Adult Swim‘s official adaptation of Junji Ito‘s Uzumaki has arguably been their most promising project to date, yet fans have been left wondering what happened to it after numerous delays. Uzumaki is widely regarded by fans as Junji Ito’s magnum opus for its hauntingly beautiful artwork and ambitiously creepy storytelling. Adult Swim announced an official animated adaptation of the story that would be faithful to Ito’s story and artistic style. However, years have passed with no word on when it will finally be released.
As of 2024, Uzumaki has been indefinitely delayed with no official release date. This disappointing, yet understandable, news officially broke in 2022 when the official social media for the anime announced that Uzumaki was being delayed again for a good reason: to mirror the quality of the manga it’s based on. There have been occasional glimpses at the process of creating the show made over the past two years, with the most recent update coming in the form of completed animation on Adult Swim’s YouTube channel to tide fans over.
Since its delay, Adult Swim has found alternatives to broadcast in the meantime with another terrifying anime series Housing Complex C, airing during Uzumaki‘s last known planned release date of October 2022. However, this has not stopped fans from anxiously anticipating the long-awaited date when Junji Ito’s most beloved horror story finally gets a release.
Covid-19 Played a Major Role in Uzumaki‘s Delays
Produced by Adult Swim & Studio Drive, based on the original manga by Junji Ito
Before its indefinite delay, Uzumaki seemed to be on track for a steady release when it was first announced. However, when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, this led to a massive delay in the entertainment industry. The animation team’s passion for the project ultimately led to them originally pushing the anime’s release until 2022 in order for them to not rush the series and make it the best they possibly can.
However, this extension would prove to be too short, as the decision to remove Uzumaki‘s release date was made to ensure its quality remained. Had the pandemic not occurred, it’s entirely possible that Uzumaki could have aired by now. Maybe it would have experienced a one-time delay prior to 2022, but the fact Covid-19 shut the world down for a year took a heavy toll on the anime’s production.
When Can Fans Expect Uzumaki to Finally Release?
Despite production delays, fans’ hopes are still high
As of January 2024, there is no confident answer regarding when Uzumaki will finally premiere on Adult Swim. The animators have made it clear that they don’t want to release the anime unfinished in order to provide fans with the best adaptation of Ito’s story as possible. It’s highly unlikely that the series will debut sometime after 2030 based on the level of work shown in recent teasers. Plus, with the voicework likely being almost finished, seeing as Junji Ito himself has already recorded his cameo, it’s all come down to the animation team as they carefully bring Ito’s story to life.
Perfection can’t be rushed, and it’s clear that the Uzumaki team has this in mind as they work diligently to complete the anime. The series is still very much in production and will be released, but it will take time. Based on what work the team has shared, it’s clear that the highly anticipated Adult Swim adaptation of Junji Ito‘s Uzumaki will be well worth the wait.
