The only slow part I found was the romance section but everything else was on point for me. I swear I felt that stabbing in the ear scene felt so familiar but couldn't quite put my finger on it and I know now. Personally, the supernatural elements resonate more than the other because of how close some of the aspects are to my own religion it actually creeps me out even more. That woman slowly walking in the background shivers. I'm guessing the creature is drawn towards negative influences and acts as kind of a rebound . Given the setting of WW2 and Japanese concentration camps being the setting, it's going to absolutely thrive where it is.I thought the first episode did a really good job of setting the tone of the season. I didn't even think it was slow either - I was engaged throughout and I even found it surprising how quickly they introduced the supernatural elements. The woman stabbing herself in the ear reminded me of a similar scene in Junji Ito's Uzumaki.
That first scene shot was absolutely beautiful as well.
My favourite scene. Knowing something isn't right and protagonist freaked out when she puts her hand over the candle thinking she was going to douse it out.The actress who played the tea girl was fantastically unsettling. The whole way through that scene it weireded me out how lifeless her eyes looked.