Juon Vol. #01

By Jarred Pine     April 20, 2006
Release Date: March 29, 2006



Creative Talent
Writer/Artist:Miki Rinno
Translated by:Matthew Johnson
Adapted by:

What They Say
Ju-On: Video Side is the manga adaptation of the Japanese horror movie that spawned an enormous franchise in Japan ... and inspired a blockbuster Hollywood remake!

This chilling tale of murder, secrets, and revenge centers on a home and the ugly events that transpired there. The place now has new owners, but there is a vile presence that permeates the building and pollutes every surface.

What wickedness set off this unstoppable angry spirit? Why has its bloody grudge infected the home and its inhabitants? In the spirit of The Ring, Ju-On delivers a dark warning of a cursed spirit and the corrupting influence it has on the living.

The Review
If there is one thing I learned from Ju-On: Video Side, it's that kittens are most definitely evil. Now I know why my dogs bark like mad at those devilish fur-balls!

Packaging:
Great piece of cover art here, definitely making it quite clear that this title lies in the horror genre. The cover has a matte finish, keeping all the Japanese logo and creator text in kanji in place with appropriate English translations on top or nearby. The print reproduction looks quite sharp and the paper used is a very bright white, heavy weight paper that makes the binding a little stiff, but I didn't have trouble with text close to the binding. There are no extras.

Art:
The character designs are quite rigid; featuring those squared-off, pointy jaw lines the characters appear blocky. There is not a lot of background art, and what little is there is fairly average looking material. On the positive side, there is some nice panel direction that highlights the creepiness factor by concealing events in a way that leaves it up to the reader's imagination. There are a couple instances of some gruesome artwork that will shock you. Since shock is a critical piece to horror, it works well here.

Text/SFX:
SFX are translated using subs; the placement mostly out of the way of key art, with a couple exceptions, and the size is okay but could have been a tad smaller. There is a little bit of clutter in a couple areas. The English script reads well, a little dry at times but overall a good job.

Contents (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
For those who do not follow J-horror, Ju-On was originally a very successful live-action movie that eventually became a Hollywood remake as The Grudge. Having not seen either the original or the remake, I went into this title hoping to gain an interest in seeking those movies out. However, as is usually the problem with movie to manga adaptations, there is also the risk of getting a digest version of the original story. While the Ju-On: Video Side manga did peak my interest in the movies, it does suffer from some of those aforementioned problems.

From what I have been able to find out about the live-action movie, it was well acclaimed for its minimalist directing style and terrific eerie atmospheres. In this manga adaptation, there definitely is an attempt made to recreate that eeriness--starting the book off with a horrific murder scene, a newscast about a dismembered body, and talk about a funeral. There is an unexplained curse that seems to be taking this small neighborhood by storm.

The story follows the Murakami family, new residents in a new home with a dark history--the site of a brutal murder. As you would expect, yes, the home is cursed. The Murakami family is not the nicest family in the world. The siblings are mean to each other, the youngest daughter insults her mother and tutor, the mother is a pushover, and the father is bull-headed. The nasty personalities make it very hard to develop any attachment with characters, which could possibly be a good thing as the kill rate is near 100%.

As far as the horror aspect goes, the story mixes both the psychological and the physical. The panel direction does a nice job at keeping a creepy atmosphere without showing a lot to the reader, letting their imaginations run wild with the horrific events unfolding in front of them. There are a few instances of some pretty graphic mutilations, including death by ferocious kittens! However, despite the creepiness and shocking artwork, the pace of the title is quite brisk and I never really became invested in the storyline or its characters. It becomes more of a race to see everyone get their due and how they were going to receive it.

There are also quite a few questions raised that are never quite answered, either because the manga is relying on movie knowledge or perhaps just never explained. For instance, if the curse is on the house, how can the spirits kill the family members when they are at school? How are they able to move out of the house? The past of the dead family who curses the house is also brushed over without much detail. The ways the deaths are carried out are also a little too elaborate.

Comments
Ju-On Video Side is a bit of a disappointment. The pace is a little uneven, details are brushed over, and the characters are quite unlikable. That said, I thought the panels did a nice job at trying to reach that eeriness factor that many enjoyed with the movie. Cleverly drawn panels hide a lot of the details in the graphic death scenes, leaving it up to the imagination of the reader. The physical horror is pretty gruesome at times; even if a little too elaborate. Dark Horse's production is good on the title, although I have definitely seen better from them.

Having not seen the live-action movies, I cannot comment on the continuity between the different titles or how they compare. I will say that it did entice my interest in seeking out the movies for some good late night viewing. And I always knew kittens were evil!