I think it stands well on its own. I think Junji Ito upped his game with this one. The curse is only window dressing. They could honestly lead normal lives even with the curse. They could even exploit it for the sisters to stay young.
The true horror here is how fucked up the family was. If the mom didnt suddenly go mad and start peeling, if the sister didnt blindly follow. And the ending was a karmic horror of their own making. That some truly terrifying shit and, in my opinion, some wonderful storytelling.
I think it stands well on its own. I think Junji Ito upped his game with this one. The curse is only window dressing. They could honestly lead normal lives even with the curse. They could even exploit it for the sisters to stay young.
The true horror here is how fucked up the family was. If the mom didnt suddenly go mad and start peeling, if the sister didnt blindly follow. And the ending was a karmic horror of their own making. That some truly terrifying shit and, in my opinion, some wonderful storytelling.