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A review by sarahweyand
Gyo by Junji Ito
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Junji Ito might be the only artist who can get me to read and enjoy manga. Uzumaki was a favorite of mine this year, so I went ahead and bought Tomie and Gyo as well, so this is my section exposure to him. And it was very, very good.
I will continue to praise Ito's use of space and the page as a physical tension builder for the reader. I love being afraid to turn the page to see what beautiful horror he's created on the other side. This is especially true here because Gyo is big on body horror. As in, physical "EUGH" reaction body horror. This is a weird and nasty little tale.
The illustrations, as always, are vivid and immaculate in their horror and detail. As a very visual reader with no internal monologue, these panels really pull me in and envelop me into the story - which, of course, means much more visceral reactions to everything. I thought the premise here was intriguing and the evolution of the plot was well though-out and executed. I do wish we had gotten more of an explanation about the legged creatures; many times I'm okay with ambiguity but a plotline for answers was explored but never fully concluded. The ending was good but not my favorite, and while I loved how Uzumaki had some broader themes about the human condition, those were more absent here.
All in all, a quick and fun read, but Uzumaki reigns supreme for Junji Ito so far.
I will continue to praise Ito's use of space and the page as a physical tension builder for the reader. I love being afraid to turn the page to see what beautiful horror he's created on the other side. This is especially true here because Gyo is big on body horror. As in, physical "EUGH" reaction body horror. This is a weird and nasty little tale.
The illustrations, as always, are vivid and immaculate in their horror and detail. As a very visual reader with no internal monologue, these panels really pull me in and envelop me into the story - which, of course, means much more visceral reactions to everything. I thought the premise here was intriguing and the evolution of the plot was well though-out and executed. I do wish we had gotten more of an explanation about the legged creatures; many times I'm okay with ambiguity but a plotline for answers was explored but never fully concluded. The ending was good but not my favorite, and while I loved how Uzumaki had some broader themes about the human condition, those were more absent here.
All in all, a quick and fun read, but Uzumaki reigns supreme for Junji Ito so far.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Gore