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Junji Ito’s horror works are enough to give anyone the jitters of a lifetime. This holds especially true with his magnum opusUzumaki. From popped eyeballs to body contortions, the series is a true nightmare. This extends to its anime adaptation that truly lives up to the horror. It is clear in the eeriness that is recreated in the soundtrack and fans can vouch for it.
Several fans took to Reddit to point out the series’ brilliance which is reflected in the soundtrack. From circular breathing to sirens, Colin Stetson recreated the horror impeccably through his music. The spirals are animated both visually and audibly through the painstaking efforts.
The Uzumaki effect is projected into the soundtrack.
Uzumakiis one of the finest horror masterpieces by the esteemed horror manga artist Junji Ito. Unlike most horror manga, the series outlines an obsession and madness around spirals. Set in the fictional town of Kurouzu-Cho, the coils are ever-present and ever-looming. From streams to walls, the whole town isplagued by the entity. And there’s more to it.
The series encapsulates the ever-looming fear and uncertainty regarding one’s fate. The anime brings out horror and monstrosity through the use ofblack and white tones. This decision culminated from the producer’s move to retain the authenticity of Ito san’s art. Interestingly, this aspect extends to the tactile nature of the series’ soundtrack as fans pointed out.
A Direct Anime vs Manga Comparison Between Uzumaki Panels Can Convince Fans Why More of Junji Ito’s Works Need to be Adapted
A thread inr/animehad fans pointing to the corporeal nature of the series’ soundtrack. While the anime captures the visceral aspects, the soundtrack takes it to another level altogether.
To say the least, the production team stayed true to the essence of Junji Ito’s magnum opus. From monochrome tones to auditory perception, the anime is truly impeccable in animating the spiral horror.
Colin Stetson imbued his music with spirals.
Unlike his previous anime adaptations, Junji Ito’s magnum opus was rather challenging. This is especially the case with the mangaka’s art style. Despite the issues, Studio Drive succeeded in overcoming thegargantuan obstacle. It is also one of the greatest feats of the studio along with the soundtrack. Colin Stetson, the composer of the series left no stone unturned in bringing jitters.
Stetson is a saxophonist and multireedist who has previously worked with horror masterpieces. Some of his notable works includeHereditary,The Menu,andColor Out of Space. He revealed his process behind the main theme of Uzumaki in an interview withCrunchyroll. He quoted:
So that was one of the approaches, musically, that had to do with what the spiral was doing to objects, people and nature. It’s twisting them into a different form of themselves and one of the ways that I go about doing that is hybridizing. The sound you’re calling a siren is a combination of my voice and the string section and then compressing them together. It’s then mixed in a way so that it becomes this textural, hairy sort of beast.
The spiraling horror is ever-present in most tracks from the series. Stetson is remarkable in animating the grotesque and visceral horrors through music.
Uzumaki: 5 Other Works of Junji Ito That Need an Anime Adaptation Soon
All in all, the anime is soaring heights with the release of its first episode. The series proves that anime adaptations can be rendered correctly. In addition to that, Colin Stetson and Studio Drive’s collective efforts are truly remarkable. This holds especially true with the series’ music and visuals.
Uzumakiis available for streaming on Adult Swim. 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.
