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Junji Ito is a celebrated name in the horror manga genre. His magnum opusUzumakiis scheduled to premiere in September 2024. From body horror to the never-ending spirals, this is one of the notable works by the author. This is also one of the most anticipated series showcasing his works. However, there remained an issue still.
While the series is all set for its premiere, the directors faced a gargantuan obstacle. The challenge pertained to the production of the anime in alignment with the author’s design as they revealed in an interview.
Uzumaki anime entailed production issues in alignment with the author’s illustration style.
Uzumakiis one of the most notable works by the horror manga artistJunji Itoalong withTomie. The story is set in Kurozu Cho, a town that is plagued with spirals. While it doesn’t seem menacing at first, the spirals turn out to be rather sinister. Through his well-detailed illustrations and finesse,’ the author successfully instills fear in his works.
However, the anime took its sweet time to come to fruition. The snail-paced production of the series is often criticized. Although it does make sense considering the animetook 6 years to premiere, there’s a valid reason behind it. Be it the Covid-19 pandemic or the CG work, production issues were pretty real. Moreover, the director revealed an even greater obstacle.
Junji Ito: “I find myself pursuing something closer to Western horror” – Uzumaki Creator Explains Why His Stories Don’t Have Japanese Ghosts
In an interview withVulture, Danny De Marco, the Senior Vice President revealed the challenges behind recreating Ito’s most celebrated work. He quoted :
Nagahama’s idea was to use motion capture and build everything in CG, then re-draw all of it, which he felt would give the animators the ability to tackle Ito-sensei’s line work, which is incredibly detailed.The decision to produce the show in black and white ended up being a huge production issue, but obviously it looks terrific.
To say the least, the trailer successfully captures the essence of the manga. While animating Ito’s work might seem a task, the animators did justice by bringing the celebrated horror manga to life.
The anime retains the manga’s core essence through its greyscale tones
It isn’t uncommon to notice dissonance between the source material and its adaptation especially when it comes to manga. This holds especially true for the author’sprevious worksthat have been showcased in Netflix adaptations. It is a painstaking task to animate the intricate storytelling of the horror mangaka. However, the upcoming anime does justice to his work.
As opposed to the bland animations of the author’s previous work, the upcoming anime does justice to thebone-chilling body horror manga. Through the use of greyscale, the animators did justice to the source text. DeMarco credited the Flying Lotus to be the inspiration for this move. He quoted:
When I told him we were close to closing a deal to make the show, he said ‘You should do it in black and white…I thought that was an amazing idea and suggested it to Nagahama in our first meeting about the show. He said he had actually been thinking about the same thing and that he was thrilled I suggested it.
Moreover, Hiroshi Nagahama’s involvement in the series only proves his expertise as a veteran director. Apart from Mushishi, he has worked on several shows such asDetroit Metal CityandFruits Basket.
Who is Junji Ito? – Everything You Need to Know About Uzumaki Creator and His Other Works You Cannot Miss
While the animated adaptation took years to produce, the painstaking efforts behind recreating Ito’s magnum opus paid off. It also reflects the animators’ and the creative team’s respect for the author’s work. By incorporating CG along with black-and-white animation, the animators stayed true to the essence of the author’s work.
Uzumakiwill be available for streaming on Adult Swim’s Toonami from September 28th onwards. The manga is available for reading on Viz Media.
Himanshi Jeswani
Anime Writer
Articles Published :993
Himanshi Jeswani is an anime writer at Fandomwire, with her work spanning over 900 articles. Her articles cover shojo, shonen, seinen, and all things beyond. Her interests, however, aren’t limited to simply anime. She has a penchant for exploring different genres of manga, be it horror, yanki, music, and food. She brings out her specialization and expertise in the performing arts through her articles. As a writer, she strives to bridge the gap between the viewers and the medium itself. To her, anime is a revolutionary medium that is capable of creating communities and stories after all.
