Netflix Orders Parasyte: Tamiya Live-Action Series Starring Shioli Kutsuna
By shifting the perspective to the antagonist Ryoko Tamiya, the series reframes the original story's central conflict as a philosophical question about coexistence, rather than a straightforward survival battle.
Key Facts
- Netflix announced the live-action series "Parasyte: Tamiya" on July 22, 2026.
- Shioli Kutsuna stars as Ryoko Tamiya, a parasite who seeks coexistence with humans.
- Yeon Sang-ho is the planner and co-writer, with Kensaku Kakimoto and Kazuhiro Nakagawa directing.
- Filming has already completed after a six-month production period.
- The series will stream globally on Netflix in 2027.
Reporting from 3 sources: Anime News Network, Denfaminicogamer, Cinema Today.
Netflix announced on July 22, 2026, that it is developing a new live-action series titled "Parasyte: Tamiya," based on Hitoshi Iwaaki's manga "Parasyte." The series centers on the character Ryoko Tamiya, a parasite who takes over a high school teacher's body and later questions coexistence with humans. Shioli Kutsuna stars as Tamiya, with Yeon Sang-ho (director of 2024's "Parasyte: The Grey") serving as planner and co-writer alongside Ryu Yong-jae. Kensaku Kakimoto and Kazuhiro Nakagawa are directing. Production company WOWPOINT returns to develop and produce the series, with Episcope handling production. Filming has already wrapped after a six-month shoot. The series will stream globally on Netflix in 2027. Kutsuna described the role as the most challenging of her career. Yeon Sang-ho praised her performance, saying she "perfectly portrayed the process of a non-human entity understanding humans and its own existence." The original manga, serialized from 1988 to 1995, has sold over 25 million copies worldwide. This is the second live-action adaptation from Yeon Sang-ho, following "Parasyte: The Grey" in 2024.
Yeon Sang-ho, who directed the 2024 Korean live-action adaptation "Parasyte: The Grey," returns as planner and co-writer for the new series. He co-writes the script with Ryu Yong-jae, who also worked on "Parasyte: The Grey." The directing duties are split between Kensaku Kakimoto, known for the Netflix series "Glass Heart," and Kazuhiro Nakagawa, who directed the Godzilla short film series "Fest Godzilla" and the live-action "Double."
Yeon Sang-ho said he chose Kutsuna because she "has not only shown a wide range of performances in Japan and the US but also has a deep understanding of the SF genre through American films and dramas." He added that the series depicts three versions of Tamiya: the human before being parasitized, the parasite after infection, and the conflicted version who interacts with people around her. Executive producer Yoshihiro Sato of Netflix said the questions posed by the original manga "over 30 years ago have become more realistic social questions in the present day, where emotionless AI exists close to us."
The series is produced by WOWPOINT, the Korean production company behind "Parasyte: The Grey," with Episcope handling production. Filming took six months and has wrapped. The original manga, serialized in Kodansha's Afternoon magazine from 1988 to 1995, has sold over 25 million copies in about 20 countries. It previously inspired a 2014 television anime, two live-action films in 2014 and 2015, and the 2024 Korean series "Parasyte: The Grey," which entered Netflix's Global Top 10 for non-English series for four consecutive weeks and reached number one in 34 countries.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.