Entertainment
12 May 2026
Link copied to clipboardTop Korean and Japanese creators team up for a reboot of Toho’s legendary tokusatsu film The Human Vapor — now reimagined with a brand-new story as a Netflix series, premiering July 2. The teaser trailer and key art dropped today.
The series Human Vapor is written and executive produced by Yeon Sang-ho, the creator behind international hits such as Train to Busan, Hellbound and Parasyte: The Grey. Shinzo Katayama directs the project, known for his unflinching portrayals of human darkness and madness in Gannibal, Siblings of the Cape, and Missing.
At the center of the story is the Human Vapor himself, played by UTA (actor), a talented newcomer making his acting debut. UTA was selected from many candidates with the specific goal of finding “a fresh actor with a totally blank canvas.” With an uncanny, overwhelming screen presence, he pulls viewers into a vortex of fear and exhilaration.
Surrounding him is a powerhouse Japanese cast. Shun Oguri plays Kenji Okamoto, the detective relentlessly pursuing the Human Vapor, while Yu Aoi plays Kyoko Kono, a reporter determined to uncover the truth. In their first live-action project together in 23 years, the two long-time stars bring a commanding presence to the screen. Suzu Hirose and Kento Hayashi portray livestreaming siblings — uniquely complex characters who inject tremendous momentum into the story — and Yutaka Takenouchi is almost unrecognizable as a former yakuza member turned company president. As their characters collide with the Human Vapor’s path of destruction, they drive the narrative in increasingly unpredictable directions.
While rooted in Toho’s 1960 legendary film The Human Vapor (directed by Ishiro Honda and written by Takeshi Kimura), this reboot features a brand-new, original story reimagined by top Korean and Japanese creators. The project brings together a powerhouse alliance of Toho, WOWPOINT, and Netflix - uniting the leaders of global entertainment. More than half a century later, this classic masterpiece is reborn as a world-shaking spectacle on an unprecedented scale.
The production team worked hard to ground Human Vapor in realism and avoid it feeling like pure fantasy. VFX by Shirogumi — the Academy Award–winning team that stunned global audiences with its work on Godzilla Minus One — is paired with large-scale set pieces, including grand car chases. The result is a visual experience on an entirely new level, far surpassing the scale of past Japanese drama series and poised to reach viewers worldwide.
Human Vapor starts streaming July 2, only on Netflix.
About the Netflix Series Human Vapor
Story: The world recoils in shock when a person suddenly swells and explodes on live television. The culprit behind this unprecedented murder is the “Human Vapor” — a man who can transform his body into gas and slip through any barrier. He announces his killings in advance and carries them out, seemingly mocking the authorities as they struggle to close in on him. With each new incident, he corrodes society with a formless, pervasive fear.
Based on: The Human Vapor (Directed by Ishiro Honda / Written by Takeshi Kimura)
Directed by: Shinzo Katayama
Written by: Yeon Sang-ho, Ryu Yong-jae
Executive Producers: Yeon Sang-ho, Minami Ichikawa, Keiji Ota, Hisashi Usui, Yoshihiro Sato (Netflix)
Executive Producers - Creative & Production Lead: Nen Hyo, Ryoji Kure
Producers: Sokichi Onoda, Yoomin Hailey Yang
Co-Executive Producer: Akihiro Yamauchi
Produced by: Toho
In Association With: WOWPOINT
Production Company: Toho Studios
Released by: Netflix
Cast: Shun Oguri, Yu Aoi, Suzu Hirose, Kento Hayashi, UTA, Yutaka Takenouchi
Total episodes: 8
All eight episodes start streaming worldwide Thursday, July 2, 2026, only on Netflix
Netflix series page: https://www.netflix.com/humanvapor