The iconic Japanese studio Toho, known for classics such as "Seven Samurai" and "Godzilla" (the 1954 original that spawned a global franchise), is bringing back another — but lesser-known — villain from their stable. Netflix is backing the eight-episode series "Human Vapor", which is a long-form contemporary revival of the 1960 film of the same name directed by Ishiro Honda. It marks the first-ever collaboration between Netflix and the legendary studio.
A sci-fi thriller with crime elements, "Human Vapor" will premiere on July 2, 2026.
"Human Vapor" presents a world that's thrown into chaos when a person suddenly expands and explodes during a live TV broadcast, a shocking act of murder for which a killer — a man existing in a gaseous state, calling himself the "Human Vapor" — assumes responsibility and announces that he'll continue to do this with more victims. It's now up to a suspended detective and an ambitious reporter to get on the case while uncovering a devastating truth about the government that could shake Japanese society to the core.
The "Human Vapor" reboot cast comprises Shun Oguri as Kenji Okamoto, the suspended detective. Yu Aoi plays Kyoko Kono, the investigative reporter. Newcomer UTA portrays the titular villain — he has been cast to bring a layer of unpredictability to the role. Suzu Hirose and Kento Hayashi play internet livestreamers caught in the widespread panic, and Yutaka Takenouchi is cast as a former yakuza member tied to the unfolding narrative.
South Korean filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho, known for "Train to Busan" and "Hellbound", is the showrunner alongside Ryu Yong-jae. The two co-wrote the script, with Shinzo Katayama, who helmed the Japanese folk series "Gannibal, handling directing duties.
Visual effects are handled by Shirogumi, the Academy Award-winning studio behind "Godzilla Minus One".
In a recent interview with Screen Daily, Yeon hinted at what to expect from the series. “While it is a sci-fi and thriller, at its core, it is a story about people," he said. "We focused on treating human emotions with care and portraying the characters’ humanity through the script.”
