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If overpromising and underdelivering was a game,Uzumakiwould be bagging accolades. Especially with the anime’s consistent failures. From quality to pacing, the series is ridden with criticism. This is evident in the animators’ move to retain authenticity. The series, however, is far-fetched from the idea with its recent episode.
The third episode is a complete rollercoaster. While Junji Ito lent his voice in this episode, the end seemed to be a major letdown. Especially with the producers’ omission of a crucial story. The out-of-context reference adds to the fiasco that the series already is. It proves to be a major disappointment and betrayal of the mangaka’s work.
Uzumakicoils into its spiraling fiasco with its recent episode
Unlike most horror manga,Uzumakiis popular for its brilliance in the portrayal of body horror. The spirals project the never-ending horror and destruction. Contrary to the traditional symbolism of peace, the spirals trigger a sense of madness and obsession. They start benign and plague the whole town of Kurozu-Cho in the series. The anime, however, flattens this aspect.
It is especially relevant to the problem of pacing andhorrid animation. The manga encompasses Ito’s masterpiece through its twenty stories. Most of which is being enmeshed rather than explored in the anime. This brings us to the bigger problem of plot inconsistencies. The series is incongruous with the manga in terms of its quality and context, especially with the recent episode.
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Thethird episodeunderscored some major events from the manga. Be it the hospital scene or Wakabayashi’s turning, it captured the body horror perfectly. In terms of its end, however, it failed miserably. Especially with the producers’ treatment of the jack-in-the-box story. The approach to Ito’s stories is as haphazard as its pacing.
The visuals were rather underwhelming as opposed to the manga. Moreover, the story was completely devoid of context which makes it a fiasco. The inconclusiveness regarding Mitsuru’s story is what makes it an utter disaster. The end scene proved how this anime is yet another failed adaptation along withTales of the Macabre.
Junji Ito and the Saga of Unfaithful Adaptations
Uzumakiisn’t the first anime to be counted as an unfaithful adaptation ofJunji Ito’swork. His short stories inTales of the Macabreare a perfect example of this. FromHanging BallonstoFour x Four, Studio Deen made a complete mockery of the mangaka’s work.
This is especially true with the bland animation and flattening of details. The mangaka is known for his intricate art and detailed visuals. With the anime’s inconsistencies and flattened visuals, one thing is certain. Junji Ito is plagued by the curse of unfaithful adaptations.
The series is a huge letdown in most aspects, especially through itsnosedive in animation quality. The second episode is a testimony to the sheer mockery of the mangaka’s art. The characters appear almost cartoonish and lackluster as opposed to the manga. Despite the greyscale tones, the anime betrays the manga through its approach to the storyline.
Another disappointing aspect is the inauthenticity and incongruence. The anime crops out major details from the manga and renders itself a major failure through this move. Jack-in-the-box is one of the most visceral and macabre stories in the manga. To omit it would be a rather sensible move as opposed to its lack of context.
Kentaro Miura and Junji Ito Might Forever be Stuck with the Doomed Fate of Failed Anime Adaptations Because of Their Own Skills
While the anime crops major events from the manga, it is advisable to be familiar with the text. To understand pacing, the viewers will also be able to grasp the concepts better. Regardless of its year-long efforts,Uzumakifailed the author as well as the manga in most ways.
Uzumakiis available for streaming on Crunchyroll. 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.
