New Uzumaki Clip Shines Light on the Best Horror Anime in Years: Watch

Something is amiss in the town of Kurozu-Cho. A strange obsession with spirals is starting to eek its way into the lives of its inhabitants as spirals are appearing in the most unexpected places, and causing serious havoc wherever they do. Adult Swim’s Uzumaki has been a long time coming as the first trailer was released five years ago and has had anime fans waiting to see if Junji Ito’s work would finally receive an adaptation that lived up to the mangaka’s art. In a new three-minute preview, viewers can get a better glimpse of Studio Drive’s work in the horror anime series.

For those who might not be familiar with Uzumaki, Junji Ito’s twisted tale originally arrived as a manga series in 1998. Garnering three volumes, the series focuses on the story of Kirie and Shuichi, two high schoolers who realize that their small town has been besieged. While the horror manga might focus on the two protagonists and their town, Ito manages to introduce several stories that give it an anthology style. Adult Swim’s Uzumaki will premiere on September 28th but should you miss it, don’t worry about it as it will then air the following day on MAX.

Uzumaki’s Three Minute Preview

In the Uzumaki preview, we are able to see Kirie and Shuichi meet once again, as the former introduces the latter to her friend Kurotani. Kurotani hides a horrible secret in that she has a crescent scar on her forehead which she believes gives her a power over men, making them attracted to her regardless of the circumstances. As viewers see, the fact that Shuichi is horrified rather than enamored makes Kurotani that much more obsessed with Kirie’s boyfriend, setting the stage for more disastrous events in the future.

Does Uzumaki Deliver?

As of the writing of this article, we here at ComicBook.com had the chance to watch Uzumaki’s premiere episode and it most assuredly does “deliver”. Giving the premiere a “4.5 Out of 5” rating, here’s our breakdown of why this will be a Halloween classic for years to come, “Horror anime is something that viewers don’t nearly get enough of and so it is beyond satisfying to finally see what might be the perfect example of the genre arrive right in time for the spooky season. Adult Swim’s Uzumaki might have taken years to finally arrive but it was beyond worth the wait. Junji Ito’s latest anime endeavor is sure to be one that anime fans will revisit on an annual basis when Halloween rolls around and we can’t wait to dig our teeth into the rest of the four-episode miniseries following its premiere.”

Uzumaki has been confirmed to be four episodes, meaning that it’s anyone’s guess as to whether or not the anime adaptation will be able to house all of the characters and events that made up the manga. Regardless, based on the performance of episode one, it appears that Studio Drive has found the perfect formula for bringing Ito’s twisted tale to life.

Junji Ito’s Live-Action Future

Ironically enough, while there was never an anime adaptation of Uzumaki before this year, it did receive a live-action film in Japan in 2000. On top of the Adult Swim production, Junji Ito is set to be well-represented in Hollywood as a trilogy of films has been confirmed to be in the works. So far, two films have been confirmed by Fangoria Studios in Blood Sucking Darkness and Mystery of The Haunted House, two of Ito’s creepiest works. While the third film’s premise hasn’t been confirmed, it certainly is in good company.