Maniac - Episode 1: Itou Junji:

[Megathread] [Junji Ito Maniac] 1. The Strange Hikizuri Siblings

Critics and viewers have offered mixed reviews on the episode's effectiveness: Itou Junji: Maniac - Episode 1

: 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. [Megathread] [Junji Ito Maniac] 1

: 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. : Some reviewers from The Review Geek noted

: Some reviewers from The Review Geek noted that the quirky humor sometimes undercut the horror elements.

: Kazuya, the self-appointed head of the household, invites a photographer named Sachiyo and her physicist boyfriend to witness a family séance.