Norihiro Naganuma Announces Original Anime Jurassic Shadows

Director Norihiro Naganuma, known for The Apothecary Diaries and The Ancient Magus' Bride, has announced his first fully original anime project. The series, titled Jurassic Shadows, had its world premiere announcement at Anime Expo 2026.

Naganuma appeared at the event alongside Avex Pictures producer Tomokazu Iizumi and Slow Curve producer Toshiaki Obata. They unveiled the project's concept, characters, and a promotional video. The director described the move into action as a new experience. "Making an action-packed anime is actually a very new experience for me," he explained.

A Departure from Past Work

Jurassic Shadows represents a substantial shift for Naganuma. It is his first original anime and his first major attempt at an action-driven series. The project originated from producers at Avex Pictures and Slow Curve who wanted to create something original. Naganuma recalled their initial pitch: "We should try to collaborate and make something original, cool, and new."

The core idea that emerged was combining dinosaurs and ninjas. Manga artist Youichi Amano, known for work in Weekly Shonen Jump, was brought on to create the original character concepts. Producer Tomokazu Iizumi said Naganuma was chosen for his sense of color and ability to construct visually distinctive imagery.

Dinosaurs, Ninjas, and Makeup

The series is set in Tokyo in 2029. Its premise proposes that dinosaurs never truly went extinct. Instead, they survived by secretly passing their DNA through generations of humans. Their descendants now live hidden in modern society, but these prehistoric predators hunt people.

A specialized ninja organization stands against them. The ninjas use a mysterious makeup called Ryugeshou to activate abilities derived from dinosaur DNA. This makeup-based power system is central to the series' mythology. The production team indicated that the dinosaurs are deeply connected to the characters' individual stories.

More than ten dinosaur species are expected to appear. They will serve as the primary prehistoric creatures in Jurassic Shadows.

Four Foundational Concepts

Naganuma stated the story revolves around four keywords: memory, dinosaurs, ninja, and makeup. He acknowledged the combination might sound difficult to decipher initially. The connections between these concepts are what he wants audiences to discover as the narrative progresses.

The production team emphasized that the dinosaur mythology is not merely an excuse for action. Prehistoric elements are integrated into the story itself. Promotional imagery reportedly contains details that may gain significance later.

A Familiar Team for a New Challenge

Although the project is a new direction, Naganuma is reuniting with several collaborators. Character designer Yukiko Nakatani and color designer Misato Aida, both part of The Apothecary Diaries team, have joined the production. Naganuma said he wanted to rely on people whose creative instincts he already understood for this original work.

The producers credited Naganuma's relationships with fellow creators as key to assembling a strong team. This creates a mix of familiarity and experimentation, applying a recognized visual language to a demanding action series.

The Challenge of Color in Action

Color has always been important in Naganuma's work. Jurassic Shadows is intended to continue that tradition. The challenge is applying it to fast-paced action sequences with ninjas and dinosaurs instead of quiet fantasy landscapes.

Naganuma highlighted the question of how to preserve beautiful, expressive color design within an action anime. The production devoted considerable attention to palettes, including the coloration of the dinosaurs. The team conducted extensive research and color tests to find designs that were both convincing and appropriate.

The same philosophy extends to the modern backgrounds of Tokyo. Buildings and urban environments are being designed with care to create a world that supports the elaborate underlying mythology of inheritance, memory, and hidden power.