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ratgrrrl's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
5.0
CW: Horror, Body Horror, Mental Breakdown, Obsessive Compulsions, Family Difficulty, Bereavement, Suicide, Hospitalisation
Gloriously ridiculous and ridiculously creepy horror comic about a small town plagued by spirals with each chapter playing out a new bizarre nightmare.
A teenage couple whose families and everyone around them become ensnared in malignant maelstrom, along with the town, act as the throughline and connection to the whirlwind of events. Imagine a Japanese Twin Peaks town hypnotised by spirals with freaky Twilight Zone happenings with a young Mulder who desperately wants to get away (from, like, page one!) and Scully that is skeptical and the resistant to leaving because reasons.
The art and writing are classic Junji Ito stark black and white imbued with so much strange depth and mindbending horrific imagery, and stories that might not seriously scare, but absolutely worm their way under your skin until you are wonderfully creeped out. It is undeniably silly and in anyone else's hands it would just be ludicrous, but Ito has a unique ability to truly commit to the bit and tear right through laughable into a place of goose flesh and shudders.
If it wasn't for elements that, while I don't believe they are intentional or with malice, are somewhat misogynistic and classist this would be perfection. Unfortunately, this is 90s horror and it's hard to get away from the harmful tropes and stereotypes. Thankfully the level is incredibly minor, especially compared to a lot of media at the time, but it's important to acknowledge them.
I absolutely cannot wait to devour more of this series and Ito's work. I really hope the upcoming Netflix show isn't painfully, Death Note movie, levels of bad.
Gloriously ridiculous and ridiculously creepy horror comic about a small town plagued by spirals with each chapter playing out a new bizarre nightmare.
A teenage couple whose families and everyone around them become ensnared in malignant maelstrom, along with the town, act as the throughline and connection to the whirlwind of events. Imagine a Japanese Twin Peaks town hypnotised by spirals with freaky Twilight Zone happenings with a young Mulder who desperately wants to get away (from, like, page one!) and Scully that is skeptical and the resistant to leaving because reasons.
The art and writing are classic Junji Ito stark black and white imbued with so much strange depth and mindbending horrific imagery, and stories that might not seriously scare, but absolutely worm their way under your skin until you are wonderfully creeped out. It is undeniably silly and in anyone else's hands it would just be ludicrous, but Ito has a unique ability to truly commit to the bit and tear right through laughable into a place of goose flesh and shudders.
If it wasn't for elements that, while I don't believe they are intentional or with malice, are somewhat misogynistic and classist this would be perfection. Unfortunately, this is 90s horror and it's hard to get away from the harmful tropes and stereotypes. Thankfully the level is incredibly minor, especially compared to a lot of media at the time, but it's important to acknowledge them.
I absolutely cannot wait to devour more of this series and Ito's work. I really hope the upcoming Netflix show isn't painfully, Death Note movie, levels of bad.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Body horror
Moderate: Mental illness, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
Creepy and visually striking horror concepts and imagerymilica_3's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Death of parent
afternoonlight's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
3.0
wtf did i just read......absolutely weird & disturbing.
great art tho and junji ito seems like such a chill person!
great art tho and junji ito seems like such a chill person!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Death of parent
bgmylc's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Self harm, Suicide, Death, Body horror, and Medical trauma
anne311's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Child death, Death, and Death of parent
ecetufan's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, and Body horror
Moderate: Death of parent
darbo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I'm not a big fan of body horror in the way Uzumaki does it, which is also the main reason I've been putting off reading it since January 2020. Maybe Junji Ito just isn't for me, but in my opinion, it's not worth the read unless you're a huge fan of body horror/Junji Ito. It was alright, but I'm probably not gonna read the other two volumes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, and Terminal illness
kait_sixcrowsbooks's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
No thoughts, only spirals.
Seriously, though, this was the spooky manga I needed, and I can't wait to continue the series!
Seriously, though, this was the spooky manga I needed, and I can't wait to continue the series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, and Body horror
Minor: Domestic abuse
therefugeofbooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Medical content, and Violence
ananamauvais's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
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