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Junji Ito
Junji Ito's work is being adapted and merchandised on multiple fronts. HBO Max will stream the live-action omnibus series Strange: Junji Ito's Tales for Sleepless Nights internationally this fall, after its July 3 premiere on TV Tokyo. Toei is producing Thai-language feature adaptations of The Long Hair in the Attic and The Hanging Balloons.
Synthesized from 16
Yomimono stories · updated
6d ago
The most recent stories about Junji Ito center on adaptation deals outside Japan. Toei and Thai production company 13 Studio are making a Thai-language feature of the short story The Hanging Balloons, with Thai director Taweewat Wantha directing and the setting moved to Thailand. That follows Toei's co-production of The Long Hair in the Attic with Thai studio M Studio and South Korean Showbox, which is set to finish development this year with filming planned for 2027.
The live-action omnibus series Strange: Junji Ito's Tales for Sleepless Nights adapts 13 manga stories. It premiered on TV Tokyo on July 3, and HBO Max will stream it internationally this fall. Before the premiere, the staff rearranged the episode order, moving Lovesickness (Part 1) to the first episode and postponing The Mansion of Phantom Pain with no new airdate announced. The cast includes Nijiro Murakami and Kanata Hosoda, with IVE performing the opening theme. Anime Expo screened the first two episodes.
Merchandise and tie-ins continue. Ito drew new art of Tomie in a high school zombie uniform holding a Hamikuma plush for Universal Studios Japan's Halloween Horror Night, a first-time collaboration with the event's Street Zombies. A painted prototype of a Gyaru Tomie figure with Hello Kitty accessories appeared at Good Smile Fest 2026, part of the Sanrio characters x Junji Ito crossover, with no release date announced. Ken Elephant plans Ito Junji Goods Vol. 2 capsule toys around January 2027, and a Junji Ito pop-up store runs at Hands Omiya from October 20 to November 24, 2026.
On the publishing side, Masaru Sato's novelization of Uzumaki ended its serialization in the July issue of Big Comic Original Zokan on June 12, with the compiled novel to ship later. Viz Media released an English-subtitled video of Rumiko Takahashi and Junji Ito discussing each other's work, filmed in San Francisco in January.
Key facts
- Thai feature of The Hanging Balloons
- Toei and 13 Studio are producing a Thai-language film directed by Taweewat Wantha, moving the setting to Thailand. ↗
- Zankyo pop-up store
- Runs October 20 to November 24, 2026 on the fifth floor of Hands Omiya, with free admission and no reservation required. ↗
- Ito Junji Goods Vol. 2
- Ken Elephant lists the capsule toy line among ten products planned around January 2027. ↗
- Tomie at USJ
- Ito drew new art of Tomie in a high school zombie uniform holding a Hamikuma plush for the Halloween Horror Night collaboration with Street Zombies. ↗
- USJ event dates
- Halloween Horror Night runs from September 11 to November 8, 2026, with Tomie goods on sale from September 9 at Studio Style. ↗
- Viz Teatime for Two video
- Viz Media released an English-subtitled video of Rumiko Takahashi and Junji Ito discussing each other's work; Ito said the meeting was filmed in San Francisco in January. ↗
- HBO Max international streaming
- HBO Max will stream the live-action omnibus series Strange: Junji Ito's Tales for Sleepless Nights internationally this fall. ↗
- Episode order change
- Lovesickness (Part 1) became the premiere episode; The Mansion of Phantom Pain was postponed with no new airdate announced. ↗
- Uzumaki novelization finale
- Masaru Sato's novelization published its final chapter in the July issue of Big Comic Original Zokan on June 12, with the compiled novel to ship later. ↗
- Strange series cast and premiere
- The series premieres July 3 on TV Tokyo's Drama 24 block, with Nijiro Murakami, Kanata Hosoda, and Yoko Maki in the cast and IVE performing the opening theme. ↗
Timeline
- Oct 13, 2026 Toei and 13 Studio Adapt Junji Ito's The Hanging Balloons as Thai Film
- Oct 7, 2026 Junji Ito Pop Up Store Zankyo Opens at Hands Omiya on October 20
- Sep 24, 2026 Ken Elephant Previews 10 Capsule Toys for January 2027
- Sep 21, 2026 Mac n Cheese Games Announces Dust Till Dawn For PC In 2027
- Sep 11, 2026 Welcome To Elderfield Brings Cozy Horror Farming To Steam
- Aug 22, 2026 Junji Ito Draws New Tomie Art for USJ Halloween Horror Night
- Aug 18, 2026 USJ Reveals Tomie and Street Zombie Collaboration Goods for Halloween Horror Night
- Aug 14, 2026 Hot Toys Fortnite Lineup Launches at Akihabara Global Event
- Aug 11, 2026 Rumiko Takahashi and Junji Ito Meet for Viz Teatime for Two Video
- Jul 6, 2026 HBO Max to Stream Live-Action Junji Ito Series Internationally This Fall
- Jun 28, 2026 Live-Action Junji Ito Series Rearranges Episode Order
- Jun 22, 2026 Uzumaki Novelization Ends Serialization
- Jun 13, 2026 Live-Action Junji Ito Omnibus Series Reveals Teaser, Ending Song, Anime Expo Premiere
- Jun 6, 2026 New Junji Ito Figure Puts Gyaru Tomie With Hello Kitty Accessories
- May 28, 2026 Live-Action Junji Ito Omnibus Series Announces Full Cast
- May 19, 2026 Junji Ito's The Long Hair in the Attic Gets Live-Action Film
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
Facts
- Noted
- drew new art of Tomie · 2026-08-22
- Noted
- contributed new art specifically for the event · 2026-08-22
- Noted
- created original artwork for the collaboration · 2026-08-18
- Noted
- Ito suggested leaning toward horror · 2026-08-11
- Noted
- Ito revealed the meeting was filmed in San Francisco in January · 2026-08-11
- Release
- live_action · 2026-07-03 · Japan · 2026-06-13
- Announced
- teaser and key visual revealed · 2026-06-13
- Announced
- Anime Expo 2026 will screen the first two episodes · 2026-06-13
Connections
Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/junji-ito.
CC BY 4.0.
Claim activity
When a claim about Junji Ito was confirmed, debunked, or disputed against
open-web sources. The record stays even after a claim drops off the facts list.
- Confirmed Anime Expo 2026 will screen the first two episodes Sep 1 · source
- Confirmed teaser and key visual revealed Sep 1 · source
- Confirmed live_action 2026-07-03 Japan Sep 1 · source
- Confirmed Junji Ito produces Tomie Aug 31 · source
- Confirmed junji ito writes the long hair in the attic May 28 · source
All coverage
Oct 13
Toei and Thai production company 13 Studio are producing a Thai-language feature film of Junji Ito's horror short "Kubitsuri Kikyu" (The Hanging Balloons), announced Tuesday. Thai director Taweewat Wantha is directing. The film moves the story's setting to Thailand while keeping the original's eerie worldview. The short debuted in Asahi Sonorama's Monthly Halloween in 1994 and inspired a Japanese live-action film in 2000 and a 2023 Netflix anime episode.
Oct 7
The Junji Ito POP UP STORE 'Zankyo' runs from October 20 to November 24, 2026 on the fifth floor of Hands Omiya. Admission is free and no reservation is needed. The lineup includes Tomie goods such as a waist bag, multi case, glass candle, mascot, and metal bookmarker, plus apparel including Zankyo and Hanging Balloon T-shirts and a Painter Aloha Shirt.
Sep 24
Ken Elephant posted previews for ten new capsule toy products on its official X account, with a release planned around January 2027. The lineup includes baccan ORBY Figure Collection, Frozen Mammoth FROZEN MAMMOTH, Jurassic Eggplant Plush Mirror Figure Collection, DOLLSSAN KEBIN Collection Vol. 2 and Ito Junji Goods Vol. 2. Four re-released items are slated for around February 2027.
Sep 21
Mac n Cheese Games announced on September 21 that Dust till Dawn, a supernatural cleaning simulator, will release on PC via Steam in 2027, with Japanese display planned. Players are a novice maid cleaning a rural Japanese house and village where dust returns and objects move after cleaning. Cleaning longer earns more money but raises the chance of supernatural encounters. Akira Yamaoka provides trailer music.
Sep 11
Indie developer Chris Cote released Welcome to Elderfield on Steam at 2,250 yen, with a 10 percent discount to 2,025 yen through September 25, 2026. The cozy horror RPG is set in a town where the abnormal is everyday, with hand-drawn art reminiscent of Junji Ito's work and Lo-Fi music by composer Dated. Players farm crops including teeth and eyeballs, mine, cook, fish, investigate mysteries, romance residents, and fight Lovecraftian horrors in turn-based battles.
Aug 22
Universal Studios Japan's Halloween Horror Night returns for its 15th year on September 11, 2026, with a first-time collaboration between Junji Ito's Tomie and the event's Street Zombies. Ito drew new art of Tomie in a high school zombie uniform holding a Hamikuma plush. Merch goes on sale September 9 at Studio Style.
Aug 18
Universal Studios Japan announced new merchandise and food for its Halloween Horror Night seasonal event. The lineup includes a first-time collaboration between Junji Ito's Tomie and the event's Street Zombies, with original artwork by Ito. The Tomie goods go on sale September 9 at Studio Style, and the event runs from September 11 to November 8.
Aug 14
Hot Toys is launching a line of Fortnite merchandise at a free event in Akihabara, Tokyo, running from August 15 to September 13, 2026. The FORTNITE HOT TOYS GLOBAL LAUNCH EVENT at Bellesalle Akihabara will display the new John Jones the First 1/6 scale figure, limited to 3,000 units worldwide, and sell other items ahead of general release. The figure, priced at 55,000 yen, stands about 32 cm tall with over 25 points of articulation, an eye movement gimmick, and silicone arms for seamless joints. It includes weapons like a rocket launcher and tactical shotgun, plus accessories such as an Orange Flopper and a skin redemption code for the game. The event also features eight types of Cosbi deformed figures at 2,800 yen each, a 1/1 scale Victory Crown at 28,000 yen, three Mega Mi Style 1/9 scale statues at 9,800 yen each, and eight Petit Replica accessory packs at 3,800 yen each. All products except the John Jones figure will be sold at the venue before general sales.
Aug 11
Viz Media released an English-subtitled video featuring Rumiko Takahashi and Junji Ito discussing each other's work, possible collaborations, and industry changes. Ito suggested leaning toward horror, and Takahashi agreed, praising his style. Ito revealed the meeting was filmed in San Francisco in January.
Jul 6
HBO Max will stream the live-action omnibus series Strange: Junji Ito's Tales for Sleepless Nights internationally this fall. The series, based on 13 manga stories by Junji Ito, premiered in Japan on July 3. Anime Expo screened the first two episodes on Friday. The cast includes Nijirō Murakami, Kanata Hosoda, and others. IVE performs the opening theme.
Jun 28
The staff for the live-action omnibus series Strange: Junji Ito's Tales for Sleepless Nights announced on Sunday that they are rearranging the episode order. The episode "Lovesickness" (Part 1) will now premiere as the first episode, while the previously planned first episode, "The Mansion of Phantom Pain," has been postponed with no new airdate announced. The series premieres on TV Tokyo on July 3.
Jun 22
The July issue of Shogakukan's Big Comic Original Zōkan magazine published the final chapter of Masaru Satō's novelization of Junji Ito's Uzumaki horror manga on June 12. The compiled novel will ship later. Satō launched the novelization in February 2019.
Jun 13
TV Tokyo unveiled the teaser, key visual, and details for its live-action Junji Ito omnibus series, which adapts 13 of his manga stories. The series premieres July 3 on TV Tokyo, with South Korean act 10CM performing the ending theme. Anime Expo 2026 will screen the first two episodes, including a world premiere of the second episode.
Jun 6
A painted prototype of a new Junji Ito figure featuring Gyaru Tomie with Hello Kitty accessories appeared at Good Smile Fest 2026. The figure is part of the ongoing Sanrio characters x Junji Ito crossover. Tomie wears Hello Kitty-themed items including a red bow, socks, phone charm, and bag stickers. The figure uses a greyscale paint approach similar to the Uzumaki Kirie Nendoroid. No release date has been announced, but pre-orders are expected soon.
May 28
TV Tokyo revealed the cast for Strange -Junji Ito's Strange Stories for Sleepless Nights-, a live-action omnibus series adapting 13 Junji Ito manga stories. The series premieres July 3 on TV Tokyo's Drama 24 block. The cast includes Nijirō Murakami, Kanata Hosoda, Yōko Maki, and others. IVE performs the opening theme.
May 19
Toei, Thai studio M Studio, and South Korean Showbox are co-producing a live-action film of Junji Ito's 1988 one-shot manga The Long Hair in the Attic. Thai director Sitisiri Mongkolsiri will direct. Development is set to finish this year, with filming planned for 2027.