the bonus stories.
As the story progressed, especially around the circus part, I felt like I was tripping on acid or something hahaha. All in all, it's a solid read. Nothing life-changing, but easy and entertaining for sure. It's not something I think I'll forget any time soon. I'm excited to read his other stories soon. I'd rate this manga a 7.7.
It lost me as it dragged on, caught my attention again with the circus arc, and then lost me once more at the end. There was a lot of really cool body horror, but the overall story and ending definitely fell short.
I'm a sucker for anything circus-related, and despite it not doing much for the plot, it still intrigued me nonetheless.
There are many things I could pick apart about this manga, but I'm trying to enjoy it based on the art alone, which is truly fantastic. So far, at least, I find that my main issue with Ito as a mangaka is that he tends to have really cool art and ideas, but lacks a story that matches the quality of his art.
Popular Reviews
In the beginning, "Gyo" draws you in with its strangeness. The depicted scenes are so bizarre that it makes you wonder how they will be explained and what their underlying meaning is.
Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, there is no deeper meaning behind this story. The explanations provided are weak and hard to believe.
This leaves me questioning: What is the point of this manga? What was the author trying to convey, if anything?
I suppose this manga does offer some truly disturbing images which might appeal to some readers (though they didn't impact me much, either positively or negatively). But what value do these images hold if they aren't backed by a decent story?
The artwork, in my opinion, is lacking. You may disagree since art is highly subjective and depends on personal style. My rating of the art is low, but that's not an objective judgment. If you really want to know how good the art is, read a chapter or two and decide for yourself.
The characters lack depth and development. They behave in a very straightforward manner without much thought. While they may express emotions, there's no genuine feeling behind them, and you don't get a sense of their inner thoughts. In short, they come across as superficial.
I did not enjoy this series at all. But you might; read it if you're curious.
After finishing "Gyo," I was left with a question: Why does this manga exist?
There's frightening, and then there's terrifyingly irrational. 'Gyo' scared me beyond comprehension, more than any horror film or book I've ever experienced. This manga is genuinely horrifying.
The story revolves around a couple, Tadashi and Kaori, who are vacationing on a remote Japanese island. However, their holiday takes a dark turn when they encounter a walking fish in their house. What follows swiftly escalates into one of the most nightmarish apocalypses imaginable.
This manga left me disturbed - I highly recommend it.
Horror is a challenging genre to execute in comics today without it becoming just a mindless bloodbath of gore and fluids splattered across the walls. Junji Ito excels at delivering creepy tales that either scare or deeply disturb us. "Gyo" is one of his recent works, taking a risk by offering a fresh perspective on what lies beneath the sea. Additionally, this series includes two short stories at its conclusion, leaving readers terrified of venturing under their houses or hiking again.
Story:
The main narrative effectively builds tension and suspense with each chapter. However, it falls short of perfection due to two carnival-set chapters that feel lacking and an ending that doesn't provide a satisfying resolution. Despite these issues, the story offers a compelling explanation for our protagonist's predicament and develops a strong storyline. The additional short stories are intriguing; the first one is too brief and lacks depth or horror but leaves you curious. The second story is notably better, capable of inducing shivers, providing sufficient context while raising questions about the characters' motivations and the identity of a mysterious figure at the end.
Art:
The artwork in this story is exceptional, with well-drawn main characters, stunningly detailed backgrounds, and monsters (or fish) illustrated with unparalleled skill. This sets a high standard for how a story should visually appear, leaving no room for complaints.
Character:
Our four central characters have varying levels of depth. The female lead is a constant complainer, which can be grating, though her reasons become clearer over time. The male lead is cool and lucky throughout most of the story. His uncle remains somewhat enigmatic, lacking enough backstory for a connection. The assistant character is interesting but not fleshed out enough. The short stories' characters suffer from similar lack of depth, understandable given their brevity, although the second story provides slightly more insight into its duo.
Enjoyment:
The main story was enjoyable but not so much as to warrant multiple re-reads. Conversely, the short stories hold up well to repeated readings. Overall enjoyment depends on your initial impression of the tale.
Overall:
This is a solid horror story that might disappoint due to its weak ending. Fans of horror and Junji Ito will appreciate it, as will anyone seeking a good story with remarkable art. Warning: This story contains graphic violence, nudity, and disturbing images. If such content offends you, avoid this story entirely!
If you're a fan of zombies and fish, your search for aquatic horror ends here. Gyo tells the story of a world besieged by what initially appear to be spider versions of the entire underwater kingdom but later turn out to be bizarre spider machines that take control of any living thing, transforming them into walking biological weapons. The narrative follows Tadashi and, to some extent, his easily hateable girlfriend Kaori as Tadashi tries to survive the invasion and look after his girl, discovering the source of the invasion and his uncle's involvement along the way. While reading this, I couldn't help but be reminded of those cheesy Japanese monster movies like Gojira (on a smaller scale), but like those films, it ends up working very well! However, it's not all sunshine and lollipops for this manga. There was one part that felt like a Naruto filler, something I don't appreciate in my manga. The whole circus chapter was just pure randomness, and I feel it could have been left out.
While the story gives the manga the feel of a 1950s monster flick, the art is what makes it genuinely creepy. I've never seen a more badass-looking shark than one with mechanical spider legs and a bunch of tubes running through it (don't even get me started on the whale). Along these lines, the most hideous creatures in this manga are the humans themselves, bloated as they are filled with gases and hooked up to those machines (although that tube going up the rectum once a human is attached to the machine is rather hilarious). The characters' realistic depiction adds to the overall mood of the manga itself.
Compared to everything else, some characters seem somewhat predictable, which is alright, but it could have been much better. The typical everyman characteristic of survival genres is portrayed as the main character, alongside the mad scientist and his beautiful assistant. Moreover, the circus ringleader, like the entire circus segment of the manga, was incredibly random and didn't appear enough for his character to get fleshed out more. The same can be said for the mad scientist's assistant. She has a few instances of dialogue, and right when you think some deeper insight into her is about to be revealed, she flies away (literally). What keeps the characters part of this review from getting a 5 instead of the 7 I gave it is Kaori. While reading this manga and further learning about Kaori, I came to the conclusion that I hated her... oh how I hated her. She's obnoxious, rude, selfish, and jealous (even in death). Now I'm going to assume that the author intended to portray Kaori this way, in which case he did an amazing job.
Overall, despite a trip to a random circus and some eye-rolling character types, I enjoyed the manga very much. Very rarely do I see a manga pull off horror, although this one can have some comedic characteristics, it does a decent job. The art, though, is what really hooked me; it's honestly drawn very well. The feeling of vintage monster movie nostalgia was something I truly enjoyed about this manga as well.
The story of Gyo begins with an absurd premise: fish with legs invading Okinawa. Much of Junji Ito's work excels in creating suspense and bizarre situations. However, for Gyo, the horror felt surreal and somewhat disgusting, which served its purpose, but the plot was predictable, making it easy to guess what would happen next as the story built to its climax.
There are only four characters in this story, and they can be described as bland and clichéd. The main character seemed to have plot armor, surviving amidst all the chaos. The female lead is a mentally unstable girl who constantly needs reassurance from the main character. It goes on like this, making the characters feel boring and dull.
The art is undoubtedly one of the redeeming features, as expected from Junji Ito. Several panels genuinely capture the horror aspects perfectly. Another aspect that didn't sit well with me was how the manga lacked coherence regarding the origin of the machine and how it came about. They tried to provide a scientific explanation, but it fell short, making things confusing since this isn't a supernatural event in the manga.
Overall, if you're looking for something absurd featuring horrifying creatures, Gyo might be up your alley. But beyond that, there are some significant issues with predictability, character development, and coherence in the storytelling.
I really enjoyed the manga, but it wasn't as repulsive as people claim. Perhaps I have a strong stomach or maybe I've seen so many disturbing things that I've become desensitized. I felt the story progressed well, though I didn't appreciate the open-ended conclusion as much. The additional stories were quite entertaining; they felt like appetizers leading up to the finale, which I think stumbled a bit and lost some of its creative edge. I've read several works by Junji Ito, but this one felt the most substantial (and it wasn't just a collection of short stories). I read Gyo to build excitement for Uzumaki, as I believe it will end up being my favorite work by the master.
Some vague spoilers ahead
This was a truly startling read for me. It began with an air of mystery and eeriness, but it escalated into outright horror as the story progressed.
I'm somewhat relieved that we never receive a definitive explanation for what these entities are. I don't believe horror tales require detailed backstories for their monsters, and although two potential explanations are offered, there is no concrete answer.
The ending caught me off guard, to be honest. It left me feeling profoundly sad, which was genuinely unexpected. Sadness isn't typically what I anticipate from horror stories. It's more than just bittersweet; it's deeply melancholic. But I wouldn't say that's necessarily a negative aspect. The narrative starts slowly, yet it concludes rather abruptly.
Despite having a score of only 7, I found this manga quite enjoyable. It stands apart from the other two Junji Ito works I've read, Uzumaki and Tomie, by being even more bizarre. The concepts of death stench and leg machines are uniquely imaginative, something I could never have conceived, let alone combined to create such fascinating horror/body horror. The artwork is truly remarkable, albeit grotesque at times. Although the main characters were unremarkable and the overarching story somewhat lacking beyond the core idea, it's an intriguing experiment in what can be achieved within the horror genre. Overall, it was pretty good.
This is the first Junji Ito manga I've read so far. Yes, I know, I'm a bit late to the party, but I must admit that I enjoyed this story. While it didn't scare me, it was definitely intriguing. Reading it in one sitting was quite an experience. However, I've heard that most people prefer his other works, so I'm excited to dive into more and hopefully get scared.
His art - phenomenal. What else can I say?
The characters - good. I enjoyed the dialogue, which flowed very nicely. Some of their decisions were questionable, and Kaori was annoying as hell, but they weren't bad characters. I found myself rooting for them not to die, which is a good sign. Poor Tadashi, he didn’t deserve all that, especially having to deal with Kaori during the first half. He was a real one.
The story - good. I appreciated that things that needed explaining were actually explained, making certain aspects of the story make sense. There weren't many unnecessary plot holes. The first half flowed smoothly, then it got really weird, and the pacing picked up even more. I could barely absorb new information before another scene began. From when he woke up in the hospital to when he left his Uncle's house, the pacing felt a bit off to me. Not majorly though, nothing that detracted from the story.
I also really enjoyed the bonus stories.
As the story progressed, especially around the circus part, I felt like I was tripping on acid or something hahaha. All in all, it's a solid read. Nothing life-changing, but easy and entertaining for sure. It's not something I think I'll forget any time soon. I'm excited to read his other stories soon. I'd rate this manga a 7.7.
It lost me as it dragged on, caught my attention again with the circus arc, and then lost me once more at the end. There was a lot of really cool body horror, but the overall story and ending definitely fell short.
I'm a sucker for anything circus-related, and despite it not doing much for the plot, it still intrigued me nonetheless.
There are many things I could pick apart about this manga, but I'm trying to enjoy it based on the art alone, which is truly fantastic. So far, at least, I find that my main issue with Ito as a mangaka is that he tends to have really cool art and ideas, but lacks a story that matches the quality of his art.
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