Why Uzumaki by Junji Ito is the Creepiest (and one of the Best) Manga I’ve Ever Read

Uzumaki is the kind of manga that quietly crawls under your skin—and stays there. Here’s why Junji Ito’s masterpiece is still my all-time favorite horror manga.

⏳ Estimated Reading Time: 3–4 minutes

If you’re even slightly into horror manga—or just things that leave you unsettled in the best way; you’ve probably heard of Junji Ito’s Uzumaki. It’s not just my favorite Junji Ito manga, it’s my favorite horror story, period. From the spirals to the town’s slow collapse into chaos, this manga is gorgeously creepy, weirdly beautiful, and somehow even scarier every time I reread it.

1. The Story: When Spirals Attack

• Set in a cursed town obsessed with spirals

• Small, strange incidents build into total, inescapable chaos

• How the horror is slow, creeping, and inevitable

2. The Art: Beautifully Terrifying

• Hyper-detailed, atmospheric drawings

• Character expressions that feel disturbingly real

• Panels that make you stop, stare, and then wish you hadn’t

3. The Vibes: Dark, Dreadful, and Weirdly Beautiful

• It’s scary without jump scares; just mounting dread

• The entire town feels like a character itself

• You start noticing spirals everywhere after reading it

4. Why Uzumaki Is Still My Favorite

• It doesn’t just scare you; it sticks with you

• The art and atmosphere are unmatched

• Junji Ito’s ability to turn something simple into complete existential horror

Should You Read It?

• Love horror? YES.

• Want to question basic shapes forever? YES.

• Prefer your manga light and fluffy? Maybe not.
  

If you suddenly find yourself suspicious of your plants’ spiraling vines after reading, congratulations; you’re experiencing Uzumaki exactly as intended.

Ashley’s Overgrown Shelf Rating

Rating: 🌿 5/5 Overgrown Vines

Vibe Check: Unnerving, beautifully drawn chaos that spirals straight into your nightmares (and bookshelf).