Episode 2 of "Uzumaki" unfolds with Kirie at school, where a dramatic entrance is made by Kateyama, a student whose back bears an Uzumaki – a spiraling pattern that begins to expand, mirroring the shell of a snail. Elsewhere, in the secluded confines of an abandoned shed, Yoriko and Kazunori, two lovers entangled in each other's embrace, witness a mesmerizing sight – two snakes, coiled in a mating ritual.
Later, Kirie and a fellow student are startled by a classmate's romantic overtures, his intentions sending shivers down their spines. The town of Kurouzu-cho is shrouded in a eerie atmosphere, as residents opt for burial rites over cremation, the smoke from the latter twisting into eerie spirals that target only them.
On her way back home, Kirie stumbles upon Yoriko and Kazunori, their love story caught in the crosshairs of familial animosity, reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet. The lovers, determined to escape the town's toxic grip, seek Kirie's help in their bid for freedom.
Later in the day, Kirie and Shuichi visit Shuichi's mother in the hospital, where Shuichi reveals the grim reality affecting Yoriko and Kazunori's neighborhood – the Uzumaki curse, a malady that drives its victims to crave attention to the brink of destruction. He also notes the remarkable growth in Kirie's hair, a detail that seems almost foreboding.
The following morning, Kirie's hair begins to twist into enchanting spirals, a transformation that her classmates initially attempt to tame with braids. Yet, in the classroom, the braids unravel, revealing curls that defy control. The students are then horrified as they witness Kateyama slither up the windows, his eyes elongating and his body metamorphosing into a snail-like creature.
After school, Kirie seeks refuge in a salon, hoping to shed her spiraling mane. But her hair, seemingly alive with a mind of its own, refuses to be tamed. At home, it turns rebellious, choking her in a fit of anger for her attempt to alter its natural form. The next day, Kirie returns to school, her captivating curls now a source of fascination. Tsumura, the bully who once tormented Kateyama, finds himself inexplicably drawn to the Uzumaki's allure.
Outside the school gates, Kirie witnesses the teacher trying to convince Kateyama's parents of their son's tragic transformation. But the parents, unable to grasp the bizarre reality, refuse to believe such an unprecedented explanation for their child's disappearance.
The subsequent day, as Kirie treads her way to school, she encounters the boy who harbors a deep admiration for her. To demonstrate his alleged love, he deliberately throws himself before a speeding vehicle, his body entwined around the tire, ultimately leaving him drenched in blood and devoid of life. Upon arriving at school, Kirie discovers that Tsumura has undergone a bizarre transformation, now resembling a snail. When confined in a cage alongside another snail, Kateyama, they engage in mating.
Later, another classmate, adorned with similarly spiraled hair, challenges Kirie. Their hair, seemingly possessed, engages in a fierce battle until Shuichi arrives, swiftly severing Kirie's hair, thereby rescuing her. Meanwhile, the other student wanders aimlessly through the town, craving attention, until her hair entwines itself around an electric pole, resulting in her tragic demise.
The snails manage to escape their confines, and as Shuichi and Kirie make their way back, they witness their teacher ruthlessly destroying the eggs of Tsumura and Kateyama. The teacher elucidates that snails lack a definitive gender, shocking Kirie to her core.
In a panic, Yoriko and Kazunori arrive, fleeing for their lives as their parents have discovered their plans to elope and are hot on their trail. Kirie and Shuichi lend their support, aiding them in their escape towards the beach. However, the lovers are eventually apprehended. Refusing to be parted, Kazunori twists his body in a manner reminiscent of mating snakes, with Yoriko mirroring his movements. Together, they intertwine their bodies and plunge into the ocean, disappearing from sight.
The following day, Kirie observes the townsfolk wandering in endless circles. At school, her teacher too undergoes a transformation, resembling a snail. Following her brother, Kirie finds herself near the lighthouse, the scene of a recent shipwreck. Five experts had been dispatched to investigate the lighthouse, yet none had returned.
Mitsuo, Kirie's brother, and his friends rush towards the lighthouse, scaling its towering heights. Kirie joins them, only to find the staircase spiraling endlessly into the unknown. Along the ascent, she encounters charred, lifeless bodies. At the summit, they discover the lighthouse lens distorted and warped. As the sun begins its descent, Kirie urges the children to descend swiftly, but the lens catches the sunlight, causing the lighthouse to radiate intense heat. One of the children is incinerated in the blaze, while Kirie and the others appear to be consumed by the inferno.
