Uzumaki

Uzumaki is an interesting case. Its meaning is so profound in an symbolic and metaphysical sense that it surpasses its narrative. The spirals are so well thought that they, somehow, spiral out out of 4th wall and into the animation itself.

People criticize it for the lack of animation or the drop from the first to the second episode, but I think it's kind of genius. The first episode drags you in, like a spiral, with beautiful animation and art style, that really competes with some of the best. Sure, the pacing isn't the best, but don't let it distract you from what really matters.

This ... anime, while meaning Spiral and demonstrating a town plagued by spirals, is itself plagued by the Spiral. It's so deep, that you need an IQ of at least 30 to comprehend, and people are missing the point. You need to watch this anime, like you would a spiral, starting from the center and going outwards.

Just look at the first episode, a masterful adaption of the source material, right at the center of the spiral. And then, imagine a downward spiral, spiraling straight down, reflecting the decline of the pacing, art style and animation. If that isn't poetic, I don't know what is.

I think everybody should give it a chance, having this theory in mind. It won't chance your perception of this abnormality, of the biggest fumble of the century. How can they give us hope of an "unadaptable manga" with the first episode, and later gives us powerpoint presentations and people running sideways in the beach.

As a long-time fan of Junji Ito’s work, I had high hopes for the Uzumaki anime adaptation. Junji Ito is a master of horror, creating a world where the eerie and grotesque blend into something truly terrifying yet mesmerizing. His unique style and storytelling are unparalleled in the horror genre, and Uzumaki is one of his most iconic and haunting works. Naturally, the excitement to see it come to life on screen was immense.

The first episode of the anime delivers everything you’d hope for: the creepy atmosphere, stunning art direction that pays homage to Ito’s intricate line work, and an unsettling tension that leaves you ... on edge. It was clear that the budget for the first episode was well-spent, making it a near-perfect introduction to the horror that spirals out of control. It truly felt like I was stepping into one of Ito’s pages—disturbing, hypnotic, and beautifully dark.

But sadly, that’s where the praise stops. After the first episode, it feels as though the budget and attention to detail start to spiral downward. The quality noticeably drops, and it’s heartbreaking to see such a beloved work falter after such an impressive start. It’s as if all the effort and care went into the initial episode, leaving the rest of the series to suffer from lackluster animation and pacing.

I can’t help but feel that Uzumaki deserved more consistency, and it’s frustrating to see the potential of Junji Ito’s masterpiece get lost in what feels like a rushed or uneven production. The first episode set such a high bar, but the subsequent ones don’t quite capture the same eerie magic.

That being said, for fans of Junji Ito, the adaptation is still worth checking out, if only for that first episode and the chance to experience his world in a new medium. It’s just a shame the whole series couldn’t maintain the quality it started with. Hopefully, future adaptations will give Ito’s work the justice it deserves.

I can’t, in good faith, recommend anyone watch this anime before reading the manga. It skips so much stuff, which naturally, takes away all the buildup and tension from every single moment.

Uzumaki follows the story of Kirie and Shuichi as they go through their daily lives in the spiral-infested fictional two of Kurozu-Cho. The story builds upon every weird and horrific encounter taking place in this city with great immersion and well-placed reveals. The anime takes away most of the manga’s charm by simply rushing through so many of these stories. Even episode 1, animated quite nicely, skims over a lot. Then, the second ... episode straight-up jumps from chapter 2 in the manga to chapter 8, attempting to fit in chapters 5, 6, and 7. I’m sure you can imagine how this would take away all the impact from the reveals. That intense slow burn that makes these horrific reveals land is sadly utterly missing here. The sequence of events is also all over the place due to this pacing.

And man the animation…. Don’t even get me started on the animation, it is abysmal. The first episode was mostly very well done. It had some shots where it looked like a black-and-white flash game but other than that it was good. But episode 2? It nosedived into an active volcano, both in pacing and animation. The third episode is much better than the second but it also ruins iconic segments from the manga by rushing through them. This show as a whole just fails to do the manga proper justice. With how much time this took in the oven and how much hype was around the entire thing I was very hopeful that this will finally be that one Junji Ito adaptation that does his work justice, but sadly, it just takes away so much of what makes Uzumaki memorable.

The best thing about the show is its OST, which fits in seamlessly. It was composed by the same person who did Hereditary, so they actually got a guy who knows what he's doing. I also really dig the backgrounds, they have been very well done thus far.

The manga is a beautifully crafted and paced artistic work whose every page is eye candy. I own a hard copy, despite living in Pakistan. It was worth every rupee. Even as someone who usually dislikes world-ending Lovecraftian horror stories, Uzumaki is one of my favorite manga. I waited a very long time for this, so, I’m very sad to see the project turn out this way. Do yourself a favor and read the manga before you watch this.