Adult Swim is about to spiral into chaos with its new adaptation of the legendary horror manga Uzumaki.Written and drawn by Junji Ito,Uzumaki is arguably Ito’s best work, and undoubtedly the most popular horror manga of all time — even among casual audiences. Despite Ito being such a prolific writer in the medium, and anime having practically perfected adapting manga into animation, Ito’s works have failed to capture the same terror when adapted to the big or small screen. However, it appears the Junji Ito curse may finally be at an end, as Adult Swim’s new four-part adaptation is a hit with critics.
Despite only having five reviews collected by the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, the first reactions suggest that the new anime series could be a major hit. So far, Uzumaki is a swirling success, currently sitting at a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating. The reviews suggest that Uzumaki is a more condensed and concise adaptation of Ito’s 20-chapter manga. However, what the adaptation lacks in length, it more than makes up for in scares, as the series perfectly captures the terrifying essence and body horror of the acclaimed manga.
This comes as excellent news to Junji Ito fans, as past adaptations have faced heavy criticism due to their butchering or censoring of Ito’s disturbing manga. The most recent attempt at animating Ito’s stories came from Netflix. Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre was a completely forgettable anthology series that mixed Ito’s most beloved stories (including some chapters from Uzumaki) with lesser-known gems. The result was a lackluster, un-scary, and somehow dull adaptation that lacked any true horror.
What Are Critics Saying About Uzumaki?
According to the critics, while Uzumaki isn’t a perfect adaptation, it is by far the best attempt at bringing Junji Ito’s work to life on screen. Ernesto Valenzuela of Discussing Film summed it up best, saying, “Despite some struggles adapting the ambitious story of the iconic horror manga, Adult Swim’s Uzumaki anime series is still an inspired effort. There’s a palpable level of respect and dedication to Junji Ito’s source material.”
Other critics were less, well, critical in their reception to Uzumaki. Evan Valentine of ComicBook.com scored Uzumaki a near-perfect 4.5/5, saying the series “does the impossible in creating a worthy anime for one of Junji Ito’s scariest stories.”IGN‘s Mat Jones scored the series similarly, with an 8/10, agreeing that Uzumaki is a love letter to Junji Ito’s work and legacy, even if it does cut some corners to get there. They said:
“Though slightly reduced in scope and unable to give itself room to breathe, it’s a greatest-hits of a widely loved manga that lives up to immeasurable expectations.”
Isiah Colbert of io9 looked past the adaptation’s weaker elements and shared an absolutely glowing review of the new four-part miniseries. They wrote:
“Adult Swim’s handling of Uzumaki is downright inspired by its novel idea of making the show entirely black and white, its mesmerizing use of motion capture, and its blend of 3D and 2D animation.”
Uzumaki
debuts on September 28, 2024, on Adult Swim.