Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Longbox of the Damned: Uzumaki vol. 2



Longbox of the Damned 02 ‎

32 comments:

John said...

I'm a bit sad you (presumably) won't ever do an actual AtFW episode on Uzumaki--it had an interesting and bizarre premise, but then devolved so hard into such utter crap and tedium that I'd be very curious to hear your full commentary on it (having more comic-reading experience than I and at least a different perspective).

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"I'm a bit sad you (presumably) won't ever do an actual AtFW episode on Uzumaki--it had an interesting and bizarre premise, but then devolved so hard into such utter crap and tedium that I'd be very curious to hear your full commentary on it (having more comic-reading experience than I and at least a different perspective)."

You pretty much get my actual commentary from these and I was talking about it on twitter. Most of them are really good aside from a few that are not scary or are just downright silly. The last volume was really good, too, until the final part which was just disappointing that THAT was what we had been leading up to. It's not the reveal of what was under the town, but the final fate of Kirie is just... "Really? We followed her for all this time and then just... really?"

Cory of PRIVATE Corp said...

On the second day of October for the second episode of the second season of Longbox of the Damned, we're looking at the second volume of Uzumaki? Wow that's a lot of 2s there... Coincidence!

Mosquitoes... why? Why do they exist?

The ClockWerk Critic said...

Probably shouldn't have seen this while having my breakfast. After having read volume 2 of 'Uzumaki', I almost upchucked when you brought up the mushrooms.

LucasChad said...

Ah the memories of last November's live show when everybody was laughing and screaming at the horrific images. To put it bluntly, that story was dumb but disturbing!

Megan said...

Oh god, the mushrooms scared me. So did what the women did to obtain the blood. Oh...and the babies...they want to go back to where it's nice and warm...and one doctor obliges...

The Snail-what happens to the teacher in the end.... *shivers* Though I have to admit, it was rather poetic justice after what he did.

" The last volume was really good, too, until the final part which was just disappointing that THAT was what we had been leading up to. It's not the reveal of what was under the town, but the final fate of Kirie is just... "Really? We followed her for all this time and then just... really?"

Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Volume 3 had some really disturbing imagery(there's parts that give a whole new meaning to 'crowded conditions' and the Peeping Tom...urrgg..), as well as some pretty goofy moments-"Don't move, or you'll create a tornado!", the "evil" kids The idea of time moving differently was good, and the fate of Mitsuo was tragic, but in the end, Kirie just...gives up. She doesn't even attempt escape. It makes me wonder how the story got out to begin with.

Linkara, if you do Volume 3, will you discuss the Lost Chapter? Also, any plans to do any more of Ito's work?

Doresh said...

@Lewis Lovhaug:

"You pretty much get my actual commentary from these and I was talking about it on twitter. Most of them are really good aside from a few that are not scary or are just downright silly. The last volume was really good, too, until the final part which was just disappointing that THAT was what we had been leading up to. It's not the reveal of what was under the town, but the final fate of Kirie is just... "Really? We followed her for all this time and then just... really?""

Yeah, the ending is not necessarily great. It seems that Junji Ito is best when he leaves his stories open-ended and doesn't try to explain too much. Especially Uzumaki had too much crazy stuff happening all over the place (with some parts never really brought up again) for a proper conclusion.

Still, the journey to said end is still worth it. Even in his weaker stories (like Jack-in-the-Box), he always delivers very creepy and disturbing tales.

Movie-Brat said...

Hot damn, I remember that jack in the box live show. Whoa. That was literally a year ago, go figure.

That snail story looks wicked cool and gross like David Cronenberg's The Fly, I love that! :D

By the way, if I may ask; what's that tune you always use for the Inked Reality logos for these videos?

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"By the way, if I may ask; what's that tune you always use for the Inked Reality logos for these videos?"

Haven't a clue. I think I got it last year on Amazon and it's part of an hour-long collection of sounds and music labeled "Horror Sounds of the Night."

Movie-Brat said...

"Haven't a clue. I think I got it last year on Amazon and it's part of an hour-long collection of sounds and music labeled 'Horror Sounds of the Night.'"

Ah. Okay, thanks anyway.

Movie-Brat said...

If you don't mind, a bit of an update.

You were right. Thank you so much for this. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZDaEG7l9K8

It's at 1:03.

jay said...

nice job, keep it up

Bekah said...

AHHHH NO NOT THE SNAILS EEWWWWW I can never forget about what happened to the poor people who turned into snails later... *shudder*

Djiinnrae said...

I love Junji Ito, but, if I may say so, I think some of my favorite stories from him are in the "Tomie" series (even though they slow down toward the end after you start understanding her character more) and the one-shots without ongoing themes. One of my favorites is "The Long Hair in the Attic."

I think one of the downsides to Junji Ito's work is that when he's wrapped up in a planned theme, the shock, suspense, and creep factors tend to wane by the end of the series. The "Itou Junji Kyoufu Manga Collection" series is really good partly because there's no build up to an ultimate connective cause or climax. The first two volumes are just "Tomie" stories, but after that they are all one shot stories!

Not all the "Uzumaki" stories may be scary, but they sure were inspired and a visual trip, in a way.

Anonymous said...

Okay then here was episode 2... I still don't know what to thing about the Longbox of the Damned. I like the whole idea of it but something just makes me feel hollow inside. Your acting and voice over are quite over the top but I guess that is spouse to be that way. The thing that really grinds my gears is the accent you use ... As a Hungarian - American I kindda find that offensive even racist. Please be an equal opportunity offender and do some Jim Crow voices once in a while to... you know, just to be equaland all. :P

Gareth said...

"I hear Linkara did this one for a live show"

Thank you! I had forgotten that you did that issue/chapter/whatever for a live feed but I knew that I had seen that story somewhere before and being unable to recall where I had seen it was really, really annoying me, like when you have a song on the tip of your tongue or you can't remember that one person's name.

Meiriona said...

Oh sweet merciful Eris this is the mosquito women one. I very nearly stopped reading. My gods.

People. Beware the mosquito women.

Sophie said...

You seem to have WAY too much fun with this and I enjoyed every minute of it ^_^

I think I have an explanation for the jack in the box story "Vampire" staking.

You may or may not be aware that Japan didn't HAVE vampires as a concept really until western culture penetrated it. As such, the closest demons they had were known as "Jiyangshi" or hopping corpses (which might be Chinese in origin). If I'm not mistaken (it has been a while) the bodies would be on poles to hold them up in transport and would sometimes bob up and down on the cart rides to their burial place, making some people thing they were alive.

The Jiyangshi appear in some games, including Castlevania. In the inverted Library of CVSotN there are "Scarecrows" which are essentially hopping impaled corpses. And a Jiyangshi is actually a boss in Order of Ecclesia.

They tend to be adorned in ancient Chinese robes due to their origin, and were originally the word used in association with the Western vampire. "Blood Drinking" Jiyangshi, because they weren't associated with drinking blood. I'd say they were closer to zombies originally... but a lot of this is going on memory. Can't wait to see more :)

Unknown said...

I don't really do too well with horror manga, but I might be willing to give this one a try.

Information Geek said...

Volume 2 of Uzumaki is where I think the series is at its strongest, but also its weakest.

By strongest, this is where we get the creepiest and most disturbing tales. The hospital two part like you mentioned. Very freaky and very memorable.

However, this is where the weakest part also lies. You have to wonder at this point, why no one leaves. I mean, the whole hospital incident, the snails, the hair fight from the previous volume, etc. No one leaves until the hurricane hits and that just confuses me.

Plus, we also hit plot holes. The ending to hospital two parter? Kirie saying she has no idea what happened after escape? How can you possibly not know what happened afterwards?! No one in the town talked about the incident?! Speaking of which, what did your parents think when you came home in the middle of the night or what about your extended family, asking or telling you about what happen to your cousin?! You really don't know at all?! Shenanigans, I call upon them!

Still, it was a decent volume, but I read better horror manga like Higurashi and Umineko (amusing written by the same guy). However, the writer of Uzumaki did release a pretty sweet collection of stories called Flesh Colored Horror or something. Much better stuff, even if the title story was more odd than scary.

Unknown said...

Uzumaki is so damn weird!

And a bit gross.

Fun Longbox though :)

Also, I'm not asking about the mushrooms, because I'm guessing from some comments, ew.
@dragons_dusk

Anonymous said...

Something I've been wondering. How did you time that rifling through comics bit to the music? Did you have to do multiple takes?

Hmm. I realize you choose what you review, but can I bring to your attention the Higurashi/When They Cry manga? I only went through a bit of the first volume but visually it seems a match for its terrifying animated counterpart even without the horrible power of the awful laughing.

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"Okay then here was episode 2... I still don't know what to thing about the Longbox of the Damned. I like the whole idea of it but something just makes me feel hollow inside. Your acting and voice over are quite over the top but I guess that is spouse to be that way. The thing that really grinds my gears is the accent you use ... As a Hungarian - American I kindda find that offensive even racist. Please be an equal opportunity offender and do some Jim Crow voices once in a while to... you know, just to be equaland all. :P "

Well, if it helps, I'm not trying for a Hungarian accent. I'm not going for any specific nationality with the accent. I describe him simply as "European."

Anonymous said...

amazing episdoe Linkara, I do have one question. whats the name of LOTD's theme song? I want to use it for a few things and I Don't know the name of it.

Anonymous said...

Hey Linkara, whats the name of the theme song you use for Longbox? its really epic and I would love to know the name.

Ozaline said...

Hmm I've been getting ads lately from blip but none for your longbox vids, weird.

That snail story looks pretty interesting.

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"amazing episdoe Linkara, I do have one question. whats the name of LOTD's theme song? I want to use it for a few things and I Don't know the name of it."

It's called "Halloween Church Hunt."

Anonymous said...

As I said when Linkara reviewed that story, the vampire in this one actually does act a lot like a Chinese vampire; considering this story is from Japan, it's reasonable its target audience would get that.

Leor said...

I'm not sure if this makes a difference (since I haven't read Uzumaki), but male mosquitoes don't suck blood, only the female ones. Female mosquitoes need to digest blood in order to produce their eggs. Which is creepy enough as it is, when you think about it.

Doresh said...

@Leor:

Oh, don't you worry. This does play a role in the story - in more ways than you might expect *muahahahahahaaaa*....

Anonymous said...

For those wondering what the musical theme is, it's Bach's Toccata in D Minor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toccata_and_Fugue_in_D_minor,_BWV_565).

As for Ito, I think Uzumaki is the best of his horror works. The Tomie stories are hit or miss, and Gyo just gets weird and silly instead of scary. The basic idea that sentient bio-mechanical bacteria are fusing themselves to dead fish in order to create cybernetic monstrosities powered by the rotting gasses might have worked, but none of the characters are interesting and the plot doesn't go anywhere. There's some cool images with the zombie cyborg sharks and such, but little more than that.

MarvelFan said...

I'm sure its been said before, but I'll say it again :-):

Years ago I saw the movie "Uzamaki", I had no idea that it came from a manga series (although I should have known; it seems like a lot [if not most] of anime starts as manga first, so why not the occasional movie?).