Adult Swim's Uzumaki: Ari Aster joins the Adult Swim / Junji Ito Team. Release this year?
- Dayna Watson
- Feb 12, 2024
- 3 min read
Yesterday, I finally got my butt into gear and watched the 2000 film adaption of Uzumaki. It was...something. It did surprise me with more than a few faithful segments that brought the manga to life with terrifying detail, don't get me wrong. When Katayama first walks into his classroom just dripping mucous? Utter gold. But sadly, those moments were few and far and what delight the film did offer ended up undermined entirely by its half-hearted ending anyway.
So, suffice to say, while the ending credits scrolled, I found myself wondering when this faithful anime adaption by Adult Swim would finally drop? It had to be soon, right?
The Long Road to Kurouzu-cho
Toonami and Adult Swim first announced their intention to turn Junji Ito's acclaimed supernatural horror manga, UZUMAKI, (which, yes, I own the omnibus hardcopy!), into a four episode mini-series in 2019. Nearly half-a-decade ago.
For most works delayed that long, you'd expect the project to be well and truly buried. But that thankfully hasn't been the case here.
The production team behind the upcoming anime has been upfront about delays and posting tidbits to ensure audiences knew wheels were turning, including this 2020 behind-the-scenes look of voice recordings, posted by the anime's official twitter account.
Things seemed full steam ahead, but come July 2021, Director Hiroshi Nagahama--known for FLOWERS OF EVIL (2013) and MUSHI-SHI (2005 - 2015)--released a video apologising to fans for additional delays, asking for patience, and noting that this anime adaption required "twice as many staff as we normally use" but promised it was coming together.
A second delay, followed a year later.
2023, horror's darling child, Ari Aster (MIDSOMMAR 2019) announced his production company, SQUARE PEG, co-owned with his frequent collaborator, Danish Film Producer, Lars Knudsen, had jumped on board the Uzumaki train to assist with production
And, since then, audiences have been appeased with a FIRST LOOK teaser dropped at 2023's San Diego Comic-Con and the promise "(It's) coming out when it's ready".
Executive producer, Jason DeMarco, also made it clear animators are hard at work creating a faithful adaption and release would only happen once their vision had been achieved.
Knowing how often a good idea has been destroyed by a lack of time and development, I for one am thankful that these teams are happy to sit with the details here.
Meanwhile, buzz around Junji Ito himself has only grown with the creator receiving Comic Con's prestigious Inkpot Award for his "contributions to the worlds of comics, science fiction/fantasy, film, television, animation, and fandom services".
A little tangent about Colin Stetson
For those of who you are not complete horror and music obsesses like myself, you may not be familiar with Colin Stetson. He's a Canadian-American composer and performer known for collaborating frequently with Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, and Bell Orchestre, but he's also responsible for the incredable soundtracks of THE MENU (2022), COLOUR OUT OF SPACE (2019), HEREDITRY (2018), even 12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013).
Last year, Stetson discussed with magazine THE QUIET, the long delay of Uzumaki, and his great love for the manga due to its gorgeous, haunting, and seductive illustrations and themes.
"The theme song I wrote is one of the things I'm proudest of. I love it. It feels like what I think it might feel like to be an animal that gets caught in headlights..." - Colin Stetson, The Quiet 2023
Sadly, he couldn't give us an update on the anime's release. Or his soundtrack.
So, that release, huh?
I was hoping researching for this little article I would stumble upon something on someone's social media or upcoming broadcast release, that alluded to an actual date. But alas.
We'll just have to keep our ears to the ground people for now.
Comments