It’s been a few weeks since the long-awaited conclusion of the Junji Ito project, and I’ve had time to mull over my thoughts and really chew on this series. Today, I’ll be diving into the highs, the lows, and my final thoughts on the Uzumaki mini-series.
A Promising Premiere
A Promising PremiereThis series had an incredible premiere, to say the least. As I mentioned in my episode 1 review, the show hit the ground running. The tone and atmosphere of that first episode truly nailed what fans had hoped for in this adaptation of Junji Ito’s work. The monochromatic color palette, the manga-like aesthetic, and the nightmare-inducing body horror all landed perfectly.
Missteps and Quality Concerns
Then came episode 2… which, in a word, took steps in the wrong direction and hinted at what may have gone awry behind the scenes. There were noticeable dips in animation quality, especially in a scene where two young lovers from Kirie’s class run across the beach, desperately trying to escape from their overbearing families who want to tear them apart. The running animation is so clunky and out of sync that it’s hard not to laugh—it immediately pulls you out of what’s meant to be a dramatic, tense moment.
Pacing and Story Limitations
With episode 2, it also became clear that the show’s pacing and limited four-episode run might become an issue. The original manga contains so many events, it would be nearly impossible to fit them all into such a short amount of time. Needless to say, some impactful moments were glazed over for the sake of time.
Not so Smooth Sailing
Since the show aired, there’s been much speculation about the unexpected drop in quality, with many suggesting that higher-up interference may have played a role. Content creator Mother’s Basement had also pointed out in his recent video that one major delay occurred soon after the WarnerMedia and Discovery merger—hinting that CEO David Zaslav may be partly to blame. Animation director Henry Thurlow even shared his thoughts in a recent Twitter thread about what he believes may have happened:
5/6 …As for the Uzumaki production, at the end of the day it’s almost certainly *some* western producer’s fault. “This is taking too long so force some other studio to finish it I don’t care what it looks like.” I’d bet everything I have that’s how it went down. …
— Henry Thurlow (@henry_thurlow) October 9, 2024
Even more damning, in a now-deleted Twitter thread Jason DeMarco, Adult Swim’s senior vice president of anime, stated in a somewhat cryptic message that Uzumaki was expected to fail after a sudden ultimatum was pushed onto the team.
Whatever happened—whether due to budget cuts, stone walling from higher-ups, or Production I.G biting off more than it could chew with all of its other projects—I think we can all agree it’s a shame the final result had to suffer as it did.
What the Adaptation Got Right
Despite the animation issues and the show’s short runtime, I believe the adaptation succeeded in some areas. The story remained largely faithful to the source material, aside from the ending. There were also some fantastic scenes that were still entertaining to see on screen, like the horrifying hospital sequence. Also the score for the show was amazing – the flutes and off-kilter music were truly unsettling and eerie.
All in all, I’m happy we finally got to see Uzumaki: Spiral into Horror completed, even if it felt a bit like a bait and switch. It seems like, for now, the curse of Junji Ito’s anime adaptations still stands, but this, by far, has been the closest we’ve gotten to a series capturing the true energy behind his mesmerizing work.
But what did you all think of the series? Did you enjoy the ride? Let us know in the comments below!
