Uzumaki

Uzumaki (Japanese: うずまき, lit. "Spiral") is a seinen horror manga series written and illustrated by Junji Ito. Appearing as a serial in the weekly manga magazine Big Comic Spirits from 1998 to 1999, the chapters were compiled into three bound volumes by Shogakukan and published from August 1998 to September 1999. In March 2000, Shogakukan released an omnibus edition, followed by a second omnibus version in August 2010. In North America, Viz Media serialized an English-language translation of the series in its monthly magazine Pulp from February 2001 to August 2002. Viz Media then published the volumes from October 2001 to October 2002, with a re-release from October 2007 to February 2008, and published a hardcover omnibus edition in October 2013.

The series tells the story of the citizens of Kurouzu-cho, a fictional city which is plagued by a supernatural curse involving spirals. The story for Uzumaki originated when Ito attempted to write a story about people living in a very long terraced house, and he was inspired to use a spiral shape to achieve the desired length. Ito believes the horror of Uzumaki is effective due to its subversion of symbols which are positively portrayed in Japanese media, and its theme of protagonists struggling against a mysterious force stronger than themselves.

The manga was adapted into two video games for the WonderSwan and a Japanese live-action film directed by Higunchinsky. The manga has received generally positive reviews from English-language critics. It was nominated for an Eisner Award in 2003, and placed in the Young Adult Library Services Association's list of the "Top 10 Graphic Novels for Teens" in 2009.

An anime television series adaptation co-produced by Production I.G USA and Adult Swim has been announced, and is scheduled to premiere in 2020 in the United States on Adult Swim's Toonami programming block before Japan. The anime will be produced entirely in black and white and animated by Drive.[1]

## **Japanese Publications**

スピリッツ怪奇コミックス
*Spirits Kaiki Comics*

* Vol. 1 - August 29, 1998 - ISBN-10: 4091857213
* Vol. 2 - February 26, 1999 - ISBN-10: 4091857221
* Vol. 3 - September 30, 1999 - ISBN-10: 409185723X

Big Comics Wide - 2000 - ISBN-10: 4091858163

Big Comics Special - August, 2010 - ISBN-10: 4091832423

## **English Publications**

* Uzumaki: Spiral into Horror, Vol. 1 - October 6, 2001 - ISBN-10: 1569317143
* Uzumaki: Spiral into Horror, Vol. 2 - July 6, 2002 - ISBN-10: 1591160332
* Uzumaki: Spiral into Horror, Vol. 3 - October 6, 2002 - ISBN-10: 1591160480

* Uzumaki: Spiral into Horror, Vol. 1 - 2nd Edition - October 16, 2007 - ISBN-10: 1421513897
* Uzumaki: Spiral into Horror, Vol. 2 - 2nd Edition - December 18, 2007 - ISBN-10: 1421513900
* Uzumaki: Spiral into Horror, Vol. 3 - 2nd Edition - February 12, 2008 - ISBN-10: 1421513919

* Uzumaki 3-in-1 Deluxe Edition - Hardcover - October 15, 2013 - ISBN-10: 1421561328

## **Chapters**

1. "The Spiral Obsession Part 1" (うずまきマニア：その1, Uzumaki mania: So no ichi)
2. "The Spiral Obsession Part 2" (うずまきマニア：その2, Uzumaki mania: So no ni)
3. "The Scar" (傷跡, Kizuato)
4. "The Firing Effect" (窯変, Yōhen, Strange Kiln)
5. "Twisted Souls" (ねじれた人びと, Nejireta hitobito, Twisted People)
6. "Medusa" (巻髪, Maki kami, Winding Hair)
7. "Jack-in-the-Box" (びっくり箱, Bikkuri-bako)
8. "The Snail" (ヒトマイマイ, Hitomaimai, Snail Person)
9. "The Black Lighthouse" (黒い灯台, Kuroi tōdai)
10. "Mosquitoes" (蚊柱, Kabashira)
11. "The Umbilical Cord" (臍帯, Saitai)
12. "The Storm" (台風1号, Taifū ichi-gō, Typhoon No.1)
13. "The House" (鬼のいる長屋, Oni no iru nagaya, Demon in the Row House)
14. "Butterflies" (蝶, Chō)
15. "Chaos" (混沌, Konton)
16. "Erosion" (続・混沌, Zoku konton, Continued Chaos)
17. "Escape" (脱出, Dasshutsu)
18. "The Labyrinth" (迷路, Meiro)
19. "Completion" (遺跡, Iseki, Ruins)
20. Lost chapter: "Galaxies" (銀河, Ginga)

## **Video Games**

See also Merchandise - Video Games - Wonderswan

Two video games were developed and published by Omega Micott for the Bandai WonderSwan based on Uzumaki. The first, Uzumaki: Denshi Kaiki Hen (うずまき 〜電視怪奇篇〜, Spiral -Power Vision Strange Edition-), was released on February 3, 2000 and is a visual novel retelling the events of the manga. Kirie Goshima's actor, Eriko Hatsune makes a special appearance. The second game, titled Uzumaki: Noroi Simulation (うずまき 〜呪いシミュレーション〜, Spiral -Curse Simulation-), was released on March 4, 2000 and is a simulation game. Players are tasked by the Uzumaki Sennin (うずまき仙人, Spiral Master) to spread the spiral curse. The objective is to spread the curse across the town and find hidden objects to gain more "Spiral Power" and progress the story. The title also includes a mini-game involving one of the snail-human hybrids. [2]

## **Live-Action Film**

See also Junji Ito Adaptations - Uzumaki (2000)

In 2000, a live-action adaptation of Uzumaki was released in Japan. Directed by Higunchinsky, it featured Eriko Hatsune as Kirie Goshima, Shin Eun-kyung as Chie Maruyama, Fhi Fan as Shuichi Saito, Keiko Takahashi as Yukie Saito, Ren Osugi as Toshio Saito, and Hinako Saeki as Kyoko Sekino. The film consists of four parts ("A Premonition", "Erosion", "Visitation", and "Transmigration"), and as a result of being produced before the manga's conclusion, uses a different ending than the manga.[3]

* IMDB

Region 1 DVDRegion 2 DVDRegion 3 DVD
## **Anime**

See also Junji Ito Adaptations - Uzumaki (2020)

At 2019's Crunchyroll Expo, a 4-episode anime television series adaptation was announced. The series is animated by Drive and is directly backed by Production I.G USA, Adult Swim, and its in-house production arm Williams Street. The anime will be directed by Hiroshi Nagahama, with Colin Stetson composing music. It will air in 2020 on Adult Swim's Toonami programming block before its Japanese premiere. This is the fourth time Cartoon Network, as an entire network, was directly involved in production of a Japanese anime, with The Big O, IGPX, and FLCL all receiving some form of animated production that was backed by the network.[4] Creative director Jason DeMarco has stated that as of March 25, 2020, production is still in progress, and that the COVID-19 pandemic has currently had no effect on production.[5] In an interview with Ito, he speaks of Hiroshi Nagahama in respect calling him quite talented. He also said that being faithful to his original manga made him "quite happy". Ito confirmed that the screenplay of the series in finished, since he checked. He says "Four episodes is way shorter than the original manga. They did a good job of rearranging the series. For example, someone who dies early on, now plays an important role later on. They did a fantastic job of crafting things together like that. The screenwriter is a very talented individual."[6] On June 10, 2020, the anime's official Twitter account presented some pictures of storyboards.[7]