Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre is a horror anime TV series by renowned horror manga artist Junji Ito. The series has 12 episodes, each with a runtime of around 25 minutes.
Netflix’s description of the series reads:
From the mind of horror manga maestro Junji Ito comes a spine-tingling selection of some of his most bizarre, disturbing and terrifying tales.
– Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre Review Does Not Contain Spoilers –
Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre starts off quite tame. However, soon, Ito’s horrible imagination comes to haunt us and keep us awake at night. With 12 episodes, obviously, there are some that are better than others. However, I must say that every episode either horrified me or made me laugh.
With no boring episodes to test our patience, this horror show is an absolutely deadly watch! Each episode starts off innocently enough, wherein you’d expect something somewhat horrifying. But then it gets down to business so seriously that it feels like a shocking slap to the face to push you off to a horrible place.
Most of the series does not explain the concepts that it introduces. Sometimes you are left wanting more answers that you will get, but they still make for interesting watches. If nothing else, the ambiguity is what will keep you hooked to go to the next episode.
Almost all of the episodes in Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre have two stories in them, making for two very different flavours of watches. Every episode is different but, to be fair, I loved the single features simply because they get so much time to actually breathe and give us a satisfying ending without spoiling the whys and hows.
I think shows which don’t give any explanation for the craziness on-screen are the best to watch, but are, of course, not for everyone. The series, as it mentions in the title, is surrounding the macabre – death and the complexities of the human mind. There are just so many unique concepts in the series that you will feel dizzy after a 12-episode binge.
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I am sure selecting a favourite out of this is going to be very difficult for everyone. If I had to choose, they have to be Tomb Town, Layers of Terror and Hanging Balloon. Two are 25 minutes, and one is a part of a two-parter. However, there are some very short entries that will also truly leave an impression on your mind.
This one is for people who love watching something truly grotesque that makes you think whether this can be something that can ever be possible in reality. Maybe they can be; who knows? Regardless, the series will remind all horror lovers of the scary animes of the past that you might have grown up watching. There’s an air of despair and shock that continues throughout the runtime, whether or not the stories are able to scare you truly.
Summing Up: Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre
The horror anime series is fun and interesting to watch, albeit quite disturbing sometimes. Some of the stories are way better than others, while some leaves you feeling meh. Regardless, this is a solid entry that will make you think, and I had a swell time watching it.
Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre is streaming on Netflix.
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Uhhhh okiess, i watched the two first eps, the first one DO NOT EAT WHILE WATCHING THAT, second eps: better but WHY HES SISTER HAD TO DIE, and then they escaped trought the tunnel WHERE WAS THE CAR THE USED IN THE FIRST PLACE?!?
I hope stupid things like that in the other 10 eps, going to try maybe one or two without falling asleep, or its SO OVER,
3,5 forthis just a bit creepy/ silly looking ghost and demon, so far boring,
A solid 2.1 from my wive
Im at eps 3, oh lord its getiing worse to look at, big head ballons, okies but there is so many of them its getting stupid, could the instead of just hanging people do stuff like: trying to eat random people with their mouth, hunting people like attack on titan stuff, *chomp chomp* …..*yawns*….im going to bed my night is ruined anyway,
And that dad that lived with the girl and her mom, brother, HOW STUPID WAS THAT?!? he has to go to work and do PAPERWORK?!? Well that was the last drop for now, maybe watch one day im reeeaally bored, oh yeah new score: 1.5
TIPS for floating heads with rope: take with you a sharp knife of siccors to cut the rope without damage the head itself.