Siren topic guide
Which Chapter Has the Siren's Scariest Scenes? Following the Story Through the Original Posts
The Siren's most iconic scary scenes appear in Volume 8, Island Arc (Siren Arc), from "Siren and Mermaid" to "Protect the Island." From the pursuit on the water to the village and cave, the rope bridge, and the curry-based showdown, we follow the flow through the original posts on X.
The iconic scary scenes can be read in the five chapters of Volume 8, Island Arc (Siren Arc)
The Siren's iconic scary scenes are not confined to a single chapter; they span Volume 8, Island Arc (Siren Arc), across "Siren and Mermaid," "This Is Bad," "Let's Search!!," "We Got Separated," and "Protect the Island." If you are looking for the final showdown, the latter half of "Protect the Island" is the landmark, where the Siren, having eaten curry, turns red in the face and even her song falters. If you want to read in order from the pursuit on the water, it starts with "Siren and Mermaid," where she chases the small boat with red eyes.
The type of fear also shifts from chapter to chapter. On the water, it is the fear of being pursued by an enormous being; in the village, the fear of not knowing who will be targeted; in the cave, the fear of how the captive is handled with cold detachment; in the forest, the fear of escape routes being taken away by vines and a broken bridge. At the end, the Siren suffering from the spiciness and the fleeing islanders appear in the same frame, so the attacker and the terrified are not simply fixed roles. Following across chapters, even the carriers of fear shift: the color of her eyes, her mouth, the vessel, the vines, the tail. It is a long chase drama in which the adorable song reverses into a signal of tension.
"Siren and Mermaid": Red Eyes and the Pursuit on the Water
The scene that leaves the strongest impression on the water is when the Siren emerges from the surface in front of Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi in their small boat. Up to that point, the three had been singing along with a small Mermaid's song, but when the giant Siren's eyes turn red, the atmosphere changes in an instant. The three try to push off with their oars, and the Siren pushes through the water after them. Eventually a wave lifts the boat high, hurling all three into the air.
Because the small Mermaid and the giant Siren appear side by side on the same water, the difference in scale comes across without any explanation. The smallness of the Mermaids floating nearby makes the red eyes and the sheer size of the body parting the water all the more striking. That the three grip oars rather than weapons and choose to flee first is also a move that plainly shows the scale of their opponent. It is a vivid opening to the terror, rushing in one stroke from a peaceful chorus to the crisis of pursuit and capsizing.
"This Is Bad": The Search for a Culprit Turns into an Attack on the Village
Around a campfire, the Siren says that one of her Mermaid companions is gone, and that the three can no longer pick bugs off her body while singing in chorus. When Hachiware mentions remembering talk of someone eating a Mermaid, suspicion turns toward the island's residents. In another post, a bit of book trivia includes a rumor linking Mermaid flesh to eternal life, revealing that self-interest may be entangled with the disappearances. The more understandable the reason for her grief, the harder it becomes to stop what follows—a structure that heightens the tension.
In "This Is Bad," the Siren appears at the village with the Mermaids on her head, and something small that appears to be an islander is visible at her mouth. The Mermaids also report that someone came out of the village, and the three begin to think through the clues. While everyone around flees, Rakko asks whether she is searching for the culprit, and the Siren answers to the effect that she will keep eating until someone comes forward. Because even those who may be uninvolved are put in danger, the rage of losing a companion turns into an indiscriminate threat on the spot. You can sympathize with the reason yet cannot accept the action; that dissonance makes this a chilling chapter.
"Let's Search!!": The Vessel in the Cave and the Vines That Block Escape
In the cave, Rakko is bound with vines and suspended in midair, and in a nearby white vessel two small figures are soaking in a brown liquid. Even as Rakko screams for her to stop, the Siren gives only an absent reply and places a lid on the vessel. She then draws Rakko closer, inspects her body, and—after confirming something is missing—opens the vessel to check how the flavor has soaked in. The gap between the crying and screaming on one side and the workmanlike movements of her hands is the quiet horror of the cave.
In the forest, when the Siren encounters the search party, she jumps to the conclusion that Chiikawa and the others have brought the culprit and cheerfully begins to sing. But as it becomes clear their intent is different, her expression changes; black shadows and giant leaves appear around them, and plants rapidly grow to surround the group. The scene of negotiation turns directly into a space with no escape, leaving no time to think of a next move. Cheerfulness and danger sit side by side within the same figure, making for a scene of striking instability.
"We Got Separated": The Rope Bridge and the Escape Using Candy
Separated from her companions, Chiikawa steps out of the dim undergrowth onto a rope bridge, where the Siren seizes her along with a sound like singing. Chiikawa jams the jagged tool she was holding into the Siren, who cries out in pain and lets go—but the bridge is already damaged, and progress requires choosing spots where planks remain. Even after escaping the giant hand, the footing is on the verge of collapse, so the moment of rescue does not lead to safety; that is the harsh part.
On the hill, the Siren and the Mermaids above her head raise their voices and notice Chiikawa and Hachiware lying low. Chiikawa rummages through her pochette (shoulder bag) and throws a candy wrapped in paper. In the instant the Siren's eyes chase the flying candy, Chiikawa dashes off to the opposite side. Against an opponent she cannot beat head-on, it is an escape that buys a few seconds with a small tool and food. Before the cuteness of the quick thinking even registers, the tension of being pursued again rises.
"Protect the Island": The Showdown Where Song Collides with Curry
In "Protect the Island," the Siren sings with a Mermaid on her head, while Chiikawa, Hachiware, Usagi, Rakko, and the Shisa prepare to use curry. When Usagi charges in raising a giant ladle, the Siren, while saying she has no intention of forgiving them, nonetheless accepts the dish. The first curry is pronounced delicious, and she even asks for rice. Her reaction—enjoying a life-or-death scheme as a meal—is a moment that turns overwhelming disparity in power into laughter.
The companions look for a chance to use extremely hot chili peppers, and while trying to weaken the Siren's momentum with song, deliver the curry once more. Having eaten it, the Siren's face turns red, her eyes roll, and her voice falters—but afterward she flails her giant tail while wailing. Seeing an islander struck by the tail, she too freezes with a hand over her mouth, and those around scream and flee. When Shimajiro calls through a megaphone for the attack to stop, sobbing comes back from the darkness. Anger, pain, and surprise replace one another in quick succession, leaving an expression that cannot be contained in the role of a villain.
Fan Theories: Is the Scary One the Siren, or the Cornered Islanders?
Among Japanese fans on X who saw the movie, some posts describe as scary the scene near the end where the cornered islanders approach the Siren, who is suffering from the spiciness, carrying weapons. Another post offers the view that the composition of the weakened being surrounded was like a game of kagome, and that the islanders—drawn without individual faces—swarming with mob psychology felt eerie. At least in the impressions we could confirm, the target of fear does not point only at the Siren.
There is also a theory that the Siren only stopped by the island, and that the islanders offering food in welcome was the turning point that kept her there. This is one fan's personal reading of cause and effect. Even so, the view that the act of fearing a being and giving her food shaped the later relationship shakes the simple good-versus-evil framing of the showdown. With the violence of the giant being and the pressure of small beings forming a group lined up like mirrors, it leaves an aftertaste characteristic of the Island Arc (Siren Arc).
Frequently asked questions
In which chapters of the original are the Siren's scary scenes?
They are in Volume 8, Island Arc (Siren Arc): "Siren and Mermaid," "This Is Bad," "Let's Search!!," "We Got Separated," and "Protect the Island." If you're looking for the curry showdown, it's "Protect the Island."
Which chapter has the scene of the Siren chasing Chiikawa?
The scene chasing the small boat is in "Siren and Mermaid," and the scenes chasing Chiikawa on the rope bridge and the hill are in "We Got Separated."
Why does the Siren attack the islanders?
Because one of her Mermaid companions disappeared and she suspected someone on the island had eaten her. Her statement that she would keep eating until the culprit came forward shows how dangerous the attacks were.