A new horror series, eagerly awaited and based on a renowned graphic novel, has made its debut on Channel 4.
The four-part animated series, available for free streaming in the UK, comes half a decade after its initial announcement.
The spine-chilling series of episodes, based on a top-selling Japanese anime, depicts a small town tormented by a disturbing curse.
Authored by Junji Ito, one of today’s most innovative manga writers, Uzumaki is a must-see for horror and anime enthusiasts now that it’s finally available for streaming.
Presented by Adult Swim, this is one horror event you won’t want to miss in the lead-up to Halloween.
TV show based on ‘the most horrifying book of all time’ streaming free
Ito’s terrifying anthology comprises 16 stories centred around the town of Kurouzu-cho, where a group of teenagers are haunted by a series of bizarre and horrific events revolving around spirals.
Upon its original publication in Big Comic Spirits in 1998-1999, Uzumaki received glowing reviews and has since cultivated a strong cult following, being widely acclaimed as one of the most frightening comics ever penned. One fan recently lauded it on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “Just thinking about how Junji Ito’s manga UZUMAKI changed my f***ing life.
“One of the most brilliant works in horror that I’ve ever read… it consumed me. The slow descent into absolute madness was so thrilling in a way I feel I’ll never experience again.”
“Started and finished Uzumaki this past week and it’s gotta be one of the greatest pieces of horror I’ve ever read,” another added.
“Nonstop disturbing imagery and tales of spiraling paranoia from start to finish. Incredible s**t from Ito.”
The graphic novel is widely considered a masterpiece of horror
Another admitted the manga was “the scariest book I’ve ever read”.
“I was 13-14 and very new to horror, had never encountered an art style remotely like his before, etc. It took me AGES to finish bc i was literally afraid to turn the pages!”
The book also has a strong following on , with one devotee describing it as “one of the scariest things I’ve EVER read. My goodness, does Junji Ito go the extra mile to draw some disturbing stuff.
“Seriously, I can’t really remember a horror story that has gotten so under my skin, I feel nasty just thinking about it.”
Another agreed, replying: “I was in the same boat as you. I started reading Ito’s work with Uzumaki, and was profoundly disturbed. It’s still the only book I’ve ever had to stop reading because I had to take a few minutes to process what I had seen.”
A small town is plagued by an unsettling curse
“Nothing to date has ever had that effect on me, and I’ve come to the point where I’m pretty much scraping the bottom of the barrel in terms of horror.”
And a final fan commented: “I usually don’t get afraid of horror movies and don’t really scare easily. Uzumaki is different, like a deep terror.”
“Some parts are so f***ed and twisted (literally), but you can’t help but want to view it like a car crash.”
Do you have the guts to tune in?
Uzumaki is available to stream on Channel 4.