Uzumaki

This manga crafted suspense as if it were your own life on the line! Junji Ito excels at unveiling the most terrifying scenes when you least expect them, unlike other stories where opening a door slowly at night already hints at something scary lurking behind. Instead, Ito sets his scares during the day, the most natural part of the day, and suddenly something horrifying is crawling out of your walls—or even worse, the walls themselves become your enemy!

He truly masters the unexpected, injecting just the right amount of suspense into every scene. The story made me ponder deeply, and even after its conclusion, I still wonder if the seemingly endless chaos will ever cease or if some hero will emerge to stop it.

This masterpiece begins like any ordinary day, meeting her boyfriend in a tranquil town. But with Junji Ito as the author, can you predict what unfolds next? Probably not, especially if you're familiar with his other works. I won't spoil anything, but everything was so unpredictably shocking! Even though it was just a static manga, already inked on paper and unchangeable, I found myself mentally pleading for nothing terrible to happen as the days progressed and the chaos escalated dramatically.

I adored it because it delivered one of the most unsettling, frightening, and impactful endings I've ever witnessed. I wasn't sure whether to cry because it concluded beautifully or jump in fright because it became exactly what I dreaded. This manga makes you feel as if you are there, experiencing the monumental impact at an explosive climax! (IT'S OVER 9000!)

Overall, without a doubt, this story will affect you in numerous ways. "How will it affect me?" you might ask. Well... read the manga to find out for yourself!

This manga, in every aspect, is something I absolutely adore. Horror, suspense, love, and wonder all come together beautifully.

The story revolves around a town that becomes obsessed with spirals. The spiral motif is the central theme of the entire narrative, and after reading this, you'll never look at a simple spiral the same way again.

At first, the pacing is slow, but then it picks up speed and the action doesn't let up. You're left constantly wondering and marveling at what unfolds next. It's a whirlwind of a read that grips you from start to finish!

I own all three volumes and have also read them online. This is definitely something you'd want to dive into.

Be warned, though: it contains gore and isn't for the faint of heart. One downside is that you don't get much background on the characters; their actions speak louder than any character development.

This manga is the sole one that has ever sent shivers down my spine akin to an exceptional H.P. Lovecraft short story. The artwork amplifies this eerie sensation, causing certain panels and pivotal moments to evoke genuine chills.

The initial three chapters (Spiral Obsession parts 1 and 2, along with The Scar) arguably stand as the pinnacle of the entire series. Meanwhile, chapters 12 (The Storm) through 19 (Completion) dive deeply into a distinctly Lovecraftian atmosphere.

The first eleven chapters function as brief, unsettling tales designed to gradually build intrigue about the underlying mystery—whether it be otherworldly or beyond human comprehension. This buildup is masterfully executed, with increasingly bizarre occurrences leading up to chapter 12. Here, all the seemingly disjointed elements start to coalesce into something more coherent and terrifying.

Chapters 6 (Medusa), 10 (Mosquitoes), and 11 (The Umbilical Cord) also deserve special mention for their compelling narratives and chilling impact.

To sum up: If you appreciate H.P. Lovecraft, horror stories, striking art, or unique narratives, this manga is a must-read. Even if none of those aspects appeal to you, I still recommend giving it a chance. It excels in crafting and delivering that eerie, otherworldly ambiance reminiscent of Lovecraft's work, enhanced by Junji Ito's visually disturbing art style.

Uzumaki is utterly absurd... And I adore it!

First things first, I'd like to share my thoughts on Junji Ito, whom I consider one of the most inventive manga artists ever. While he's known as a horror maestro, his true talent lies in transforming the most mundane or silly ideas into compelling narratives filled with mystery, horror, and humor.

I've never truly been "scared" by any of his stories, though they are unsettling. Horror is subjective; everyone has unique fears. However, many of his tales have captivated me so deeply that they've invaded my dreams, making them unforgettable. Uzumaki operates similarly, thus:

Though not flawless—being a collection of short stories—Uzumaki's overall concept and execution rank among Ito's finest work. All 19 shorts (plus extras) revolve around the fictional town of Kurouzucho and its spiral curse. That's the core premise, but we see escalation and attempts at explanation by the characters. Despite being short stories, most characters span from start to finish.

Character development isn't extensive, which is fine since the focus is on the town, not the characters. They serve as vehicles for the 19 stories (and extras). Some characters do experience notable growth, often tied to the town's central theme and its curse.

The stories vary in quality. Some are "mediocre to fine," but these are exceptions. The best delve deep into the spiral's mystery and weirdness, escalating the tension. This mystery is why I enjoyed Uzumaki so much. It kept me hooked from start to finish. Fifteen out of nineteen stories left me intrigued, even if I wasn't scared or creeped out due to body horror not resonating with me. The Lovecraftian dread in the final chapters sent chills down my spine, and the psychological mystery made this an experience I wish I could relive anew.

The artwork... I'm speechless. Ito's skills have evolved immensely, leaving me in awe. He was already good when he started, but from '87 to '99, his improvement is undeniable.

So, yeah... Read it, keeping my points in mind. Don't expect a horror masterpiece that'll keep you up at night, but rather a fun mystery with creepy and bizarre elements, sprinkled with ironic and hilarious comedy.

I believe that among all the manga to read in physical form rather than on your phone, Junji Ito's creations stand out as the ultimate choice. My friend refers to his technique as the "page flip jump scare," where you have no idea what horror awaits on the next page, but once you turn it, you're confronted with something terrifying beyond belief. There were several instances when I gasped or dropped the book simply because I didn't want to be anywhere near what was depicted on the page (much to the annoyance of the only other person sitting nearby in the library). While trypophobia is one thing to fear, successfully making spirals frightening is truly impressive. Two hours later, I left the library feeling slightly horrified and began noticing spirals everywhere...

The story is truly unique. If you're on the hunt for an exceptional horror manga, dive into this one. It encapsulates everything great about the genre, utilizing a beautiful, surreal horror art style. Some chapters may resonate with you more than others; for instance, there are characters I adore and others I despise. However, I wouldn't say there's anyone I absolutely love—they all seem just okay to me. Most characters don’t evoke strong feelings in me either way; they simply exist within the narrative. At times, the storyline can feel somewhat disjointed. Despite these minor issues, though, it remains a very robust and enjoyable series.

Well, that's pretty scary. You would never think before how spirals could be so creepy, and after reading, spirals will never look the same (and seem to be everywhere). You could have known it was good beforehand; after all, it's Junji Ito, he's brilliant.

But I really didn't appreciate the characters; they come off as a little false. And what's the deal with Kirie? It's like there are corpses and dead people everywhere, yet she remains calm. The same goes for her brother; he's too much of a jerk.

The art is pretty good and can genuinely scare you. In some parts, there are super disgusting things, and the art enhances the frightening effect. I like it.

Ultimately, it's pretty good. But it's not the best... it's good and sooo scary, but, I don't know, it's not the greatest. But I really recommend it! If you're easily scared or have stomach problems, though, it might be better for you to read something like Kobato instead. Seriously, it's disgusting. But if you don't have those issues... it's a good story, overall.

This manga WILL make you feel queasy, and the artwork was definitely my favorite aspect. However, when it comes to the "horror" element, I wasn't too impressed. I'll respectfully chalk that up to the author's idea of horror not aligning with mine. Some folks enjoy grotesque imagery and body horror, and they might find this manga appealing. But for me, it lacked that spine-chilling terror I seek in a good horror story.

The initial chapters were gripping as they delved into someone's obsession, with supernatural elements subtly woven in but not yet dominating. However, as the narrative ventured deeper into the supernatural realm, I felt the author's grip on the story weakening. The ending left me feeling...nothing. I wasn't scared, creeped out, grossed out, or even remotely entertained; it all felt rather bland.

As for the characters, I don't know why I expected anything more than two brain cells from them in a horror setting. After a while, I started anticipating the most absurd decisions in every situation, and I was still surprised by how utterly senseless their actions could be.

In summary, if you're into grotesque visuals, go ahead and give it a read. The art is truly impactful, but for me, the rating hinges solely on that. Everything else fell flat.

Uzumaki - 8/10

Uzumaki is a fantastic manga classic that even inspired a live-action movie adaptation. While the film was somewhat lackluster, I believe the manga stands the test of time thanks to its horror genre and the way it employs horror elements to engage the reader. The artwork has a distinct style and boasts an impressive level of detail throughout its pages. Speaking of which, the manga spans 653 pages, including afterwords and a lost chapter. The story is quite good, though the first ten or so chapters feel disconnected, almost like separate tales with the same cast of characters. This can be both a positive and a negative; on one hand, it provides variety and keeps you intrigued, but on the other, it leads to inconsistencies, especially regarding the town's mysterious nature that no one seems to take seriously. The stories themselves could benefit from more atmosphere and tension, but this largely depends on your taste in horror. If you prefer atmospheric horror like Silent Hill and unique world-building, you might not enjoy Uzumaki as much, although you may appreciate the last ten chapters, which I'll discuss later. However, if you favor a creepypasta-esque approach to horror (chapters 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10), which is less atmospheric but more genuinely creepy and relatable to real life, then this will likely be your favorite part. This was certainly my favorite aspect, and if you share this preference, this manga is for you. Even if you don't, I think it's worth checking out just for the artwork and the sheer amount of "weird" it offers. The last seven chapters were significantly less horror-driven and focused more on concluding the story, akin to the first two chapters but without the scares or entertainment value.

The ending, in my opinion, was overly drawn out with minimal substance added to the plot or any additional horror elements. Aside from explaining why the horrors occurred, which wasn't particularly engaging, I would have preferred a more ambiguous or vague explanation rather than one the characters seemingly conjured up. At least it wasn't a happy ending and it made sense within the context of the story.

I wasn't quite sure what to anticipate when I delved into this manga, but now I'm genuinely pleased that I chose to read it at this juncture in my life.

From what I've gathered, "Uzumaki" is Junji Itou's most renowned work, and having experienced it firsthand, I can fully understand why. In my view, "Uzumaki" isn't a horror manga in the conventional sense; rather, I would describe its brand of horror as "artistic." I find it somewhat challenging to articulate, but that's precisely how reading the manga felt for me. In my opinion, this type of horror can sometimes be far more intriguing than traditional horror (if asked whether I'd prefer rereading "Uzumaki" or something like "Signal 100," I'd pick "Uzumaki" every time). As I see it, Junji Ito executes his chosen horror concepts with a unique flair. Instead of forcefully presenting the concepts as scary, "Uzumaki" allows you to experience them in a non-pretentious manner. Obviously, your thoughts might differ after reading the story, so I'll reiterate that this is merely my personal experience.

One aspect I truly appreciate about "Uzumaki" is how much of its horror revolves around body horror. To me, body horror is an often-overlooked subgenre, which is unfortunate because it holds immense potential. Many of us take for granted that our bodies will behave as we expect them to, and exploiting that expectation to generate fear and discomfort is brilliant. The way Junji Ito plays with this concept is particularly enjoyable, especially since his applications range from something seemingly mundane like discovering fingerprints have spirals to something as horrific as bodies melting and twisting together into what resembles a giant ball of worms.

Speaking of spirals: I'm glad "Uzumaki" was my introduction to Junji Ito for two reasons. Firstly, contrary to my expectations, it isn't a collection of twenty individual short stories. Instead, it's a somewhat episodic recount of events in the small seaside town Kurouzu-Cho, seen through the eyes of Kirie, our protagonist. This was a pleasant surprise as it allowed me to really settle into the story. Secondly, there's the theme of spirals, which brings up two points I must discuss. First, I was impressed by how consistently Junji Ito referenced spirals throughout the entire work. Wart-like growths, drilling, whirlpools, dust devils, snails, hurricanes—over and over, I was reminded that this town is cursed with spirals. The dedication to this one, seemingly simple pattern was quite admirable and even led me to rethink my perceptions of the shape! This also leads me to comment on why I think Junji Ito's work is so artistic—it's incredibly creative. Honestly, this creativity was the main driving force behind my desire to finish reading the work.

The second reason I must discuss spirals is due to how I felt while reading "Uzumaki." On page 20 of Chapter 1, Shuichi Saito's father says the following to Kirie's father: "'Mr. Goshima, I find the spiral to be very mystical. It fills me with a deep fascination… like nothing else in nature… no other shape… I’m sure you will understand how wonderful the spiral is!! It is perfect, the most sublime art!'" I find it almost genius how Junji Ito uses the concept of the spiral to illustrate the process of spiraling into madness. Furthermore, this spiral is referred to as mesmerizing by both Shuichi's father and other characters. As I read, I too began to feel drawn into the mystery, down the rabbit hole of this town. Effectively, I was hypnotized by the story of Kurouzu-Cho, and now I find myself constantly thinking about which Junji Ito work I'd like to read next.

To conclude, once again, this isn't classic horror. For that reason, if you go in expecting that, you may not enjoy it. At certain points, it is more tragic and depressing than frightening. However, to me, this work is highly rereadable, and I do expect I will revisit it in the future.

When you think of the horror genre, words like blood, fear, and death may come to mind. Junji Ito takes the concept of horror and twists it into something entirely new, almost beyond recognition.

Notice the abundance of spirals on the cover. These symbols often signify mesmerizing or hypnotic qualities, but Ito transforms this beautiful symbol into a deranged, inescapable nightmare.

Story: 8
Without spoiling the mystery for potential readers, Ito masterfully incorporates his spiral motif by delving into its darker side. With themes such as twisted obsession, phobias turning into terrifying nightmares, and even playing with innocent love, whether romantic or maternal, Ito has crafted something that resonates with everyone's unique fears.

The story starts with seemingly minor suspicious events but progressively dives deeper into the limits of human psychology in a dreadfully consistent manner. Ito guides the reader through the simultaneous happenings within the town of Kurouzu-cho, each chapter capable of standing alone as a high-rating horror one-shot.

Art: 9
The artwork is exceptional for its time. It beautifully (though perhaps an inappropriate word here) reflects the transformations from ordinary life to monstrous outcomes. The heavy pencil drawings add to the gritty nature of the story, highlighting the detailed differences between human characters and other "entities" in the manga.

Character: 7
The protagonist, Kirie Goshima, experiences everything going wrong around her, predictably yet strangely. Her character doesn't develop much compared to Shuichi Saito, who shows significant mental instability from the start. While most characters seem to have little development beyond learning and surviving, this might be because the more intriguing ones aren't the main focus.

Ito introduces various entities Kirie encounters, each with their own stories. However, most are quickly discarded after Kirie flees from them. Still, this adds to the deteriorating world around the main characters, enhancing the overall atmosphere.

Enjoyment: 8
It takes a strong stomach and experienced eyes to truly appreciate Uzumaki's horrific and twisted masterpiece. Some might be turned off by the first two chapters if they can't appreciate the psychological depth without relying on gore.

In my opinion, the best part isn't the ending but how Ito crafts individual stories so well that each becomes increasingly disturbing without losing its essence of making readers feel trapped and unable to escape its gaze.

Overall: 10
I consider this manga a masterpiece in its own right. Even though I'm not a seasoned horror enthusiast, I recognize a classic when I see one. Potential readers should be warned that this isn't your typical blood-and-guts horror; it's a psychological tragedy that will disturb and disgust but ultimately make you feel there's no escape but death itself.