Uzumaki

However, when you're fortunate enough to have a partner who understands your unique tastes in entertainment, such recommendations come easily.

Uzumaki is bizarre, sometimes horrifying and disturbing, yet at other moments laugh-out-loud funny. Its artistic vision is so distinctive that you wish no film adaptation existed, especially not from American studios.

As with many 'horror' stories, Uzumaki has its share of plot holes that can be challenging to overlook, potentially detracting from the overall experience. Nonetheless, akin to a good horror narrative, it’s also incredibly captivating, making you race through the series in no time.

While I wouldn't readily recommend Uzumaki to newcomers, I believe every long-time fan of manga should give it a read. Even those who aren’t fans of horror can appreciate its unparalleled vision.

I've always steered clear of horror, but I decided to give this manga a read because it's so popular and widely discussed! My impression was completely different from what I expected. It's not your run-of-the-mill horror genre.

The story is probably unique and philosophical, considering the entire fiction revolves around a "spiral" shape. Even though I'm not typically into horror, this story stands apart in its approach to scary stuff.

The art is simply fabulous!! It's what made this manga truly shine!! The art style perfectly accentuated the creepiness and weirdness of the story. Not only that, the whole artwork is incredibly detailed, making certain elements stick in your mind! The spiraling humans, spiraling hair, spiraling grass—everything was executed flawlessly!! Hats off to the part where Shuichi's father curled himself into that round box!!!

As for the characters, there wasn't much to deeply care about since new elements kept popping up in every chapter. But Kirie, whom we saw the most, was well-crafted. She was so strong-willed. As for Shuichi, the author did an excellent job explaining his psychological instability after being exposed to all the bizarre happenings and how his family and even the town were destroyed by the spirals. He comes across as very observant. However, the depiction of the psychologically unstable behaviors of the "caught up by the spiral" characters was just outstanding! Like Shuichi's father, that girl with the spiraling hair (whose name I forgot), and those people who got so obsessed they turned into snail-like creatures @_@

I thoroughly enjoyed it! And considering how paranoid I am, I think the creepy elements will haunt me for quite some time.................

In any case, I got to see just how great Junji Ito sensei's work is, and I'm glad I checked out this manga!!

Happy Halloween! As of writing this, I've read this to celebrate Halloween because why the hell not?

To start, this is my first horror manga. I don't know much about horror manga. Not only that, a week prior I had watched my first horror movie. I don't know much about the horror genre, so I will be looking at this through the perspective of a manga, not how well it plays the genre.

It was really good in the beginning. I loved how it consisted of multiple different but interconnected stories about the town and the curse of the spirals. I thought it was genuinely scary and I did get pretty freaked out reading it. Unfortunately, near the end, I was kind of turned off.

I think it was around chapter 12 or 13 where it started to go downhill for me, from an 8/10 to a 7/10. Still, I kept reading.

It got a bit better near the end, and the ending I thought was interesting, but definitely could have been better. However, it was definitely not as good as the first two volumes.

The characters were okay. The only good one was the main girl whose name I've already forgotten. The boyfriend was just "It's the spirals, you're gonna die because of the spirals." Every damn chapter and it got annoying by the second volume. I liked his parents though; they had cool stories.

Overall, 7.5/10. Read this manga, I thought it was good.

Very poor characterization and narrative. Exceptional mood and art.

There were panels that were genuinely unsettling, which is difficult to achieve given how desensitized people are in the internet age. The creator manages this feat at times without resorting to gore or sexual themes, showcasing a deep understanding of the human psyche, which deserves commendation.

The characters' actions remain an absolute mystery, so much so that their unbelievable behavior detracts from the enjoyment of the comic. Despite incredibly horrifying events unfolding around them, the characters react with such minimalism that I found myself ignoring the dialogue to simply appreciate the art.

I believe he should have compensated for his weakness as a writer by making each chapter a standalone piece and focusing on his strengths instead.

Despite its heavy flaws, I would still recommend this work because the good aspects are truly outstanding.

This is likely one of the few manga reviews I'll ever write, and it's my first because I felt compelled to share my thoughts on a horror manga like Uzumaki.

In my view, this manga had significant potential with its mysterious plot and somewhat likable characters, but it squandered all that with poorly executed chapters and frequent disregard for how horror should work.

The plot of Uzumaki can be summed up in one word: confusing. It starts off intriguingly with some fascinating dialogue and other great horror ideas. However, as the chapters progress, the disappointment only grows. The entire spiral concept introduced at the beginning becomes nonsensical in many parts. A chapter begins, and the spiral element is thrown in without any development or surprise factor. Worse yet, towards the end, not much makes sense anymore, turning the whole conclusion into more confusion. While I appreciate media with unconventional endings, this one feels like the result of a messy plot.

Let's discuss the characters next; this part will be brief since there's not much praise to offer. From the first chapter, the characters were likable and interesting, but serious development was absent because time was wasted on pointless spirals and related elements. The lack of character growth becomes glaring towards the end when the story shifts more towards action-adventure rather than horror.

The clear highlight of Uzumaki is its art style. Some panels by Junji Ito are genuinely beautiful to look at and effectively capture the essence of spiral horror. The art was used nicely in appropriate places and moments, but even that couldn't salvage the manga from its shortcomings.

The enjoyment derived from this manga is mixed and plot-dependent. I enjoyed certain chapters, especially those at the beginning and middle, feeling hopeful that things might improve towards the end. But no, we got the same repetitive spiral lore that eventually became tiresome.

Overall, I find Uzumaki disappointing in several ways, mainly due to its confusing plot points and underdeveloped characters. The art style was what I loved most about this manga, but even that couldn't save it from the mediocre aspects I mentioned throughout this review. Junji Ito seems like a horror expert who knows his craft well at times, but overall, Uzumaki doesn't showcase his skill and mastery of the genre adequately.

Final score: 6.3/10

I consider myself a great lover of manga and have read countless titles. However, none have impacted me as profoundly as Uzumaki.

The story begins subtly in a village where a man becomes obsessed with spirals. As the narrative progresses, this obsession spreads throughout the entire village, drawing you deeper into its unsettling world. Junji Ito's ability to transform mundane objects into terrifying elements is truly remarkable. His art style is distinctive: scenes are light and simple during normal moments but become horrifyingly realistic and grotesque during the horror sequences.

Typically, when you read a book, you merely glimpse into its world. But when I read Uzumaki, the world within the pages seemed to seep into my own reality. This manga doesn't just scare you into staying awake at night; it changes you, even if only slightly. I first read Uzumaki four years ago, and to this day, I still get chills whenever I see a snail.

Manga artist Junji Ito is renowned for his exceptional horror manga, with "Uzumaki" being one of his most celebrated works. The series spanned three volumes from 1998 to 1999 and has since become a classic. In honor of October, I decided to dive into it.

"Uzumaki" narrates bizarre events occurring in a small Japanese town. These incidents are depicted through mostly separate stories, all observed by the central character, Kirie. However, Kirie isn't the only link between these absurd cases; they all share a connection to spirals.

The story begins with traditional horror themes as people close to Kirie become entangled with various spirals. For the first half of the manga, each chapter presents a different tragedy involving spirals in unique ways. Spirals manifest in numerous forms, from snails and tree trunks to hurricanes and fingerprints.

These tales aren't realistic, featuring plot holes like why everyone doesn't flee the cursed town. Yet, they provoke thought with intriguing concepts and an unsettling tone, largely due to the disturbingly beautiful art style.

While "Uzumaki" tackles fearsome themes, it never quite becomes terrifying. The story oscillates between upsetting scenes and ones that verge on hilarious. This blend of obscure comedy makes one wonder how intentional it is.

Around the second half, the narrative shifts. Conflicts carry over from chapter to chapter, introducing an overarching story with heightened stakes. Surprisingly, this felt like the weakest part, as the previously nightmarish tone gives way to intense, action-packed sequences that don't complement the original story's strengths.

Luckily, towards the end, the pace returns to its origins. The conclusion fits the narrative perfectly, tying everything together. However, given the varied spiral elements introduced earlier, I felt more of these could have been reintroduced as relevant plot points near the end.

The manga would benefit from more thematic and plot consistency. Additionally, the main character could use more personality, making her reactions to the strange events less neutral.

In summary, "Uzumaki" is worth reading if you're looking for something unconventional, focusing more on exploring themes through bizarre situations than realism or plot coherence. Traditional horror fans might find it too amusing to take seriously as a frightening experience.

Uzumaki was the second work by Junji Ito that I read, after seeing one of his first works (Tomie). I wanted to explore something more critically acclaimed. Similar to Tomie, Uzumaki didn't unsettle or disturb me as the author typically intends; instead, it entertained me. It was fascinating to witness how creative this guy is, presenting a macabre spiral in so many diverse ways—it was genuinely amusing. However, I felt the manga resembled generic horror films. It was like watching a horror movie casually. In fact, perhaps this is the magic of Ito's manga. Despite thinking his manga are average, it's undeniable that I enjoyed the ones I read.

Uzumaki: Spiral into Horror by Junji Ito Without giving away too many spoilers, the manga revolves around a seemingly normal high school girl named Kirie Goshima and her boyfriend Shuichi Saito in a small Japanese town. The setting is relatively ordinary by today's standards. Set in the late 20th century, the story begins on an average day at school. As with any narrative, something peculiar needs to occur - here it manifests as an obsession with spirals. This fixation drives the plot forward. The manga incorporates numerous philosophical perspectives and draws inspiration from typical conflicts that might arise during school life and other events. The "spiral" punishes people but also causes extensive collateral damage, perhaps serving as a metaphor for life's fairness? While the story includes these elements, it doesn't do much more than introduce grotesque scenarios that end similarly in most chapters. With 19 chapters, you don't need to read many to understand everything since once the "horrific" elements are established, adding another doesn't significantly enhance the story; it becomes a side note. Rarely are the story and its elements reintroduced or made relevant again beyond their introductory chapter. The story aims for realism while featuring highly unrealistic characters. Story - 7/10 As for the art, it is quite impressive. The primary reason I picked up this manga was because of the amazing art. The style is unique and visually pleasing. Some panels felt redundant, while others could have been expanded. For instance, four panels showing a centipede moving in the same direction adds suspense, but it's a minor detail I'm nitpicking. Fantastic art - 9/10 With two main characters, Kirie and Shuichi, both experiencing horrific and obscene events, one would expect significant character progression, particularly descending into insanity. However, Kirie remains unfazed. She only cares about those close to her, like immediate family and Shuichi. Perhaps it's not that she doesn't care but rather has a mentality of "nothing can be done" or "it cannot be helped." Throughout the story, she often says "no" and leaves, which happens multiple times. It feels as if her personality resets at the end of each chapter, carrying only memories without emotional impact. While terrifying, it is frustrating to read. Shuichi experiences some initial progression but stagnates until he re-enters the plot near the end. He acts as the voice of reason, using past observations to predict future events. His biggest mistake was not abandoning his girlfriend and leaving, supposedly driven by love, though the story lacks convincing evidence. The dynamic between the two main characters is sometimes poor. They've been together since middle school, yet their dialogue is weak, often involving Shuichi explaining things repeatedly. There's little interaction between them over 19 chapters. Shuichi could have played a more significant role. Other characters are similar to Kirie - screaming "AIEEE" when something happens and then back to school in the next chapter. They never mention past events again. Speculating that all could be a product of Kirie's mind proved wrong; instead, nobody seems to care, or they grieve off-screen before returning to school. Characters - 3/10. I wish Kirie showed more so it wouldn't feel anyone from that school could have been the protagonist. I enjoyed it decently. Not my first time seeing such grotesque scenarios, some new, others inspired by folklore or movies. I appreciated the art and found the story nice at times, despite lacking cohesion and scenario details. The last few chapters suffer from what I call "raw mashed potatoes." I hoped Junji Ito would reveal something unexpected like aliens, but alas, I was disappointed. Enjoyment - 4/10 The art and mysterious main plot kept me engaged, but the characters and their interactions were poor. Overall - 6/10. I recommend it as a quick read, especially for those who appreciate the art.

Uzumaki is definitely an intriguing experience. While I can't say I fell in love with it, I can certainly appreciate its merits. It feels like Junji Ito had a moment of inspiration, thinking, "Spirals are pretty bizarre," and then threw a bunch of random ideas together to create this manga.

The story's biggest weakness, or more accurately the characters, is where Uzumaki falters. Kirie isn't exactly a compelling protagonist. I understand that her actions aren't always meant to be logical because she's accustomed to all the weirdness by now, but it's hard to feel much for her since she comes off as somewhat one-dimensional. Shuichi is the only character who seems grounded, but at some point, you start questioning everyone's motivations. He frequently mentions leaving town but never actually attempts it. Of course, he can't because there would be no story, but it feels arbitrary that he doesn't even try, especially since he brings it up.

There isn't much else to say about the manga, except perhaps that the ending—the last five chapters or so—feels disconnected from the rest and almost like a different story. However, it does provide a satisfying conclusion for Shuichi and Kirie.

Some chapters hit better than others. The first three are probably the peak, and it doesn't really get any better after that, mainly because they directly impact the characters without blowing the stakes out of proportion. That’s when the manga succeeds most as horror, relying on the fear of the unknown. Once you understand the mechanics—spirals are bad, Kirie's always in danger, and the chapter's character dies by the end—the tension diminishes. Especially since you're not really rooting for Kirie; you're just along for the ride to see the crazy stuff happening around her.

All that said, I still think it's worth experiencing for the art alone and the fun concepts Uzumaki plays with. You might not become fully invested in it, but the artwork more than makes up for it.

This remains my favorite work by Junji Ito. Every aspect of this series, from start to finish, serves as a masterclass for what most horror manga should strive to achieve. I'm thrilled that it's receiving a well-deserved anime adaptation, as many people are bound to fall in love with this series. The story revolves around the curse of spirals that takes over the small coastal town of Kurouzu-cho in Japan. It's not just about spirals appearing everywhere; while that is part of it, what makes it more intriguing and terrifying is how the spiral manifests and haunts the town and its inhabitants. Throughout the narrative, it becomes clear that even something as simple as a spiral can become far more horrifying than you might imagine. This is an incredible horror manga, and if you enjoy horror, you absolutely need to read it.