You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
kia_y_k's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
wends_nblw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Uzumaki was beautifully done. The artwork is truly phenomenal; the character's facial expressions were so well done, very lifelike. Also, the story itself was very interesting. I wasn't Quite sure what was happening until the very end. I loved Shuichi, and the love between him and the FMC was so pure. Even the side character's stories were amazing.
The only gripe I have is with the FMC. Why on Earth would she stay in the town? Why wouldn't she insist on her family leaving with Shuichi when she had the chance? Maybe it wasn't very practical, but you know. Other than that, I'm excited to read more of Ito's work. <3
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Bullying
yourstrulyemi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The story at first seemed kind of dull, with the town slowly falling to its demise under the curse of the spiral. But my mistake when I first read it was focusing too much on the origins of the curse and its mechanism when it was never the author's intention to delve more into it, rather leaving the curse of the spiral as something mysterious and inescapable.
It's only when I reached the essay by Sato Masaru, included at the end of the book that I understood that I've read it wrong. The curse of the spiral was meant as a metaphor for the dangers of a capitalistic society, with some chapter eluding to human greed and selfishness. The overall story meant to describe a societal collapse. This information elevated its value in my eyes. So, of course, I wasn't going to put it down just like that, I had to reread it to truly grasp the meaning behind every chapter and discover which vice of the society the author tried to present under the influence of the curse. While some appeared obvious, others required deeper thinking. And some remained totally abstruse, a well known characteristic of Junji Ito's style.
But overall, the societal issues were marvellously well portrayed, even going as far as to show us that some of our reactions to real life events come off as absurd if we think about it seriously. How remaining firmly as you are can save you from being swayed by the pressure put on us by society. How in the end, human love can still be the solution out of the madness created both by curse and the society.
Graphic: Gore and Violence
tobermueller's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Self harm, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cannibalism, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood
coryyalva's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
(would have been a five star read but I was actually super disappointed in the ending)
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Violence, Medical content, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pedophilia and Stalking
euripideez's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
lames's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
belladonnashrike's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.75
I wasn’t scared of uzumaki but that’s more telling about me than it is about ito. the story was certainly creepy as hell but I just never get scared of supernatural or unrealistic horror. anything realistic (or more realistic sci-fi or fantasy even… like the invisible man film really scared me even though the science doesn’t exist) will get me. so I definitely wasn’t disappointed by my lack of fear, it’s very normal to me. the story was definitely creepy though. I would love to pick ito’s brain — what on earth is going on in there?
artistically, ito really excels in body horror & conveying emotion/story through the eyes. the panels containing one or both of those elements are my favorite and have definitely stuck with me. I also think people ignore his comedy when praising him, like of course he is clearly a master of horror but he’s also quite funny if you pay attention!
a little thing that I really enjoyed throughout reading was the little tiny spirals in the background of panels. they’re unnoticeable if you’re not looking, but from the beginning there are spirals in the blades of grass and wood grain - it’s really some fantastic subtle storytelling on ito’s part. as an artist I really loved that attention to detail.
finally, I loved how the story itself was also a spiral… you don’t realize it at first, but when it hits you… damn.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
booksandteatime's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Cannibalism, Car accident, and Death of parent
sarahweyand's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Thank god these panels are done in black and white, although it might be scarier that way. Each page and each panel are so detailed and intentionally placed and drawn, consuming this book was to take in a work of art. Each chapter was unique and horrifying, and the thread that connected them all equally well done.
I don't know what could have made this book five stars, but after I was done I was left feeling tired and kind of icky, like it could have been the beginning of a reading slump if I didn't already have another book I was currently reading. I'm excited and also dreading reading more by Junji Ito.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, and Cannibalism