Producers avex pictures have ignited excitement with the simultaneous release of trailers for all eight short films in the Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 anthology, a cinematic love letter to the early, unpolished one-shots of Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto, crafted between ages 17 and 26. Each trailer offers a tantalizing glimpse into the unique directorial visions brought to life by a team of seven accomplished helmers across six esteemed studios, promising a kaleidoscope of genres from post-apocalyptic survival tales to surreal romances.
The anthology, running a compact yet immersive 140 minutes in total, kicked off its limited theatrical rollout in Japan on October 17, marking a two-week engagement in select cinemas. This big-screen debut follows a star-studded world premiere on October 5 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles as part of the Global Stage Hollywood film festival. Global audiences won't have to wait long for home viewing: Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 will stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video starting November 7 in over 240 countries and territories (November 8 in Japan), allowing viewers worldwide to dive into Fujimoto's raw, unfiltered creative origins.
Overseeing the production is avex pictures, with Ryo Oyama—known for his planning and producing role on the acclaimed Look Back anime film adaptation—serving as a key producer. The project boasts a roster of directorial talent including Naoya Ando (Paradox Live The Animation), Shu Honma, Nobukage Kimura, Tetsuaki Watanabe (Blue Lock), Nobuyuki Takeuchi (Fireworks, Should We Go See Them from the Side or the Bottom?), and Kazuaki Imai, among others. Studios involved span a diverse spectrum, from the lush, emotive worlds of P.A.WORKS to the meticulous craftsmanship of Lapin Track, ensuring each short receives a bespoke animated treatment that honors Fujimoto's eccentric storytelling.
The eight trailers, each clocking in at under two minutes, were unveiled simultaneously today via avex pictures' official channels. They showcase not only snippets of animation but also key visuals that capture the essence of each tale's mood and theme. Below is a complete list of the short films, complete with brief overviews drawn from their promotional materials:
A Couple Clucking Chickens Were Still Kickin' in the Schoolyard
A visceral post-apocalyptic yarn following two unlikely survivors forging an unbreakable bond amid chaos and decay.
Sasaki Stopped a Bullet
A raw exploration of adolescent turmoil, where a single act of defiance ripples through a web of intense emotions and consequences.
Love is Blind
A whimsical sci-fi romantic comedy that propels star-crossed lovers into cosmic absurdity, questioning the boundaries of affection across the stars.
Shikaku
A dark, twisted romance centering on an unhinged assassin girl whose deadly pursuits blur the lines between obsession and redemption.
Mermaid Rhapsody
An underwater melody of tenderness, chronicling a boy's poignant romance with a mermaid, underscored by the haunting strains of a submerged piano.
Woke-Up-as-a-Girl Syndrome
A bold dive into identity and self-discovery, as a protagonist grapples with sudden gender transformation and the quest for authenticity beyond societal norms.
Nayuta of the Prophecy
Siblings entangled in a prophecy of doom navigate a harrowing path, their fraternal ties tested by fate's cruel hand.
Sisters
A sibling rivalry laced with artistic ambition unfolds into a tapestry of conflict, reconciliation, and profound personal evolution.
These shorts, drawn equally from Fujimoto's two-volume manga collections, exemplify his early penchant for blending the mundane with the macabre, the heartfelt with the horrific—a stylistic foundation that would evolve into the visceral action and psychological depth of Chainsaw Man and Fire Punch.
What is Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 About?
At its core, Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 serves as a cinematic time capsule, resurrecting the one-shot stories Fujimoto crafted as a high school and college student in rural Niigata Prefecture, Japan. These pieces, serialized in various doujinshi and early publications between 2009 and 2014, predate his professional debut and offer unpolished glimpses into the mind of a budding auteur. Fujimoto, born in 1992, honed his craft through self-published works before breaking into Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump with Fire Punch in 2016. The 17-26 moniker nods to the age range during which these tales were conceived, capturing a period of fervent experimentation amid his studies at Tohoku University of Art and Design.
Published in English by VIZ Media as Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man: 17-21 (January 2023) and its sequel Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man: 22-26 (April 2023), the collections compile these shorts into accessible volumes that reveal Fujimoto's nascent obsessions: existential dread, familial bonds, and the grotesque beauty of human frailty. The first volume spotlights four stories teeming with extraterrestrial threats, youthful infatuations, and vampiric gore, laying bare the seeds of Fujimoto's signature blend of horror and heart.
As VIZ Media describes the collection:
Alien invasions, high school romances, and even bloody vampire action—all this and more awaits in four compelling short stories that reveal the starting point of Tatsuki Fujimoto, the twisted mastermind behind Chainsaw Man.
The subsequent volume escalates the eccentricity with tales of murderous merfolk, body-swap dilemmas, and apocalyptic family dramas, further illuminating Fujimoto's trajectory toward the chaotic genius of his later masterpieces. Together, these adaptations not only celebrate a prodigy's origins but also affirm the enduring power of short-form storytelling in anime, inviting newcomers and longtime admirers alike to witness the birth of a legend.
Source: MoCa News
