Uzumaki (2024) Review: A Disturbing Anime Adaptation of Junji Ito's Spiral Horror

 

Uzumaki | 2024 | 4 Episodes
Genre: Adult Animation / Anime / Body Horror / Seinen / Supernatural Horror / Animation / Drama / Horror
Country: Japan
IMDb: 6.5/10
My Rate: 9/10

The residents of Kurouzu are haunted by spiral-shaped phenomena appearing in increasingly unimaginable places, as strange and terrifying events begin to reveal what seems to be a supernatural curse.

Warning

Contains scenes of violence, self-harm, and disturbing imagery.

 

Synopsis of Uzumaki

Uzumaki is an animated adaptation of Junji Ito's horror manga. The story is divided into four episodes, each exploring a different manifestation of the mysterious spiral curse affecting the town of Kurouzu.

Episode 1

Strange phenomena begin appearing throughout Kurouzu. Spiral shapes can be seen in water, the air, and various other places around the town.

Shuichi, Kirie's boyfriend, notices the strange occurrences and becomes convinced that the town has been cursed. His concern becomes even greater when his father becomes increasingly obsessed with spirals.

Shuichi urges Kirie to leave the town before it is too late, but Kirie initially doesn't see anything unusual. That changes when she witnesses the strange behavior of Shuichi's father for herself.

Episode 2

Spiral patterns begin appearing on people's backs. One of the affected people is Katayama, Kirie's classmate, whose behavior gradually becomes increasingly strange.

One day, Katayama arrives at school transformed into something resembling a snail.

Kirie also begins experiencing strange phenomena when her hair appears to move on its own and forms enormous spiral shapes. Shuichi tries to help her deal with what is happening.

Episode 3

After escaping from the lighthouse, Kirie wakes up in a hospital. Another patient turns out to be her pregnant sister.

Soon, strange events begin happening throughout the hospital. Millions of mosquitoes appear as though an epidemic has broken out, while many patients begin dying from severe blood loss.

Kirie does not initially realize that the pregnant women in the hospital are also connected to the strange events taking place there.

Episode 4

The curse grows increasingly destructive, eventually causing a disaster that devastates Kurouzu.

A powerful typhoon destroys houses throughout the town, forcing the survivors to take shelter in whatever old buildings remain. Shuichi, Kirie, and their families are eventually forced to leave their homes and wander in search of somewhere safe to stay.

There is also no clear way to escape the town.

---

Review of Uzumaki

"Get away from this town before it's too late."

Uzumaki is an animated adaptation of Junji Ito's iconic horror manga. The series received mixed reactions, particularly regarding its animation quality. Production was reportedly affected by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this inevitably influenced the final presentation.

The animation uses a black-and-white visual style that suits the atmosphere of Ito's work. It is still presented effectively, although compared with the technical quality of more recent animation, it may feel somewhat limited.

This difference in visual quality is understandable, but it also explains why some viewers may feel disappointed. The expectations surrounding an adaptation of such a well-known manga are naturally high, especially for fans who have imagined these disturbing images in their own way.

Where the series succeeds more strongly is in its storytelling.

The story is presented systematically, and the events in each episode are difficult to predict. Although each episode introduces different manifestations of the spiral curse, the central idea remains consistent and does not become confusing.

The escalating nature of the curse also works well. What begins as strange and seemingly isolated phenomena gradually becomes something much larger, until the entire town is overwhelmed.

The ending is more of a cliffhanger, but it still provides enough context for viewers to understand what has been happening from the first episode through the conclusion. It leaves some room for interpretation without making the overall story feel completely unresolved.

Overall, Uzumaki is worth watching, particularly for fans of Junji Ito and supernatural horror. While the animation quality may not meet everyone's expectations, the storytelling and disturbing ideas remain the strongest aspects of the series.

(Aluna Uwie)