Tatsuki Fujimoto: 17–26 — Before Chainsaw Man, The Madness Begins | Release Date, Plot & Where to Watch

Boxofficehype
Oct 11
3 min read

The creative storm behind Chainsaw Man is back — but this time, we’re going back to where it all began. 🌀 Tatsuki Fujimoto: 17–26 — the upcoming anime anthology from the brilliant mind of Chainsaw Man and Fire Punch creator Tatsuki Fujimoto — is set to stream worldwide on Amazon Prime Video on November 7, 2025.

Before devils, chainsaws, and chaos, there were raw emotions, surreal stories, and the wild imagination of a young artist finding his voice. This anthology brings Fujimoto’s earliest works — written between the ages of 17 and 26 — to life in breathtaking animation, reimagined by six studios and seven directors who each capture the manic, heartfelt, and tragic spirit of his world.

🌟 A Look Back: Before Chainsaw Man

Before he redefined modern manga, Tatsuki Fujimoto was already crafting short tales full of emotion, absurdity, and violence. His breakout works like Fire Punch and Chainsaw Man made him a global name — earning him the 66th Shogakukan Manga Award and millions of devoted fans.

But Tatsuki Fujimoto: 17–26 takes us even further back — to the creative spark that ignited it all. These one-shots, collected in the two manga anthologies Fujimoto Tatsuki Tanpenshū 17–21 and 22–26, were once the dreams of a young storyteller. Now, they’re reawakened in animated form — and they’re every bit as strange, beautiful, and heartbreaking as you’d expect.

“I was worried about whether it was okay to turn my student works into anime,” Fujimoto admitted. “But I believe they turned out great, thanks to the talented directors.”

🧩 The Stories of 17–26

Each of the eight episodes adapts one of Fujimoto’s legendary early short stories — an anthology that feels like stepping into his creative subconscious. Here’s what to expect:

🐔 There Were Two Chickens in the Garden (Niwa ni wa Niwa Niwatori ga ita) – A haunting story of two survivors in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity is gone, but hope still clucks.
💥 Sasaki-kun Stopped a Bullet – A burst of teenage rebellion and reckless heroism, filled with Fujimoto’s signature blend of emotion and absurdity.
💫 Love is Blind – A cosmic romantic comedy that takes “love knows no bounds” to an intergalactic level.
🔪 Shikaku – A violent and tragic tale of an assassin girl driven by twisted love.
🧜‍♀️ Mermaid Rhapsody – A poetic underwater love story about a boy, a mermaid, and a piano that sings of longing.
🌈 Woke-Up-as-a-Girl Syndrome – A surreal and heartfelt journey through gender and identity, as a boy wakes up in a girl’s body.
🔮 Nayuta of the Prophecy – A story of siblings cursed by destiny, exploring rebirth, love, and the echoes of hope.
🎭 Sister’s Older Sister – A tense, emotional exploration of art, rivalry, and jealousy between two sisters.

Each tale is wildly different — spanning sci-fi, romance, horror, and dark comedy — yet all share Fujimoto’s genius for turning chaos into emotion.

🎥 Behind the Madness

Tatsuki Fujimoto: 17–26 is an anthology like no other — with each episode handled by a different director and

studio, creating a kaleidoscope of styles that perfectly mirrors Fujimoto’s unpredictable storytelling.

🎬 Directors & Studios

Zexcs, Lapin Track, Studio Graph77, 100studio, Studio Kafka, and P.A. Works bring their distinct visual styles to the project.
Directors like Seishirō Nagaya, Nobukage Kimura, Naoya Ando, and Tetsuaki Watanabe lead episodes with unique tones — from heartfelt drama to dark absurdity.
The soundtrack is a dream lineup featuring Kevin Penkin, Kenji Kawai, and Rei Ishizuka, each adding a different emotional frequency to the chaos.

🌍 A Global Premiere

Before its worldwide debut on Prime Video, Tatsuki Fujimoto: 17–26 will have a limited theatrical run in Japan from October 17, screening in two parts (four episodes each). It will also premiere in the U.S. at the Global Stage Hollywood Film Festival on October 5, 2025, at the iconic TCL Chinese Theatre.

This isn’t just an anime — it’s a creative time capsule, capturing the evolution of one of manga’s most innovative voices.

🔥 Why It Matters

Tatsuki Fujimoto: 17–26 isn’t about nostalgia — it’s about witnessing the formation of an artist who would later change the landscape of anime and manga forever. From surreal humor to devastating tragedy, these early works show that even as a teen, Fujimoto was already blurring the lines between chaos and beauty.

As Vash the Stampede once said (and Fujimoto would likely agree):