Most animation studios are in the limelight for a bad reason. Be it pacing or inauthenticity, anime is being heavily criticized. This is especially true for Junji Ito’s magnum opus Uzumaki. With its botched visuals and inauthentic adaptation, One Piece animator couldn’t help but rant. This is especially true regarding the last few episodes of the series.
Henry Thurlow who has worked on Eiichiro Oda’s series went on a rant. He speculated several reasons for the anime’s failure. This further highlights the biggest problem in the anime industry. With the current scenario, it is equally disappointing for Ito to witness the betrayal as it is for the fans. To say the least, the mangaka is indeed plagued with the curse of horrid adaptations.
One Piece animator’s rant reveals the reason behind Uzumaki’s failure
Given the amount of years it took for the production, one wouldn’t anticipate Uzumaki’s ruin. At the 2019 Crunchyroll Expo, an announcement regarding the anime was first made. From what we know so far, Studio Drive was going to take up this project.
With the commencement of Covid-19, the project was put to a halt eventually. This is especially true with the virus outbreak and health concerns as stated by Jason DeMarco. DeMarco is the executive producer of Ito’s series. As a co-creator of Toonami, he assured fans of the quality and faithful adaptation. However, there’s a catch.
The first episode kickstarted and raised fans’ expectations. With the second episode came the much-needed jolt. What followed was a complete nightmare entailing botched visuals and flattened details. The horror masterpiece was reduced to a complete joke, especially with the pacing. The omission of crucial stories led most fans even animators to blame Western Studios.
Henry Thurlow is one of the animators who criticized this disastrous adaptation. Thurlow who worked with One Piece as an animator expressed his rage on X.
5/6 …As for the Uzumaki production, at the end of the day it’s almost certainly *some* western producer’s fault. “This is taking too long so force some other studio to finish it I don’t care what it looks like.” I’d bet everything I have that’s how it went down. …
— Henry Thurlow (@henry_thurlow) October 9, 2024
Unsurprisingly, this revelation makes sense considering the plight of most popular anime. From Blue Lock to Dragon Ball, most studios have failed to give faithful animated adaptations. Adult Swim’s disastrous move further proves the neverending curse of betrayed adaptations.
Junji Ito and the series of betrayed adaptations
Junji Ito is celebrated for his exemplary portrayals of horror through the medium of manga. From My Dear Ancestors to Glyceride, his works are imbued with body horror. The visuals are sure to end a chill down the spine.
It is truly disappointing to witness a betrayed adaptation. This, however, isn’t the first time the mangaka experienced the ruination. Before Adult Swim, Studio Deen obliterated his artwork in most aspects. The macabre elements were reduced to mockery in the process. And there’s more to it.
Most fans have opened up about the mangaka’s adaptations. From movies to anime, the mediums have failed the work miserably. Uzumaki is arguably his best horror masterpiece. However, in their move of overhyping, both Production I.G and Adult Swim failed miserably.
What’s truly devastating is that Production I.G. has some of the stalwarts of animation. The studio has produced remarkable anime such as Ghost in the Shell and Kuroko’s Basketball. On top of that, the studio provided animation for Quentin Tarantino’s iconic movie Kill Bill Vol.1. The tides have turned for the worst.
Whether or not a Western producer is involved is uncertain. It, however, doesn’t negate the horrid animation whatsoever. Considering the years of emotional investment, it is a huge betrayal on the studio’s part. For now, fans can only sit and hope for the best for future adaptations.
One Piece is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. Uzumaki can be streamed on Adult Swim’s Toonami. Both manga are available for reading on Viz Media.
