Gyo (75 Books - XXIX)

If you enjoyed Uzumaki but didn’t think it was gross enough, have I got a comic for you. Whereas in Uzumaki artist Ito Junji only gradually ratcheted up the grotesque horror, in Gyo we encounter a rotting fish whose mechanical legs are powered by farts (not in those exact words, but it’s gas released from the animal’s orifices) within the first several pages. Really, most of what I have to say about Gyo is the same as what I thought of some of the later chapters of Uzumaki.

So, again, the art is detailed and could be gorgeous if it weren’t depicting so many rotting fish (and later, other animals).

The plot is intriguingly absurd, centering around masses of dead fish with mechanical legs coming ashore. Obviously, Ito isn’t taking himself too seriously, but there’s no winking at the audience, and I’m impressed at his ability to create a full graphic novel out of such off-the-wall concepts. One thing Ito doesn’t do in his stories, though, is explain much of anything. Where did these fish come from? There’s a hint, but nothing at all in the way of a full answer. This also holds for the two short stories included in Viz’s (very nice) omnibus edition, though whether this is a problem or not is largely a matter of personal preference.

My main criticism is that Gyo just isn’t very scary. It’s certainly gross, and does have some tense moments that make it serviceable as a horror story, but if you’re interested in reading Ito’s work I’d definitely start with Uzumaki and only move on to this if you really feel like you need more.