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The basic idea is terrifying and original. The obsession with spirals as a curse gradually invading an entire city—bodies, minds, environment—is a powerful and unsettling concept, very well executed.

• The horrific atmosphere, blending body horror, psychological horror, and cosmic horror, is precisely what makes the work memorable. The grotesque, disturbing aspects often leave us feeling like we're walking a tightrope between fascination and disgust.

• For the anime adaptation: the black and white visuals are quite effective—they recall the manga's style and reinforce the sinister atmosphere.

• A few striking scenes remain effective: when the horror erupts, the mix of sounds, movements, and disturbing images can truly ... create a feeling of dread.

The narrative (especially in the anime) is sometimes too compressed: a manga spanning several hundred pages has been adapted into very few episodes, resulting in a very fast pace—sometimes too fast. This reduces the gradual build-up of fear, thus diminishing the horror's impact.

• Similarly, some events, characters, or traumas don't always seem to have significant consequences for the characters. After horrific traumas, the reactions are sometimes weak or inconsistent.

• The anime adaptation loses some of the depth and underlying unease that are the manga's strength: when everything moves too quickly, certain metaphors or the psychological breakdown aspect lose their effectiveness.

• The shock and gore effect can become repetitive: for sensitive viewers or readers, it can descend into macabre nonsense—the narrative interest can be diluted in favor of the horror spectacle.

The idea of ​​adapting several of Junji Ito's stories into short formats is appealing: the series brings together around 20 original stories from his work, offering a diverse overview of his universe (horrific, surreal, and strange).

• Some episodes—when handled correctly—manage to recreate a disturbing, macabre, even horrific atmosphere. The psychological horror, unease, absurdity, and grotesque elements typical of the author can shine through.

• For a viewer unfamiliar with the original work, the series can be enough to provide a first introduction to Ito's universe. Several stories stand quite well on their own, with enough strange atmospheres to leave a lasting impression.

The main problem stems from ... the adaptation: the visual style (color animation, simplified drawings) seems too polished or sanitized to do justice to the manga's highly detailed, dark, and grainy style. Many feel this diminishes the original horrific visual impact.

• The "anthology of short stories" format presents pacing issues: some stories feel rushed, others seem incomplete—the endings appear abrupt or unsatisfying, which detracts from the dramatic or horrific impact.

• The inconsistency is significant: the quality varies enormously from episode to episode. Some stories fail to make an impression, others are compelling—but overall, there is a lack of coherence in both the terror and the structure. • Finally, for devoted fans of the source material, the adaptation may seem “disappointing,” as it fails to capture the depth, texture, atmosphere, and visceral horror that are the hallmarks of Junji Ito’s art.

Junji Ito Maniac isn't a bad series per se—it's watchable, some of the stories work—but it doesn't reach the level of horror, density, and power that Junji Ito's manga delivers. It suffers from a contrast between its ambition (adapting numerous stories) and the production constraints (color animation, short format, and shifting pacing).

Junji Ito: Collection is an animated anthology that adapts different chapters from the works of the famous horror manga artist Junji Ito. Each episode offers one or more independent stories, each blending psychological horror, the grotesque, the absurd, and unease.

The series directly adapts the manga's stories, but often in a simplified or abridged way.

Ito's horror relies heavily on extremely detailed and disturbing illustrations. The animation doesn't always manage to reproduce this graphic intensity.

Strengths:

• Very faithful storylines, few deviations.

... • Some scenes retain Ito's characteristically bizarre and unpredictable atmosphere.

Weaknesses:

• The lack of visual polish reduces the horror impact.

• Several iconic drawings appear flat or underdeveloped in the animation.

This is generally considered the series' weakest point.

The animation is:

• stiff,

• sometimes minimalist,

• lacking fluidity or strong visual impact,

which weakens the suspense and the shock factor. The animation team seems to have attempted to remain faithful to Junji Ito's style, but without managing to recreate the depth, shadows, or extreme expressions that are the strength of his artwork.

The series remains a very uneven anthology: some stories work well thanks to their inherently strong concept, while others lose all their impact without the power of the original artwork.

Stories that work best:

• “Fashion Model”

• “The Long Dream”

• “Sōichi” (a favorite among those who enjoy dark humor)

Less successful stories:

• Those relying too heavily on visual body horror

• Those requiring a highly developed atmosphere

Overall, this isn't a scary series, but rather a strange and sometimes amusing glimpse into Ito's horror ideas.

The series will appeal most to:

• fans already familiar with Junji Ito,

• those who enjoy anthologies,

• those curious to discover his stories without reading the manga.

It may disappoint:

• fans of high-quality animation,

• those looking for a truly terrifying horror series,

• fans hoping for an adaptation faithful to the manga's visual impact.

The Tomie OVA captures the unsettling essence of Junji Ito’s work, but struggles to maintain consistency in tone and pacing. The series explores the story of an immortal, manipulative woman whose beauty drives people to madness, an idea both haunting and fascinating. Unfortunately, the adaptation rarely achieves the same psychological intensity found in the manga.

Visually, Tomie delivers moments of eerie atmosphere through muted colors and unsettling framing, yet the animation quality fluctuates sharply. Some episodes build genuine dread, while others feel rushed or oddly subdued. The sound design and voice acting help elevate tension but can’t fully compensate for weak transitions and uneven direction.

The horror ... lies more in concept than execution — fans of Ito’s grotesque themes will find moments worth appreciating, but newcomers may find the storytelling too fragmented and emotionally distant.