What goes around comes around. That is very much the theme of Uzumaki.

But what really attracted me to this anime was the unusual artwork. It is all done in black and white, with shades of gray. There are also some well animated parts. Basically, Uzumaki looks different using a unique style to accent the horror.

The events take place in a small, quiet seaside town. There is nothing remarkable about it. Oh, spirals suddenly appear, and things go crazy. People turn into snails. The local pond turns into a whirlpool. A girl’s hair starts growing uncontrollably into spiral shapes. Some lose their sanity. Pregnant women begin feeding on human blood. And there is more as the undefinable force threatens to destroy the whole town and the people in it. We never get an explanation as to why these things are happening, but that’s OK. I do like endings which leave the audience wondering. However, Uzumaki does not totally deliver.

The series is only four episodes long, and therein lays the problem. We are fed too much too fast. There is no buildup of suspense. We do not get the time to process what we have seen before the next unbelievable event. This series should have been extended at least to be able to ask what it is we just saw. This is why I was fairly disappointed with the series beginning with episode 2.

Uzumaki had such promise. I was looking forward to watching it after seeing the trailer. Next time the creators develop a series, they should take their time.