Kamen no Ninja Akakage Live-Action TV Drama Premieres October 2025 with Takashi Miike Directing
The legendary ninja manga Kamen no Ninja Akakage by Mitsuteru Yokoyama is returning as a live-action TV drama this fall. Directed by Takashi Miike and starring Taiki Sato as Akakage, the series will premiere on TV Asahi on October 26, 2025.
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Fans of classic Japanese ninja action have something to look forward to this October. Mitsuteru Yokoyama’s iconic manga Kamen no Ninja Akakage (Red Shadow, the Masked Ninja) is getting a new live-action TV drama adaptation.
The project is helmed by renowned filmmaker Takashi Miike, best known for Audition and Nyaight of the Living Cat. The screenplay is written by Yusuke Watanabe (The Fable), while Taiki Sato of EXILE / FANTASTICS takes on the leading role as the masked ninja hero, Akakage.
The series officially premieres on October 26, 2025, airing on TV Asahi, and a teaser trailer has already been released via the production’s official social channels.
About the Original Manga
Kamen no Ninja Akakage was originally serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday from 1966 to 1967 and later compiled into three tankobon volumes by Shogakukan. The manga was a huge success and received a live-action TV adaptation in 1967 that ran for 52 episodes on Kansai TV and Fuji TV.
Story Overview
Set during the Edo period in Japan, the story follows Akakage, a skilled ninja from the city of Hida. Alongside his allies, Akakage battles against evil ninja and monstrous enemies, using his unmatched techniques to protect the innocent during times of war and chaos.
With a modern production team, high-profile cast, and Miike’s signature direction, the 2025 adaptation aims to bring Kamen no Ninja Akakage to a new generation of viewers while honoring its legacy as one of Japan’s most beloved ninja tales.
