Adult Swim had announced an adaptation of Junji Ito’s Uzumaki way back in 2019, and it’s been half a decade since the series has been in development. The great news is the show is finally coming out this year, and we have a haunting new trailer showcasing some fantastic animation.
Check this out:
Uzumaki (or ‘Spiral’ translated) is considered to be the manga that made Junji Ito a master of the horror genre, and his art style and vibe is so distinct that it was said that the cause for the anime’s delay was because the animators needed more time to “replicate the quality of the intricate designs and detailed line work”.
Admittedly, the story of Uzumaki doesn’t make the most narrative sense, but each chapter was considered to be a very specific horror story that centered on the naturally occurring pattern of the ‘spiral.’
The manga nominated for an Eisner Award back in 2003 and is considered to be Ito’s magnum opus. Besides the Lovecraftian influence of a mysterious force that can’t be defeated, the story has also gripped audiences with its terrifying visuals and body horror—not to mention Ito’s specific style of drawing beautiful young women next to unspeakable gore.
With Netflix trying and failing to adapt Ito’s work with Tales of the Macabre, fans are hopeful that Uzumaki will manage to do the original art work justice. It’s considered as seminal work to the genre, and an anime should be a great entry point into the works of Ito.
Uzumaki finally premieres on Adult Swim on Sept. 28.
