The following contains spoilers for Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre Episode 1, “The Bizarre Hikizuri Siblings: The Séance,” now streaming on Netflix.
As Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre unfolds, fans are able to experience many stories from the Japanese horror master. Ito is famous in the East and West alike for his unique spin on the genre, dissecting the usual suspenseful tales of poltergeists, to more intricate character studies involving possessed women like Tomie.
In this particular anime anthology, one of Ito’s most intriguing families also get airtime: The Bizarre Hikizuri Siblings. The series dissects “The Séance” chapter of their manga, occurring in the wake of their parents’ deaths. And in the process, it unravels a comedic family drama; while this does feel like a bit of the scare factor is removed, the haunting essence of their tragedy remains intact.
Maniac’s Séance Has Shigorô Becoming Possessed
This chapter details Kazuya’s crush on a photographer, Sachiyo. He preys on her love for arts and mystery, inviting her over to experience ghosts at home. His siblings buy in to it, working a séance to contact the dead. Given that they lost their parents, it’s quite plausible someone would be chosen as a medium — or so they rationalize it.
It ends up being Shigorô, who’s used by their father, Gozo. He scares everyone, letting them know he’s still in charge from the afterlife. But seeing as he can’t physically be there, he wants them to treat Shigorô like a king. The fact he spills family secrets and throws up ectoplasm definitely leaves Sachiyo a believer. However, the boyfriend she brought along, Sawano, annoying Kazuya, takes a sample back to his lab as he’s a tad skeptical.
Maniac’s Séance Reveals Shigorô’s Lies
In time, Sawano’s results reveal it’s flour — Shigorô’s been faking it all along, which results in Sachiyo chiding Kazuya. The eldest is left angry as hell over how they’ve all been manipulated into becoming Shigorô’s servant. Admittedly, it’s a smart move as Shigorô didn’t garner much respect. Oddly enough, his ego got the best of himself, as he runs another session to trick Misako into thinking she’d speak to her dead mother — playing on that psychological tension Ito loves shaping.
But as Kazuya returns and loses it, the middle sibling in Hitoshi actually becomes possessed by their father’s ghost. He berates everyone, including a Kazuya who desecrated his grave when he felt Shigorô got anointed. As the father returns to the Earth, the siblings are left scared, realizing spirits are indeed real. Hitoshi, though, is left rubbing his eyes, unaware he was the host for Gozo — a statement on how everyone ignored him, abused him, and how no one even considered him for the inheritance.
Now, it’s funny watching them all scamper and recoil, creating a duality that draws more sympathy to the home. While it undercuts the horror, these lies and squabbles make the family quite relatable, human and engaging. Hopefully, Netflix does another Maniac volume and expands on their journey. There’s a lot more fun — as well as terrifying moments — to mine now that the siblings have seen the supernatural veil lifted.
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