Junji Ito Crimson Anime Announced

A new work based on the works of Junji Ito was announced at this year's Japan Expo in Paris. The new anime will be titled Junji Ito Crimson. Details such as the studio and cast weren't announced, but we do know that the anime will stream on Crunchyroll when it premieres.

Yumi Matsutoya will perform the theme song, titled “Karasu Ageha.” Musiv video for it has been revealed, and it features original illustrations by Ito. The music video's main character, whose name is Karasu Ageha, has the role of connecting the underworld and the current world (in this video, the two Tomies). The song will be included in Matsutoya's upcoming album, which will be released this fall.

An official statement by Junji Ito regarding the new anime was published on the Twitter/X account dedicated to the mangaka's animated works:

Currently, an anime titled Junji Ito: Crimson is being made, based on my original works. Just hearing that title alone is enough to make my heart race with excitement and anticipation. I hear that based on my many short stories, they have selected ones that bring out the red crimson color, like blood, to aniamtion.

Yuming, also known as Yumi Matsutoya is, in my opinion, among the best composers in the world. This time, Yuming is handling the opening theme for Crimson, which is like a dream come true. When I first listened to the demo, which had a slight showa feel, I was immediately struck by the emotion it conveyed. It was such a passionate and unforgettable melody that it has lingered in my mind ever since.

This new masterpiece by Yuming keeps playing over and over in my head, like an internal soundtrack, and it fills me with happiness.

For the TV anime Junji Ito “Crimson”, I believe the opening theme song is a key element in shaping the atmosphere of the TV anime Junji Ito: Crimson, and bringing my original image to life.

With Matsutoya handling the opening theme song, the series is sure to become a special anime with a distinct tone, different from Collection or Maniac. I think fans are looking forward to it too, so please look forward to it!

This is the third adaptation of Junji Ito's works that is coming in the form of a collection. The first was Junji Ito Collection in 2018 (animated by Studio DEEN and Marvy Jack and streaming on Crunchyroll) and the second was Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre in 2023 (animated by Studio DEEN, streaming on Netflix). The Junji Ito Collection also had a two-episode special focusing on Tomie. Crimson is dubbed as a sequel to these two adaptations.

Junji Ito's Uzumaki was also adapted into anime. Uzumaki: Spiral Into Horror was animated by studios Fugaku and Akatsuki. The four-episode adaptation premiered in 2024, after being delayed due to production issues.

In addition to the panel during which the Junji Ito Crimson anime was announced, the mangaka also did a live-drawing session at this year's Japan Expo, where he talked about his inspirations, work process, visiting France, and more.

Source: Japan Expo 2025, Official Website