Uzumaki by Junji Ito – Horror Manga Review
A Nightmare of Spirals in the Spirit of H.P. Lovecraft
Oct 20, 2009
Uzumaki literally means "spiral" or "whirlpool" and that is precisely what the manga is about. It is easily the quintessential horror manga; truly terrifying and readily accessible. Spanning three absolutely frightening volumes, Uzumaki follows Kirie Goshima and her paranoid boyfriend, Shuichi Saito as they experience Kurozu-cho's unhealthy obsession with spirals.
Volume One
The first volume introduces the terror gripping Kurozu-cho through the tragedy that befalls Shuichi's family – the suicide of his father and subsequent madness of his mother, both caused by the recurring image of spirals. The manga continues with several other spiral-related vignettes including a Romeo and Juliet-like story about two lovers who twist themselves together, hair with a mind of its own that sucks at the person's life, and the truly disturbing tale of a scar on a girl's forehead that develops into a spiral that swallows things whole.
Volume Two
The second installment starts with the story of "Jack-in-the-box", a boy with the habit of jumping out in front of people who continues to do so even after dying in a car accident. Then some of Kirie's classmates develop strange spiral markings on their backs and eventually turn into giant snails. In a two-part story, Kirie experiences the horror of being stuck in a hospital with pregnant women who feast on blood and their newborns who wish to return to the womb. A story about a mysterious lighthouse and a typhoon that stalks Kirie round out the rest of volume two.
Volume Three
Following the destruction caused by the typhoon in volume two, Kurozu-cho is in shambles. If things could not get worse, more people are turning into snails and people are discovering that they can create deadly tornadoes with just the sound of their voice. As Kirie and Shuichi try to escape they find that a mysterious force keeps them from leaving. Meanwhile the town has been rebuilt in the form a spiral labyrinth. Kirie and Shuichi travel toward the center of the spiral town where they find a underground cave filled with spirals and the former inhabitants of Kurozu-cho.
Junji Ito's Art Style
Junji Ito has a distinct drawing style that is easily distinguished from other artists. His characters look real enough and his settings are rich with detail, but it is when matters shift toward horror that he really shines. His art style is beautifully grotesque, especially the way he draws eyes and facial expressions, capturing a real sense of terror.
Uzumaki was first released in the USA by Viz Media in 2002, but was rereleased in 2007 with new covers. The manga has also spawned a live-action movie in 2000.
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