Anime Fans Have it Wrong, Uzumaki Episode 2’s Downgrade in Animation Quality Wasn’t What Upset Junji Ito Fans the Most

The highly anticipated anime adaptation of Junji Ito’s horror classic, Uzumaki, has finally crashed onto screens with its unsettling atmosphere and unapologetic horror in Episode 1. However, disappointment seems to have settled in, with the release of Episode 2. Even with the use of 3d animation, the 1st episode was still good enough as the adaptation was a lot more faithful to the manga itself.

A still from episode 2 of the Uzumaki anime | Credits: Studio Fugaku

The second episode has made a sudden turn with its animation quality, and sentiments have sharply gone contrary to the faithful adaptation that the fans wanted. But that wasn’t the only reason why this episode, or the whole Uzumaki adaptation, got so much hate. It was something even more sinister!

The First Episode of Uzumaki Was Basically a Clickbait For Episode 2!

A still from episode 2 of the Uzumaki anime | Credits: Studio Fugaku

The first episode of Uzumaki’s anime adaptation was pretty horrifying and gory. However, within a very short amount of time, it became clear that it was nothing more than a cleverly crafted clickbait. The trust that was laid with the 1st episode, quickly faded away, proving it was just some kind of ploy to attract audiences.

Further clarifications came in when the animators took to social media to explain the situation. They disclosed that, in actuality, the team had missed the deadline and decided to air it as incomplete instead of pushing off the release date.

However, this was even more frustrating as it meant that the incomplete episode aired to keep viewers hyped up. The fact that only four episodes were produced in five years hints at deeper issues than just bad time management. This latest fiasco raises huge concerns about the adaptability of Junji Ito’s works in an anime format. Will we ever get something good?

Fans Are Deeply Disappointed, Theorizing Potential Reasons For This Downfall

A still from the Uzumaki anime | Credits: Studio Fugaku

Fans are just reeling in disappointment and frustration. Speculations are running wild as to what may have been wrong with the creative procedure. News came out that due to budgetary constraints, the production had to bring down the quality of the series after one episode alone.

This shocked the viewers, as it seemed the studio grossly underestimated the sum of resources needed to hold the line set by episode one. In a recent questionnaire session, Uzumaki Executive Producer, Jason Demarco, explained some of the reasons behind this unexpected drop in animation quality.

The Executive Producer wrote that when the team had to make an impossible decision between abandoning the whole project, letting out just the first episode, or compromising on the quality and finishing the rest. They chose the last option, which has naturally fueled public discontent with the series. Fans hoped that the four episodes, at least, would have been published in a consistently good quality. That’s why, this explanation throws out more questions than it answers how such a critical mistake occurred.

The cryptic admission of being “screwed” has been discussed and explained by fans with all sorts of theories, like unprofessional production management, money issues, or even internal conflicts.

Whatever it may be, the damage is done, and the anime adaptation of Uzumaki came out below expectations. Fans are all now left to really ponder on what could have been if the project received such resources and attention that it deserved.

Uzumaki is available to watch on Max & Adult Swim.