The 2024 Fall anime lineup has many powerhouse shows. However, two highly anticipated shows have fallen flat due to the animation quality. Uzumaki and Blue Lock have some of the lowest animation quality compared to everything airing this season. Not only is it unfortunate, but it’s also a result of issues that continue to plague the animation industry.
Uzumaki
The Uzumaki trailers promised viewers peak animation showcasing the eerie nature of the spiral-centered show. The first episode was a feast and left viewers excited for more. Unfortunately, when they tuned in the next week, the animation quality drastically dropped. This left viewers wondering what happened at the studio to lead to this disaster.
In a now-deleted Bluesky post, executive producer Jason Demarco stated that the show’s production took hit after hit after its initial announcement in 2019. The continuous hits to the series left producers with 3 options: cancel it, air one episode and leave it unfinished, or finish the show with all its flaws.
While this isn’t the first Junji Ito series to suffer from shoddy animation, Uzumaki makes the Junji Ito Collection look amazing. The falling PNGs, odd running animations, and lackluster presentation have made Uzumaki one of the year’s biggest animated blunders.
Blue Lock U-20
Blue Lock U-20 is the other animated blunder of the year. Fortunately, it hasn’t suffered as much as Uzumaki, but it’s still unfortunate.
In an intense sports show like Blue Lock, animation is integral. It showcases the power of a kick, the crushing weight of defeat, and the elation of victory. All of that is lost because the shots during these high-intensity games are moving stills with a burst of color behind them.
As an image, it looks cool, but it falls flat knowing the characters are supposed to be in motion. Viewers have taken to calling the show PNG Lock and comparing the animation to something that can be created using CapCut.
The studio hasn’t released any information about why this season’s quality dipped. However, many speculate it could be due to the change in director, poor time management, overworked employees, or a combination of all three.
What Else is New?
It’s no secret that animation studios work in some of the worst working conditions. Constant crunch time, horrible hours, and little pay are common factors at many animation studios. This is constantly brought up when discussing Japanese animation.
However, the industry remains steadfast in its unsustainable practices. Like the video game industry, the animation industry is run by people who care about profits. The anime studio MAPPA has become a poster child for everything wrong with the animation industry. However, every single studio engages in these practices to some degree.
The Bright Side
While animation is the main focus of a series, many other components make a show worthwhile. Voice acting, sound design, and the stories told in these shows are also integral parts of a show’s success.
While the animation quality isn’t there, direction, voice acting, and sound informs a scene, making shows engaging. Of course, watching a show without decent animation isn’t for everyone.
The bright side is that both of these shows were adapted from manga. If you’re a fan of the series, but can’t stand the animation, there is comfort in knowing those manga are available to read online and in print.
