Don't start spiralling: the anime adaptation of Junji Ito horror classic Uzumaki finally has a release date
The series was first announced in 2019, and was delayed multiple times.
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The first teaser trailer for the anime adaptation of Junji Ito's Uzumaki is here, and it's looking like it could be one of the best takes on his works yet.
Out of all of Ito's works, there are two that could be described as his most iconic. One is Tomie, a series about an immortal woman that drives those that fall in love with her. And the other, of course, is Uzumaki, a series about a town that is overcome with… uh, spirals! It's scarier than it sounds, I promise. The classic manga has actually previously received a live-action film adaptation back in 2000, as well as a couple of video game adaptations, but it had never received an anime adaptation. That's technically still the case, as it's not out yet, but after years of waiting, the first trailer for the series finally dropped at San Diego Comic-Con this week, confirming that it will be airing on Adult Swim's Toonami this coming September 28.
You can check out the first teaser trailer for the series above, which is mostly just a compilation of ominous, occasionally spiral-filled shots, but it's a strong first look. You'll obviously quickly notice that the series has opted for a completely black-and-white look, a rarity amongst anime adaptations, but for something like Uzumaki, I can't think of a better creative choice. Sure, colour can add a lot to some adaptations, but Ito's work is particularly striking because it's in black and white, and to see that realised in anime form makes this a very exciting series even ignoring how much of a classic it is.
The one downside is that you won't be getting much of it, as it's only a four-episode miniseries, but there's still some strong talent attached to it. Hiroshi Nagahama (Mushi-shi) is serving as director for the show at Studio Drive and Studio Akatsuki, but it also has another surprising member of staff: Colin Stetson, composer of Hereditary and The Menu, is scoring the soundtrack for the show.
Uzumaki will weekly on Toonami starting September 28, but it will be available to stream on Max the day after each episode airs.