Junji Ito's Horror Stories Becoming Live-Action Series: Trailer Released, Will Premiere at Anime Expo
The living legend of the horror genre, Junji Ito's works are now facing the audience in live-action format. The newly announced omnibus series will bring together the most terrifying stories of the famous manga artist and will have its first screening at Anime Expo 2026. While the first trailer of the series has been released, it was also announced that the ending song is "The Darkest Night" performed by South Korean folk-pop duo 10cm.
Junji Ito is a manga artist recognized worldwide, especially for works such as Uzumaki, Tomie, and Gyo. His unique horror style, focusing on psychological and bodily deformation, has previously been the subject of anime adaptations ("Junji Ito Collection", "Junji Ito Maniac"). This new project, however, will present Ito's short stories in an anthology format for the first time in live-action. Although which stories the series will cover has not yet been clarified, the trailer contains references to classics such as Tomie and The Enigma of Amigara Fault.
South Korean music group 10cm is a team also known recently for K-drama OSTs. Their ending song "The Darkest Night" is expected to contribute to the series' tense atmosphere. The world premiere at Anime Expo will take place in Los Angeles between July 4-7, 2026. Viewers will have the opportunity to watch the first episode during the event and possibly have a Q&A with the production team.
This project is an exciting development for Junji Ito fans. Although previous anime adaptations were visually impressive, delivering horror through live-action promises a different experience. Especially with the long-awaited animation adaptation of Uzumaki ("Spiral"), Ito's works are on the rise again in popular culture. The series' streaming platform and full episode list have not been announced yet, but these details are expected to be clarified after the premiere. Get ready to enter the Junji Ito universe — darkness has never been so real.
