Important points
- Drive's animation style adds to the unease with fluid, unnatural movements.
- Colin Stetson's soft voice effectively drives fear into your eardrums.
- Hiroshi Nagahama sets the tone. By adapting the famous manga story perfectly.
After waiting for five years and uncertainty about whether the series will actually be released or not. The newest work of Junji Ito. UzumakiReleased on Adult Swim and HBO Max, the story of Kirie and Shuichi in the cursed city of Kuroso captivates viewers with its distinct animation style. The music and atmosphere are eerie. and stellar voice acting, fans have been begging for an appropriate adaptation of Junji Ito's captivating work. Is it finally here?
Studio DriveThe effort is evident in this first episode. along with the director Hiroshi Nagahamavision of Was the long wait worth it? Or is this another fool in Junji Ito's curse?
An animation brings Ito's face to the screen.
Different and stunning styles
The series was produced entirely in black and white. This makes the visuals look closer to the original manga. It looks like Studio Drive will use Rotoscoping as their main animation method. Although this technique is often criticized for its awkward results, But it may also be intentional. The fluid and unnatural movements of the characters greatly enhance the sense of shock in the scenes, from just a few seconds of the episode. The audience felt continually uneasy. It was as if something was always wrong.
The black and white color palette and detailed and carefully crafted artwork perfectly translate Ito's art into animation. It felt like watching a very well done animated cartoon in the best possible light. Oftentimes anime adaptations stray far from the original manga, but in Uzumaki every frame looks like it was pulled straight from the book.
Sound and music are things that cartoons can't do.
Terror enters your brain directly.
Colin Stetson is a successful Canadian-American songwriter. who composed the soundtrack for congenital and menuSo he had already experienced some horror stories. The music used here is subtle but incredibly effective. Stetson strays away from the typical high-pitched music often used in horror media. Instead, he opts for a continuous, natural sound that complements the images and ensures you aren't distracted from the scenes. Instead, it draws you in with the characters. There were no jump scares or loud noises. But it's the little sounds that drive fear directly into your eardrums.
Uzumaki's voice acting is anything but stellar. There are only a handful of characters in this episode, but every one of them is voiced in the best way possible. Shinichiro Miki (Kisuke Urahara) bleachRoy Mustang enters. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood) is a long-standing star in Japan. He handled Shuichi's chaos perfectly. From his justifiable paranoia about the Spiral Curse to his terror when he experiences it firsthand, Azami Kurotani is the main character in this first entry. Since she is the main monster of the week. “scar”She is played by the talented Mariya Ise (Killua in Hunter x HunterHimenoin chainsaw man– Ise expertly depicts Asami's descent into the abomination she has become. The mental waves turned into terrifying creatures.
Directed and Written: Hiroshi Nagahama proves his worth.
Impossible tasks made possible
Hiroshi Nagahama is famous for directing. Mushishi and flower of evil– He is no stranger to horror or thrillers. His style matched the Uzumaki's perfectly. The same is true for images and sound. The way he directs his scenes always makes viewers feel uneasy. Every slow and eerie scene accurately predicts events. In general, the works of Uzumaki and Junji Ito is about careful planning and intrigue leading to a shocking and inexplicable climax. Nagahama understood this assignment very well.
The first episode will adapt three and a half chapters from the manga: “Spiral Passion” Parts 1 and 2 “scar” and “Snail”– These stories are connected. Making the anthology format of the manga into a cohesive continuous story, it is now an adaptation of some of the most famous stories and story panels from the manga. Draw your audience into this spiral immediately. Manga fans and first-time viewers alike are mesmerized by these terrifying images.
The Uzumaki anime is off to a strong start with great visuals and sound. While the pacing may be too fast for some fans, the story has been adapted in a way that makes the events consistent and connected. If the remaining episodes maintain this level of quality. Junji's Modified Curse Ito might eventually be destroyed.