Tatsuki Fujimoto’s short story collections “17-21” and “22-26” will be streamed worldwide exclusively on Amazon Prime Video starting Saturday, November 8, 2025. In this article, we thoroughly cover the streaming schedule, the background of the original stories, the directors and cast, and all the major highlights of each adapted episode.
Distribution Overview and Schedule
- Release Date:: November 8, 2025 (Saturday)
- Streaming Platform:The "M" in "M" is a combination of "M" and "A":Amazon Prime Video
- Theatrical Release:Limited two-week. screening in Japan starting October 17, 2025
- Episodes:8 total (approx. 20 minutes each)
- Format:Omnibus style directed by 7 directors across 6 studios
- Production Studio:Studio Dorian
- Official website: ".Tatsuki Fujimoto: 17–26"
What Is “Tatsuki Fujimoto: 17–26”? The Background Behind the Original Short Stories and Their Anime Adaptation
Among the most anticipated titles arriving on Amazon Prime Video in November 2025 is Tatsuki Fujimoto: 17–26, an anime adaptation based on Fujimoto’s early short works.
Tatsuki Fujimoto, the creator of the hit manga Chainsaw Man,Eight short cartoons drawn between the ages of 17 and 26and those stories have been adapted into an anime titled Tatsuki Fujimoto: 17–26, which will stream exclusively worldwide on Prime Video starting Saturday, November 8, 2025.
The original short story collection, known in English-speaking countries as “Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man,” gathers works that can be considered the origin of Tatsuki Fujimoto's career. The collection is split into two volumes, "17-21", "22-26" containing a total of eight short stories.
For this anime adaptation project, each of the eight episodes was brought to life by a different director and production studio.
The participating directors include Tetsuaki Watanabe of the TV anime “Blue Lock,” Nobuyuki Takeuchi of the film “Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?”, and Kazuaki Terasawa of the TV anime “The Ancient Magus' Bride Season 2,” among seven others.
Participating studios include ZEXCS (TV anime “Shadowverse”) and P.A.WORKS (TV anime “Uma Musume Pretty Derby Season 1”), offering a diverse lineup. While part of a single series, the content showcases the unique strengths of each studio.
Furthermore, the original short story collection contains themes that can be seen throughout his later representative works such as “Chainsaw Man,” “Look Back,” and “Goodbye, Eri,” making it a crucial work for tracing the evolution of the artist Tatsuki Fujimoto.
“Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26” Episode Guide and Highlights
A Couple Clucking Chickens Were Still Kickin' in the Schoolyard
Director/Screenplay: Seishiro Nagaya
Production: ZEXCS
Cast: Kensho Ono (as Yuto), Shion Sakurai (as Ami), Nozomi Urawa (as Yohei), Kimiko Saito (as Momomi Kaneda), Mitsuo Iwata (as Masatoshi Endo)
In a world believed to be “destroyed,” Yohei, an alien student living there, cared for two chickens at school. However, those chickens harbored a “secret”...
highlights:On the surface, it's a quiet school life, yet beneath lies a layered world of “secrets” and “distortions of everyday life.” Aliens and humans, past and present, ordinary and extraordinary. This short story leaves a lasting impression with its unique blend of “unspoken space” and “unanswered questions”—elements only a concise narrative can capture.
Sasaki Stopped a Bullet
Director: Nobuyoshi Kimura / Screenplay: Teruko Utsumi
Production: Lapantrack
Cast: Toshiki Kumagai (as Sasaki-kun), Chika Anzai (as Chieko Kawaguchi), Yoichi Okano (as Kuwano)
During spring break remedial classes, Sasaki is in the classroom solely to see her homeroom teacher, Mr. Kawaguchi, again. Suddenly, a gunshot rings out. The man who appears in the classroom is the one Mr. Kawaguchi rejected before. Sasaki tries to stop the bullet and gets caught up in the series of events.
highlights:A thrilling school drama depicting moments of tension lurking in everyday life. The presence of gunshots—an “alien element”—brings the emotions of both teachers and students into sharp relief.
Love is Blind
Director: Nobuyuki Takeuchi / Screenplay: Teruko Utsumi
Production: Lapantrack
Cast: Shun Horie (as Ibuki), Shion Wakayama (as Yuri Konosu), Tomoyuki Morikawa (as Mr. Hayasaka), Takahiro Yamamoto (as Robber), Junichi Suwabe (as Alien), Mamiko Noto (as Alien's Wife)
On the eve of high school graduation, student council president Ibuki invites Yuri, whom he has long harbored feelings for, to walk home together. He tries to confess his secret love, but numerous obstacles stand in his way... That night, layer upon layer of obstacles threaten to tear Ibuki and Yuri apart.
highlights:The raw emotions and uncertainties that define the tension of youth. While portraying the purity of romance, it carefully explores the “obstacles” and “conflicts” lurking beneath. Anticipate heart-stirring confession scenes and developments that surpass expectations.
Shikaku
Director/Screenplay: Naoya Ando
Production: GRAPH77
Cast: Kana Hanazawa (as Shikaku), Tomokazu Sugita (as Yugel)
Shikaku, a girl renowned as an assassin, is approached by Yugel, an immortal vampire who has lived for 3,500 years, requesting that she kill him. Their encounter and dialogue set in motion a conflict over the transience of life and the preservation of one's dignity.
highlights:The loneliness and choices of an entity that transcends time. Through the extraordinary relationship of “killing/being killed,” it questions the meaning of life and death. A story where psychological suspense and depth stand out more than gore.
Mermaid Rhapsody
Director: Tetsuaki Watanabe / Screenplay: Tatsuo Kobayashi
Production: 100studio
Cast: Chie Kikuta (as Toshihide), Eri Yukimura (as Shiju)
Toshihide, a boy living in a seaside town, treasures a mermaid's piano discarded on the ocean floor. One day, while playing it as usual, he meets Shiju, a mermaid girl who had been listening in secret.
highlights:The intersection of two disparate worlds: sea and land. A tale of cross-species communion bridged by music. The emotional fluctuations and mystique that emerge within the quietly passing time linger in the heart.
Woke-Up-as-a-Girl Syndrom
Director/Screenplay: Kazuaki Terazawa
Production: Studio Kafka
Cast: Yuki Sakakibara (as Toshihide), Maki Kawase (as Rie), Seiichiro Yamashita (as Akira)
One day, when he woke up, the boy Toshihide had become a “girl.” That day, it was Akira, the older brother of his girlfriend Rie, who came to his aid when he was being bullied in class. Through this change in gender, his sense of identity and relationships with others begin to shift.
highlights:The story is about the fluctuation of identity through the fictional setting of gender change. It is a story about reexamining oneself and others in the space between the everyday and the extraordinary. The key is the misalignment and reconstruction of the relationships between Toshihide, Rie, and Akira.
Nayuta of the Prophecy
Director/Screenplay: Tetsuaki Watanabe
Production: 100studio
Cast: Hitomi Sakuragi (as Nayuta), Yohei Matsuoka (as Kenji)
Kenji's sister Nayuta is reviled as the “demon child” prophesied to destroy the world. Burdened by this fate, Nayuta finally takes action—
highlights:Theme: Cursed Existence / The Weight of Prophecy. Nayuta's confrontation with self and others. A must-see drama that unsettles viewers as madness and innocence clash.
Sisters
Director: Osamu Honma / Screenplay: Yoko Yoneuchi
Production: P.A.WORKS
Cast: Runa Nakajima (as Mitsuko Ehara), Tomomi Nakai (as Kyoko Ehara), Tomohiko Imai (as Teacher)
One morning, Mitsuko, a student at an art school, arrived to find a painting of her naked body displayed at the school gate. The artist was her younger sister, Kyoko. Seeing the painting, which had been displayed at the school for a full year, filled Mitsuko with humiliation and rage, prompting her to take action.
highlights:A clash between sisters sparked by a single painting. A psychological battle where shame and confrontation, expression and self-affirmation intertwine. A story that skillfully handles gazes, exposure, and the intentions behind the glances.
Why should you watch "Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26" right now?
The reason Tatsuki Fujimoto’s works continue to draw attention both in Japan and abroad lies inthe coexistence of “madness” and “gentleness.”The origins of the expressive style that later evolved into Chainsaw Man, Look Back, and Goodbye, Eri are packed into Tatsuki Fujimoto: 17–26.
The impulses of adolescence, the uncertainties of one's twenties, and the seeds of creativity. Each episode is sprinkled with the essence that would later blossom into his masterpieces.
One of the highlights of the film is that the themes that Tatsuki Fujimoto has depicted, such as ”the space between life and death” and ”the boundary between humans and deformities,” have been reinterpreted in a variety of ways by multiple directors and studios.
“Fujimoto Tatsuki 17-26” is not merely an animated short story collection; it is a series that allows viewers to relive the “DNA of the artist Fujimoto Tatsuki” through eight experimental works.
Furthermore, since the film was released in theaters and then distributed, the quality of the artwork and music is extremely high, making it a satisfying work of art for both art and animation fans. This is the perfect time to both ”return to his roots” and ”rediscover” Tatsuki Fujimoto.
Preview Checklist & Related Works Summary
Before you watch, here are a few key points to know about “what makes Fujimoto Tatsuki unique.” Understanding the background of his work will make the stories he created from age 17 to 26 come alive even more vividly.
Preview Checklist
- Each episode is a short story lasting around 20 minutes.
- Some content contains graphic or shocking depictions.
- The theatrical version will feature a partially edited version in advance screenings.
- You can enjoy it even if you haven't read the original work, but reading the short story collection beforehand will deepen your understanding.
Related Works & Featured Works
- Chainsaw Man (Original work by Tatsuki Fujimoto)
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A masterpiece that achieved global success with its unique perspective on life and death and depictions of violence. In “Fujimoto Tatsuki 17-26,” one can see the stylistic roots that predate this work.
- “Look Back” (Original Work by Tatsuki Fujimoto, Film Adaptation)
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Scheduled for release as a feature-length animated film in fall 2025. This moving work explores themes of creation and loss, featuring the same delicate psychological portrayal that captivated audiences in the short film “Fujimoto Tatsuki 17-26.”
- “Goodbye Eri” (Original work by Tatsuki Fujimoto)
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Its visual composition has been highly praised, heightening anticipation for an anime adaptation. In terms of visuals and emotional expression, it shares elements with “Fujimoto Tatsuki 17-26”.
- “Jigokuraku” (Original Work by Yūji Kaku, Production by MAPPA)
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Also streaming on Prime Video, this is a hot topic. For those who enjoy dark and philosophical themes, we recommend it alongside “Fujimoto Tatsuki 17-26”.
- “Blue Lock -EPISODE Nagi-” (Prime Video exclusive streaming)
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One of the 2025 releases drawing attention from anime fans. Though a sports series, it features dramatic storytelling centered on themes of individuality and talent.
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Summary｜“Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26” will be available on Prime Video starting November 8, 2025.
“Fujimoto Tatsuki 17-26” is not merely an adaptation of a short story collection. It is a record of the author's youth spanning ten years, a special work offering a glimpse into the eve of his talent's blossoming.
Through eight stories, we see the anxieties, conflicts, and desires that everyone carries. Love lurking within madness, hope glimpsed amidst despair—here lies the core of Fujimoto's work.
With Prime Video's exclusive global streaming, even those who haven't read the original short stories before, and fans of “Chainsaw Man” and “Look Back,” are sure to discover something new.
Tatsuki Fujimoto's video works are available to watch on Prime Video.
▶︎Watch movies, TV shows, live TV, and sports with [Amazon Prime Video]
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Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26" ©Tatsuki Fujimoto/Shueisha, "Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26" Production Committee
*The information on this page is current as of October 2025. Please check the official website for the latest distribution status.
