Warning: potential spoilers for Uzumaki

Junji Ito is one of the greatest, most well-known figures in horror, boasting classic manga titles like Tomie and Uzumaki, the latter of which has received an anime adaptation that debuted in September 2024. Being an avid horror fan myself, Junji Ito's name was constantly brought to my attention long before I began reading manga. And as I ventured further into the medium, I made sure to give Uzumaki a try, expecting my mind to be blown. Once I finished, I could only think one thought: that it was just alright.

To be truthful, I just didn't really get it. The art is some of the best I've come across to this day, and while the monstrously deformed horrors were effectively unsettling, something just wasn't coming across to me. I went on to read Tomie and felt largely the same about it that I did Uzumaki; great,...