Sunrise and SHAFT’s First Collaboration: Fool Night Anime Announced, Set for Worldwide Netflix Exclusive Streaming in 2026

Fool Night, the acclaimed manga by Kasumi Yasuda, is officially receiving an anime adaptation. The series will stream exclusively worldwide on Netflix in 2026. The announcement was made during a panel event at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2026 in France, where a teaser visual, teaser trailer, main cast, and staff details were also unveiled.

Acclaimed Dystopian Manga Heads to Netflix

Serialized in Shogakukan's Big Comic Superior, Fool Night has earned widespread recognition both in Japan and internationally. The manga was ranked in Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2023 and won the Best Suspense Award at the Japan Expo Awards (DARUMA Awards) 2023.

The series currently has 12 collected volumes in print, with approximately 600,000 copies in circulation worldwide, including digital editions. Volumes have been released in 17 countries and regions around the world.

Set on a future Earth covered by thick clouds, the story depicts a world where most plant life has withered away, leaving humanity struggling with severe oxygen shortages. Society survives by relying on oxygen generated through a technology known as Transfloration, which transforms people nearing death into plants.

At the center of the story is Toshiro Kamiya, a young man trapped in poverty who must confront a life changing choice: continue living as a human or begin a new existence as a plant. The series unfolds as a dystopian human drama exploring life, death, and the meaning of existence.

Sunrise and SHAFT Join Forces for the First Time

Animation production will be handled by Sunrise, known for works such as Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury and Cowboy Bebop, alongside SHAFT, the studio behind Puella Magi Madoka Magica and the Monogatari Series. This marks the first collaborative anime project between the two studios.

The production staff includes:
Director: Atsuyuki Yukawa (Suzume)
Series Composition: Jin Tanaka (Oshi no Ko)
Sound Director: Yota Tsuruoka (A Silent Voice)
Music: Tatsuya Kato (Dr. STONE)

Teaser Visual and Trailer Reveal the World of Fool Night

The newly released teaser visual depicts Toshiro Kamiya riding a train alongside a person undergoing Transfloration. The contrast between a vibrant flower field and an ominous sky highlights the unique atmosphere of the series.

The teaser trailer offers a glimpse into the harsh world of Fool Night, showcasing characters struggling to survive as well as the mysterious appearance, humans whose Transfloration has advanced significantly. The footage provides an early look at the anime's visual style and storytelling approach.

Main Cast and Characters

■Toshiro Kamiya (Voiced by Koki Uchiyama)
A young man living in extreme poverty and harsh conditions. Having lost any sense of purpose in life, he undergoes the Transfloration procedure and develops the unusual ability to hear the voices of Reika. He is subsequently hired as a special temporary employee at the National Transfloration Institute.

Comment from Koki Uchiyama
"Fool Night portrays people living on a future Earth that has become an extremely harsh environment. Toshiro Kamiya is one of those people, and in the midst of his difficult life, he clings to a certain hope. To express the complexity of his emotional journey, I challenged myself with many different approaches in every episode. I hope many people will watch the anime Fool Night."

■Yomiko Horai (Voiced by Minako Kotobuki)
An employee of the National Transfloration Institute. Rather than belonging to a specific department, she handles a wide range of duties related to Transfloration. She finds great happiness in enjoying delicious food and is Toshiro's childhood friend.

Comment from Minako Kotobuki
"I am Minako Kotobuki, and I will be voicing Yomiko Horai.
From the audition stage, I was captivated by the powerful world created by Yasuda sensei and Director Yukawa's artistic vision. I felt that if I could fully portray Yomiko in this project, I would have no regrets. It is truly an honor to play her.

Yomiko appears to be an ordinary person who loves food, but as someone working within the Transfloration system, there may be something distorted within her heart as well.

The happiness that Yomiko and the people of her world experience is likely very different from our own, and I tried to perform the role carefully so as not to overlook those differences.

This is a story that may not be as far removed from our future as we would like to think. I am genuinely delighted that Fool Night will be distributed to audiences around the world through Netflix."

Original Creator Kasumi Yasuda Celebrates the Anime Adaptation

Kasumi Yasuda also shared an illustration and message commemorating the adaptation.

Yasuda explained that the concept of Fool Night began with a simple image: houseplants placed throughout a sterile office environment. From there, he continued creating spaces he personally wanted to see, allowing the world of the manga to grow organically until it eventually reached the stage of anime adaptation.

He thanked readers around the world for supporting the series and expressed his hope that the anime would help introduce Fool Night to even more audiences.

"I sincerely thank readers around the world for supporting Fool Night. Now that the series has reached new heights, I would be delighted if the anime helps even more people discover it. I hope you enjoy the speculative fiction world I have created."

Director Atsuyuki Yukawa Shares His Thoughts

Director Atsuyuki Yukawa revealed that the anime project began when a former shut in submitted a proposal for adapting Fool Night.

He explained that a series of unexpected coincidences eventually brought Sunrise and SHAFT together, leading to his involvement in the project.

Yukawa described the original manga as an exceptionally multifaceted work and noted the challenge of adapting it into animation, where viewers cannot control the pace of reading as they can with a manga. Ultimately, he decided to trust the audience and focus on carefully portraying the passage of time rather than over explaining the story.

He added that the entire production team, from creators to supporters and distributors, has delivered outstanding work on the project and expressed confidence that viewers will enjoy the result.

Source : Fool Night Official