Adult Swim recently released a creepy trailer for the upcoming Uzumaki anime, showcasing Junji Ito’s iconic spiral horror manga art that has cemented his place in the Japanese art scene.
After two decades of waiting, the Japanese horror manga series written and illustrated by Ito is finally getting an anime adaptation. A new trailer uploaded on Adult Swim’s YouTube channel offers a glimpse into the terrifying world of ‘Kurouzu-cho’ created by the original artist. The trailer begins with Shuichi Saito telling his girlfriend Kirie Goshima about the strange events happening in town and asking her to leave Kurouzu-cho with him. “Don’t you feel anything? Recently the stream is full of whirlpools. There is even wind. Recently tornadoes appear non-stop. I think it was because of this town that my father became strange,” said Shuichi. He also shared his worries about his father’s odd actions, as he became attached to spirals and locked himself in his study, surrounded by spiral objects.
Uzumaki’s story revolves around Kirie, a high school girl living in a Japanese seaside town named Kurouzu-cho. Kirie and her boyfriend, Shuichi, discover that Kurouzu-cho has a spiral curse. This curse affects the bodies, minds, and souls of the inhabitants, leading to a widespread obsession with spirals.
The announcement of the anime adaptation took place at Crunchyroll Expo 2019, where Studio Drive and Studio Akatsuki worked together. Production IG USA and Adult Swim’s Williams Street also co-produced. The project is directed by Hiroshi Nagahama, known for critically acclaimed anime such as Mushishi, Detroit Metal City, and The Flowers of Evil. Composer Colin Stetson creates haunting music. A trailer was announced for 2021, giving fans a mesmerizing look at the nightmarish world of Uzumaki. Adult Swim creative director Jason DeMarco has expressed extreme excitement about tackling one of Junji Ito’s popular works and bringing together a team of dedicated creators to do justice to this epic horror manga. DeMarco said, “As a huge fan of Junji Ito, I am delighted to be able to handle one of his iconic works, with an amazing team of creators who are all equally dedicated to doing justice to this epic horror comic.”
Uzumaki has become famous beyond its manga roots. The WonderSwan console adapted it into two video games, and Higunchinsky directed a spine-chilling Japanese live-action film. English-language critics also praised the manga, earning it an Eisner Award nomination in 2003 and a spot on the Teen Library Service Association’s highly regarded “10 Graphic Novels for Teenagers” list in 2009.
Toonami will air the Uzumaki anime this year.
Source: YouTube