: Critics at Ready Steady Cut questioned the decision to open the series with this specific tale, describing it as a "family drama masquerading as light horror" rather than one of Ito's more terrifying concepts.
The first episode of the Netflix anthology series , titled " The Strange Hikizuri Siblings: The Séance " , premiered on January 19, 2023. Directed by Shinobu Tagashira, it adapts a story from Junji Ito’s manga collection Lovesickness . Plot Summary: A Dysfunctional Séance
Critics and viewers have offered mixed reviews on the episode's effectiveness: Itou Junji: Maniac - Episode 1
: Infuriated by the deception, Kazuya confronts Shigorô. Unexpectedly, the youngest sibling, Hitoshi, becomes the vessel for the actual spirit of Gozo. Real ectoplasm erupts from Hitoshi, chasing the terrified siblings until it retreats back into the father's grave. Cast and Creative Team
: During the ritual, Shigorô appears to be possessed by their deceased father, Gozo, and even vomits "ectoplasm." However, the physicist quickly discovers the substance is merely udon flour—the entire séance was a staged trick to impress the guests. : Critics at Ready Steady Cut questioned the
The episode features a prominent voice cast for the bizarre siblings: : Takahiro Sakurai (JP) / Jonah Scott (EN) Kinako : Romi Park (JP) / Karen Strassman (EN) Shigorô : Hajime Iijima (JP) / Brock Powell (EN) Narumi : Risa Shimizu (JP) / Kayli Mills (EN) Hitoshi : Ayaka Asai (JP) / Laura Stahl (EN) Misako : Tomoko Kaneda (JP) / Corina Boettger (EN) Critical Reception
: While the art style remains faithful to Ito's original designs, some fans on Reddit felt the colorful and smooth animation lacked the unsettling, gritty atmosphere of the black-and-white manga. Plot Summary: A Dysfunctional Séance Critics and viewers
: Some reviewers from The Review Geek noted that the quirky humor sometimes undercut the horror elements.