Uzumaki is a chilling horror anime adaptation of Junji Ito’s iconic manga, following the residents of a small town plagued by a supernatural spiral curse that drives obsession, body horror, and madness. It masterfully blends psychological terror with everyday life, subverting expectations through twisted plot developments and exploring underdog survival against an inescapable force.
These selected anime deserve more attention for their innovative takes on similar themes, offering unique power systems like curses or supernatural forces, underdog protagonists battling overwhelming odds, and narrative subversions that keep viewers on edge.
1. Housing Complex C (2022)
- Current streaming availability: Adult Swim, HBO Max.
- Brief plot summary: In a seaside housing complex, young girl Kimi befriends new residents amid strange events like dead animals and disappearances, uncovering a supernatural curse tied to the building’s history.
- Specific similarities to Uzumaki: Shares cosmic horror and a cursed location driving paranoia, with underdog characters subverting expectations through isolation and ancient forces.
- Current MAL rating: 5.4.
- Episode count: 4.
- Notable staff/studio involvement: Directed by YĆ«ji Nara at Studio Akatsuki.
- Any awards or recognition: None major, but praised for atmospheric tension in reviews.
2. Junji Ito Collection (2018)
- Current streaming availability: Crunchyroll, Prime Video.
- Brief plot summary: An anthology adapting Junji Ito’s short stories, featuring tales of cursed individuals facing grotesque horrors like fashion models with shark teeth or endless dreams.
- Specific similarities to Uzumaki: Mirrors body horror and psychological obsession, with underdog protagonists subverting horror tropes through surreal, expectation-defying twists.
- Current MAL rating: 6.7.
- Episode count: 12.
- Notable staff/studio involvement: Directed by Shinobu Tagashira at Studio Deen; music by Yuki Hayashi.
- Any awards or recognition: Junji Ito nominated for Eisner Awards in related works.
3. Higurashi: When They Cry (2006)
- Current streaming availability: HIDIVE, Crunchyroll.
- Brief plot summary: In the village of Hinamizawa, friends unravel a cycle of murders linked to a local festival curse, descending into paranoia and violence.
- Specific similarities to Uzumaki: Features a village-wide curse subverting peaceful settings into psychological horror, with underdog kids fighting against manipulative forces.
- Current MAL rating: 7.9.
- Episode count: 26.
- Notable staff/studio involvement: Studio Deen; known for unsettling animation style building dread.
- Any awards or recognition: Influential in horror genre, inspiring multiple adaptations.
4. Another (2012)
- Current streaming availability: Crunchyroll.
- Brief plot summary: Transfer student Koichi joins a cursed class where deaths occur mysteriously, forcing him to uncover a deadly secret to survive.
- Specific similarities to Uzumaki: Centers on a subversion of school life through a curse system, with underdog protagonists navigating paranoia and body horror.
- Current MAL rating: 7.5.
- Episode count: 12.
- Notable staff/studio involvement: Directed by Tsutomu Mizushima at P.A. Works.
- Any awards or recognition: Nominated for Anime Grand Prix.
5. Blood-C (2011)
- Current streaming availability: Prime Video, Crunchyroll.
- Brief plot summary: Shrine maiden Saya fights bloodthirsty monsters in her town, but reality unravels as she questions her existence and the horrors around her.
- Specific similarities to Uzumaki: Explores body horror and subversion of normalcy via a monstrous power system, with an underdog heroine facing obsessive threats.
- Current MAL rating: 6.5.
- Episode count: 12.
- Notable staff/studio involvement: Co-created by CLAMP at Production I.G.
- Any awards or recognition: Noted for violent animation style in reviews.
6. Mieruko-chan (2021)
- Current streaming availability: Crunchyroll, Funimation.
- Brief plot summary: High schooler Miko suddenly sees terrifying ghosts and must ignore them to survive, blending horror with daily life struggles.
- Specific similarities to Uzumaki: Subverts everyday settings with psychological horror and underdog resilience against invisible curses, using unique animation for eerie effects.
- Current MAL rating: 7.4.
- Episode count: 12.
- Notable staff/studio involvement: Studio Passione; praised for horror-comedy animation balance.
- Any awards or recognition: Positive reviews for visual style.
7. Shiki (2010)
- Current streaming availability: Funimation, Crunchyroll.
- Brief plot summary: A remote village faces mysterious deaths from a vampire epidemic, leading doctor Toshio to confront the horror overtaking his community.
- Specific similarities to Uzumaki: Involves a town curse subverting social norms into body horror, with underdog survivors challenging expectations.
- Current MAL rating: 7.7.
- Episode count: 22.
- Notable staff/studio involvement: Studio Daume; adapted from Fuyumi Ono’s novel.
- Any awards or recognition: Recognized for psychological depth in horror circles.
8. Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre (2023)
- Current streaming availability: Netflix.
- Brief plot summary: Another Ito anthology with stories like hanging balloons and possessed hair, exploring bizarre horrors in ordinary lives.
- Specific similarities to Uzumaki: Direct body horror and obsession themes, subverting reality with curse-like elements and underdog victims.
- Current MAL rating: 6.5.
- Episode count: 12.
- Notable staff/studio involvement: Directed by Shinobu Tagashira at Studio Deen.
- Any awards or recognition: Builds on Ito’s Eisner-winning legacy.
9. Mononoke (2007)
- Current streaming availability: Crunchyroll.
- Brief plot summary: A mysterious medicine seller exorcises spirits born from human regrets, using rituals to uncover their origins.
- Specific similarities to Uzumaki: Unique animation style subverts folklore into psychological horror, with an underdog exorcist facing obsessive entities.
- Current MAL rating: 8.4.
- Episode count: 12.
- Notable staff/studio involvement: Toei Animation; directed by Kenji Nakamura.
- Any awards or recognition: Praised for artistic innovation.
10. Hell Girl (2005)
- Current streaming availability: Crunchyroll.
- Brief plot summary: Victims summon Hell Girl to curse their tormentors, but the act binds them to hell, exploring vengeance’s consequences.
- Specific similarities to Uzumaki: Curse system subverts justice into horror, with underdog callers facing unexpected twists.
- Current MAL rating: 7.6.
- Episode count: 26.
- Notable staff/studio involvement: Studio Deen; created by Hiroshi Watanabe.
- Any awards or recognition: Influential in supernatural horror.
11. School-Live! (2015)
- Current streaming availability: HIDIVE.
- Brief plot summary: Schoolgirls maintain club activities amid a zombie apocalypse, subverting cute slice-of-life with hidden trauma.
- Specific similarities to Uzumaki: Major subversion of expectations from cute to horror, with underdogs surviving a curse-like outbreak.
- Current MAL rating: 7.6.
- Episode count: 12.
- Notable staff/studio involvement: Lerche; directed by Masaomi Ando.
- Any awards or recognition: Noted for genre twist.
12. Parasyte: The Maxim (2014)
- Current streaming availability: Crunchyroll, Netflix.
- Brief plot summary: Alien parasites invade human bodies; teen Shinichi bonds with one, fighting others in a body horror survival battle.
- Specific similarities to Uzumaki: Intense body horror and subversion of human normalcy, with an underdog host against invasive forces.
- Current MAL rating: 8.3.
- Episode count: 24.
- Notable staff/studio involvement: Madhouse; directed by Kenichi Shimizu.
- Any awards or recognition: Won Tokyo Anime Award.
13. Devilman Crybaby (2018)
- Current streaming availability: Netflix.
- Brief plot summary: Akira fuses with a demon to fight others, delving into humanity’s darkness amid apocalyptic chaos.
- Specific similarities to Uzumaki: Body horror transformations subvert hero tropes, with underdog battles against demonic obsession.
- Current MAL rating: 7.8.
- Episode count: 10.
- Notable staff/studio involvement: Science SARU; directed by Masaaki Yuasa.
- Any awards or recognition: Crunchyroll Anime Award winner.
14. Boogiepop Phantom (2000)
- Current streaming availability: Crunchyroll.
- Brief plot summary: High schoolers encounter a supernatural entity amid disappearances, unraveling psychological mysteries.
- Specific similarities to Uzumaki: Nonlinear narrative subverts reality with paranoia and curse-like phenomena.
- Current MAL rating: 7.1.
- Episode count: 12.
- Notable staff/studio involvement: Madhouse; directed by Takashi Watanabe.
- Any awards or recognition: Cult classic status.
15. Serial Experiments Lain (1998)
- Current streaming availability: Funimation.
- Brief plot summary: Girl Lain blurs reality and the digital world after a classmate’s suicide message, exploring identity and existence.
- Specific similarities to Uzumaki: Psychological subversion of normal life into horror, with underdog navigating obsessive digital curses.
- Current MAL rating: 8.1.
- Episode count: 13.
- Notable staff/studio involvement: Triangle Staff; directed by RyĆ«tarĆ Nakamura.
- Any awards or recognition: Influential in cyberpunk horror.
Why These Anime Work for Uzumaki Fans
These series capture Uzumaki’s essence by weaving psychological depth with horror elements, often subverting mundane settings into nightmarish scenarios where underdogs confront curse-like systems. Their unique animation and storytelling approaches, from anthology formats to slow-burn paranoia, provide fresh yet familiar terror, making them ideal for fans seeking underrated gems that challenge expectations and delve into obsession’s dark side.
