I have read a lot of horror short stories and novels. But this time I wanted to read something different and I decided to read a horror manga. Uzumaki by Junji Ito to be precise.
Let me give you a brief spoiler-free synopsis of the book. The story is based in a coastal town that is haunted by a very peculiar thing. A spiral. The story is narrated by a teenage girl. As we move along with the book, the town keeps on spiraling into a weirder and more scary situation.
Each chapter is weirder and more shocking than the one before. The thing I liked the most about this book was its art. The art is absolutely beautiful and detailed. I think that among all the graphic novels and comics that I have read, which aren’t many, Uzumaki takes the top spot when it comes to art.
I did not expect much when I picked up the book. I mean how can a shape be scary? Right? Well, you will be shocked. I appreciate the way Junji Ito has made a shape scary. I wonder how he thought of turning something as boring as a shape into a horrific masterpiece.
One thing that I felt did not make any sense was that with all these events happening in the town, how do the characters remain worry-free? I know this is a story and this is usually how it’s supposed to be, but would some people not decide to escape, while the time is still right?
Just a word of caution, the book can get pretty gory. Junji Ito does not shy away from creating horrific images, let’s just say people can turn into something very disturbing.
The first few chapters set the tone of the book and in the middle, it’s more of an anthology. In the final chapters of the book, the story connects back once more and moves according to a sequence.
There’s some good news for the anime fans as well. Uzumaki is being turned into an anime series by Adult Swim and is expected to release in 2023.
Overall, if you are looking to read something scary and disturbing then look no further. Uzumaki is the perfect book. And makes me wonder, how the other books in the Junji Ito collection are?
Hope you enjoyed reading this post. Please let me know what you think in the comments below. And if you have read this book, let me know what your thoughts are. Also, please do share this post with the people you know.
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