Uzumaki

Uzumaki is undoubtedly one of the greatest mangas ever created. Jokes aside, after finally reading Junji Ito's most prominent and groundbreaking works, I can confidently say that his storytelling, along with his command and construction of the page, is masterful and well-deserving of the nominations and accolades he has received. Focusing specifically on Uzumaki, it truly is a grippingly grotesque and spine-chilling manga that teeters on the brink of Lovecraftian horror, refusing to let you go until its completion. Recently gifted the deluxe edition, I found myself unable to put it down, compelled to follow the spiraling story and twisting panels to their end. While not a piece I revisit for fun, I consider it a must-read for anyone interested in all aspects of manga.

Without delving too deeply into spoiler territory, the book centers around a Japanese town called Kurouzu-cho, detailing an anthology of various happenings in the town, primarily revolving around Kirie and her boyfriend Shuichi. Though I am not a fan of horror, particularly body-horror, having avoided Ito's works in the past for this reason and believing his depictions were merely for shock value, I am both pleased and disturbed to find that without Ito's illustrations, this book would likely not be as effective at conveying its story. In fact, both the panels and text work harmoniously to enforce and sell the overwhelming horror presented. The almost annotation-like descriptions of some horrors only make the impossible seem more plausible with each chapter.

While I found this anthology very engaging, each story within is not equally compelling, with some being more interesting and fleshed out than others. However, each has its positives, and Ito's ability to weave these stories seamlessly into the greater narrative is commendable. This interconnection of stories around Kirie makes her feel like a real person living in this demented town, emulating the dread felt by many characters in Kurouzu-cho, creating a unique reading experience unlike any other I've had.

What keeps it from a solid 10 out of 10 for me boils down to personal preference. As I mentioned earlier, while I have great respect for Junji Ito's works and achievements, I cannot ignore the grisly and macabre nature of his creations. Although not the most disturbing work available, it is certainly confronting, and something I wouldn't want to subject myself to regularly no matter how good the narrative. That said, positively, Ito's weaving of Kirie's seemingly disconnected experiences into a cohesive narrative is fantastic. Some stories are revisited later in the book, though a few remain inconsequential to the overall narrative.

Final verdict? Uzumaki is a manga you must read at least once to experience masterful storytelling and narrative composition. While the world-building isn't as meticulous as in larger ongoing series, the blanks and ambiguous portions help sell the sense of existential dread and spiraling insanity felt by the town's inhabitants. It draws you in, and soon your eyes trace the concentric rings of the spiral, already too late as you spiral into Ito's demented narrative, becoming part of the spiral...

Final Verdict: 9/10

"Junji Ito has mastered the art of the spiral."

Story: Words fail to capture the magnificence of Uzumaki. It all starts with one man's obsession that engulfs an entire town. This manga is a compilation of stories featuring the same protagonist in the same setting, some so bizarre they verge on comedic, while others are chillingly terrifying. The core concept revolves around the fixation with spirals, ironically mirroring the narrative's descent into madness as you read on. Even the most rational character begins to lose their grip on sanity the longer they remain in that town. By the end, you're plunged into a world of surreal horror.

Art: The mangaka's artistic prowess shines through his ability to distort the human form in grotesque yet perfect ways. Only someone deeply knowledgeable about human anatomy could twist it so horrifically well. Some pages are filled solely with art designed for shock value, sending shivers down your spine. I found myself wondering, 'How did he even conceive this?'

Character: Character design is also executed brilliantly. We quickly grasp each individual's personality and remember them easily, even if their appearance in the story is brief.

Overall: This story is immensely enjoyable and can be reread multiple times without losing its charm. The manga leaves a lasting impression; every time I see a snail shell, I'm reminded of why he chose the spiral. It's astonishing how naturally occurring the spiral shape is, due to its geometric perfection. While the plot does get far-fetched and silly at times, it serves as a relief from the intense atmosphere of the main narrative.

Uzumaki is a compilation of short stories that ultimately falls short in delivering the horror it promises. It starts off strong, but quickly loses its footing. The initial chapters are genuinely eerie and captivating, yet the subsequent ones veer wildly into absurdity, spinning a tale that borders on the ridiculous. As the "story" progresses and chaos envelops the small town where it unfolds (though composed of separate tales, Uzumaki does have a central narrative and protagonists), maintaining disbelief becomes increasingly difficult. Some moments are laughably poor, while others are simply bizarre (think hair, snails, and flying, just to hint without spoiling).

The artwork is commendable and undoubtedly Junji Ito's saving grace. Even in the weakest chapters, the visuals are striking enough to almost compensate for the numerous shortcomings. Gorey, detailed, or hauntingly beautiful, the art can be a feast for the eyes, though not necessarily for the mind.

The book is certainly a page-turner, but it lacks depth and purpose. The unsettling atmosphere and spirit present at the start are swiftly lost, only to be briefly recaptured in an epilogue about an astronomer’s discovery and downfall. Everything sandwiched between these points remains mediocre. It’s readable and somewhat enjoyable, but far from being a masterpiece.

The story kept me hooked with its imaginative and bizarre events, but the ending left something to be desired—it felt rather anti-climactic. The mystery surrounding the spiral was never resolved, leaving me without answers about what really happened. What became of Mitsuo? Did Kirie and Shuichi ever plan to return for him? Interestingly, despite everyone labeling Shuichi as insane at the start, I found him to be the most rational character.

Regardless, the artwork was excellent, and the story was decent. However, the characters lacked depth. Overall, it was a satisfactory read. I'd recommend it if you're into grotesque mystery horror—haha—but my enjoyment would have skyrocketed if the mystery had been solved, even if the resolution was somewhat underwhelming! I desperately needed closure ;-;

The tale opens with a sweeping vista of the seaside town of Kurozu-cho, instantly captivating the viewer with its art that sets a grim and unsettling mood. This atmosphere perfectly encapsulates the horrifying events witnessed through Kirie Goshima's eyes. Her boyfriend, Shuichi Saito, who studies in a nearby town, senses something profoundly off about Kurozu-cho, urging them to leave before they become ensnared in its mysteries.

This manga diverges from typical horror tropes involving creaky doors, haunted buildings, or ghostly apparitions. There are no self-moving chairs, ghastly specters, or dolls possessed by malevolent spirits. Instead, it is the mundane town itself and its inhabitants—drawn realistically for their age—that become inexplicably fixated on spirals, leading to their doom. It's unsettling how the townspeople adapt so easily to these hair-raising occurrences, justifying their actions with arrogance. Meanwhile, Shuichi stands as the lone voice of reason, reacting appropriately alongside the victims before their untimely ends, despite Kirie herself experiencing the horrors firsthand.

Unfortunately, none of the characters possess any special technology or supernatural gifts to resolve the situation satisfactorily. Thus, like them, we too are immersed in and gripped by the disturbing imagination portrayed with meticulous detail and expression by Junji Ito. The story leaves us thoroughly seized by its haunting vision.

7 - Story:
A common theme in many of Junji Ito’s works is an antagonist that defies understanding or defeat. To me, this makes his villains (if they can even be called that) exceptionally unique. The idea of being cursed by something as simple as a spiral is genuinely terrifying. After finishing the book, I found myself searching for spirals around my apartment and staring at them for a while.
The first chapter is a masterclass in introductions, setting the tone perfectly for what's to come and shocking the reader with some of the most bizarre imagery I've ever seen in a manga. The final chapters are also strong; I appreciated the ending and its bittersweet feel.
If "Uzumaki" consisted only of the first few chapters and the last ones, it would rate a 9, if not a 10. The problem lies in the middle chapters, which feel out of place, lack scare factor, and pull the reader away from the immersion built by earlier chapters.

10 - Art:
There's little more to say about the art except that it's stunning. The author uses the black-and-white medium to his advantage, creating eerie and frightening visuals.

6 - Character (small spoilers ahead):
This might be the weakest part of the manga: the protagonist, Kirie, feels poorly written. She shows no development, remaining ignorant throughout the story. Initially, I thought only those aware of the village's events were affected, explaining her immunity through ignorance. However, even after being "attacked" by the curse early on, she still questions its existence.

9 - Enjoyment:
In terms of enjoyment, "Uzumaki" is very good. When you're not engrossed in the story, you're likely laughing at its absurdity. All jokes aside, even when certain chapters break your immersion, you can still enjoy them as standalone tales.

8 - Overall:
To sum up, there's little else to add beyond what I've already said. Reading this won't be a waste of time; it's genuinely fun and offers a great experience overall.

Let's see... when I started to get into Junji Ito, I always came across this work, the great "Uzumaki" with Azami's photo, where almost her entire face is in a spiral shape... but we're going to touch on some topics that seem absurd to me...

Why doesn't anyone react to the strange events that happen every day? Like, one day, a guy gets hit by a car, they go to the cemetery and open the coffin and the guy or his corpse comes out, chasing Kirie... okay, STRANGE, right? But hey, no, their lives keep going like nothing happens. When we are in the pregnant chapter and something happens in the hospital, AFTER THAT THEY KEEP GOING LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED. That disturbs me a lot; it's like the characters don't give importance to things that are absolutely strange. The only one who can be said to have been worried is Suichi, but he was also...

Do I recommend this work? Yes. But there are some things that I can't understand to say "this is a magnificent manga"... the ending also didn't appeal to me very much, hahahaha, but here it goes, another terrifying Junji Ito's work. I won't continue with my review so you can enjoy the manga =)

GOOD BITS: The artwork is stunning. Junji Ito truly excels in his drawing skills.
The horror can be genuinely terrifying and unsettling. Some chapters are tough to read, especially for someone not very accustomed to the genre.
A few of the mini-stories are outstanding, while most are at least adequate. They are all engaging and quick reads.
Without giving anything away, the ending effectively conveys the characters' emotions and could arguably be considered the best part.
The concept is brilliantly simple yet effective, unlike anything before or since.

BAD BITS: The characters lack depth. They serve primarily to drive the horror, which works well, but don't expect much beyond basic archetypes like "The nice one" and "The insane ones." This might not bother some, but it prevented me from forming any attachment due to their flatness.
The storyline is... decent. It builds up nicely in terms of madness but remains an easily escapable problem until near the end.
Some mini-stories are awful. They become so nonsensical that they lose their scare factor, and even the art starts to disappoint.

OVERALL: Decent. At times, it offers great horror, but the character development falls short, and the stories can become so ridiculous that they lose impact. If you can overlook the weak characters and absurdity, what remains is a solid horror series.

I'm a huge fan of horror manga. I don't find them scary at all; instead, I admire the intricate artwork without worrying about nightmares. While I avoid live-action horror films or shows, anime is perfectly fine for me.

Story - 7
The manga features short stories centered around two main characters in a small town where a recurring spiral symbol appears. The story isn't particularly frightening but portrays victims consumed by the spiral in a pitiful and sympathetic light. Despite being composed of short chapters, the narrative progresses smoothly towards its core. The spiral motif consistently reappears throughout. The lingering message after reading this manga was that the finite turns of the spiral resemble a cycle, much like life's continuous motion and progression.

Art - 10
I genuinely loved the grotesque illustrations of the demented forms affected by the spiral. Although scary for some, I appreciated Junji Ito's meticulous and detailed art style. His unique artistic signature stands out, much like recognizing a favorite singer’s voice. The level of detail in depicting terrified faces and distorted bodies made me wonder how he could conceive such disgusting yet remarkable poses. Surely, these drawings will haunt many readers' dreams.

Character - 7
There was minimal character development due to the story's format of short tales. The primary characters are likable, each with distinct personalities and flaws. One character is overly naive while the other is overly self-conscious, yet their complementary traits drive the story forward. If not for their flaws, the mystery of the spiral would remain unsolved *spoiler* and disrupt the spiral's continuous cycle *end spoiler*. Recurring characters and tragic victims appear briefly.

Enjoyment - 9
Eager to finish the manga, I was captivated by the eerie spirals. Though the ending wasn't spectacular, it effectively served its purpose as a horror piece, leaving me unsettled. It's an enjoyable quick read.

Overall - 8.25
If you're looking for a non-serious but engaging horror manga, Uzumaki is perfect. There's limited story and character development, but if you appreciate well-illustrated visuals, this manga is for you.

Well, I am so sad to give this manga a 7/10, but it deserves it.

Let's Begin

*WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SOME MINOR SPOILERS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK*

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Story 8/10:

The beginning was very good, despite the fact that the sequence of events is rather fast. The story becomes strange and somewhat cheap towards the end. I enjoyed the first chapters, but in the last ten chapters, the work was sadly ruined.

Characters 5/10:

Well, the characters are the biggest flaws in this manga. All of them except Shuichi are problematic. The main character remains somewhat foolish after everything she has experienced. She still doesn't trust Shuichi and missed the chance to escape from the city right from the start. As for the rest, there's no need to elaborate on them.

Events and Dialogues 6/10:

As mentioned before, the events are quite rushed, and the dialogues feel repetitive. There's nothing particularly engaging for the reader. Some chapters lack genuine scares, and the writer gives us no reason to care for the characters, always finding illogical ways to kill them off. The worst part in the last few chapters is giving characters absurd abilities like storm creation or close combat skills. I'm not saying the work is bad, but these additions detracted from its quality. Unfortunately, I liked the concept, but it was somewhat ruined by these elements.

I'm one of Junji Ito's biggest fans. I didn't intend to criticize the author or the viewers. This is just my personal opinion. Please respect it, and sorry for my broken English.

Thanks for reading this review.

I have mixed feelings about this manga. It's truly fascinating yet disturbing. Certain scenes are etched into my mind, and they still give me the creeps even though I read it three years ago. Junji Ito is indeed the master of horror manga, crafting a unique storyline with mesmerizing yet terrifying art. He employs both psychological and physical elements to evoke fear. Every scene is unpredictable, keeping you on the edge of your seat.

I enjoyed the first half until something started bothering me and ultimately ruined the experience: the lack of realism in the main character. She witnesses traumatizing events and scenes but remains unfazed? Her boyfriend is paranoid, sensing the village's danger and its effect on people's sanity.

Spoiler:

She sees her boyfriend's dad spiral into a grotesque shape, and even the fumes from his cremation form that exact horrifying scene. That's a scene straight from hell. But wait, there's more—she watches her brother's friends, who are kids, get burned alive right in front of her. And then, she sees the guy who had a crush on her, who's dead, rise from the grave, bouncing while his organs fall out. Yet, she acts as if nothing happened?! She continues as if everything is normal. I would've been like, okay, maybe the village is manipulated or something. But her boyfriend keeps telling her every time he sees her to get the hell out of there! That really bugged me. I wish she had been more realistic and logical, even just a little bit. Because it really took me out of the story.

An iconic and seminal piece within the horror genre, this was the first work by Ito that I ever picked up. Ito masterfully intertwines the spiral motif with the escalating paranoia of the town, crafting a myriad of grotesque and terrifying creations. There are scenes that will stay with you long after you've finished reading; those snails still haunt me to this day. While it ultimately cannot maintain its chilling atmosphere, pacing, and intrigue throughout, with the final portion feeling somewhat flat, I see this as more of an inherent issue within the genre rather than a flaw specific to this work or Ito's writing. In my opinion, this stands as Ito's best work and the pinnacle of the horror genre in manga form.