The highly anticipated anime adaptation of Junji Ito’s Uzumaki is currently airing on Adult Swim and MAX, captivating fans of the original manga with its unique visual and storytelling style. As a long-time admirer of Ito’s work, particularly Uzumaki, I approached the four-episode series with both excitement and caution. While I’ve found plenty to love about the adaptation, there are also aspects that haven’t quite hit the mark. Here’s a look at the three things I love about the Uzumaki anime so far, and three things that left me wanting more.
Love: The Music
One of the standout elements of the Uzumaki anime is its haunting soundtrack. As a fan of dark, atmospheric anime, particularly Attack on Titan, I tend to gravitate towards shows with intense, energetic scores. But Uzumaki is a different beast altogether, and its music reflects that.
Composer Colin Stetson, known for his work with bands like Arcade Fire and Bon Iver, as well as film scores like Hereditary, delivers a score that’s both unsettling and mesmerizing. Stetson’s expertise as a saxophonist and multireedist shines through, creating a soundscape that perfectly complements the eerie, creeping horror of the series. It’s not the kind of music that pumps you up; instead, it slowly wraps around you like the spirals central to the story, enhancing the dread and tension with every note.
Don’t Love: The Dub Falls Short
As someone who generally prefers subtitled anime over dubbed versions, I approached the English dub of Uzumaki with skepticism. While I can admit that the dub isn’t terrible—in fact, it’s one of the better ones I’ve heard in recent years—it still leaves something to be desired.
The subtitled version captures the essence of the characters, bringing them to life in a way that feels authentic to the Japanese culture and the original story. The dub, while serviceable, lacks that same connection. For a story so deeply rooted in its Japanese origins, hearing the characters speak English feels somewhat off, as if something is lost in translation. That said, if you’re a fan of dubs, you might not mind it as much. But for me, the subtitled version is the way to go.
Love: Faithfulness to the Source Material
For fans of the Uzumaki manga, this anime adaptation offers something rare: a strict adherence to the original story. While some might argue that movie or TV adaptations should offer something new, there’s a certain satisfaction in seeing Ito’s work brought to life on screen almost exactly as it was on the page.
This level of faithfulness allows newcomers to the Uzumaki story to experience the full horror of Ito’s vision, while also giving long-time fans the pleasure of seeing their favorite moments animated in stunning detail. The adaptation sticks so closely to the source material that I’d almost recommend watching the anime over reading the manga for those who’ve never experienced the story before.
Don’t Love: Too Much Faithfulness to the Source Material
Ironically, one of the things I love about the Uzumaki anime is also something I don’t love. While its strict adherence to the source material is great for first-time viewers, it can feel a bit repetitive for those of us who have read the manga multiple times. There’s very little that feels new or surprising, and that lack of deviation from the original can make the experience feel a bit stale.
While films like The Martian or No Country for Old Men remain faithful to their source material, they still manage to incorporate new elements or perspectives that keep the adaptation fresh. So far, Uzumaki hasn’t done that, and it’s left me wanting more.
Love: The Stunning Visual Style
If there’s one thing the Uzumaki anime has nailed, it’s the visual style. Even in still images, the anime captures the essence of Junji Ito’s art in a way that feels both faithful and fresh. Rather than colorizing the manga as many adaptations do, the anime retains the stark, black-and-white aesthetic of Ito’s original drawings, bringing his grotesque and haunting images to life with incredible attention to detail.
The animation is fluid, the character designs are spot-on, and the overall look of the show feels like Ito’s artwork in motion. It’s clear that a lot of care went into making sure the visual style would do justice to the manga, and the result is nothing short of breathtaking.
Don’t Love: The Episodes Are Too Short
As much as I’ve enjoyed the Uzumaki anime so far, the short episode lengths have been a major disappointment. With each episode clocking in at just over 30 minutes, there’s a lot of ground to cover in a limited amount of time, and it feels like certain parts of the story are being rushed as a result.
The Uzumaki manga is over 600 pages long, filled with intricate side stories and details that help build the world and deepen the horror. While it’s still too early to say if those side stories will be cut entirely, the fast pace of the first episode makes me worry that some of the narrative’s richness may be sacrificed to fit the limited run time. I only hope future episodes can slow down enough to fully capture the depth of Ito’s work.
Conclusion
The Uzumaki anime adaptation has so far delivered on many fronts, from its haunting score to its stunning visual style. It’s a faithful recreation of Junji Ito’s iconic manga, and fans of the original will appreciate the attention to detail and adherence to the source material. However, the short episodes and lack of surprises for those familiar with the story may leave some viewers wanting more. Ultimately, while the Uzumaki anime isn’t perfect, it’s still a must-watch for horror fans and anyone looking for a faithful adaptation of one of the most iconic manga in the genre. For newcomers, it’s a perfect introduction to the terrifying world of spirals, and for long-time fans, it’s a chance to experience the horror of Uzumaki in a new, beautifully animated form.
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