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A Daily Dead interview with Junji Ito, director Yûta Shimotsu and TV Tokyo producer Mayu Nobe discusses the live-action series Strange: Junji Ito’s Tales for Sleepless Nights. The 13-story adaptation has aired in Japan and is streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes released weekly, according to the report.
Junji Ito, director Yûta Shimotsu and TV Tokyo producer Mayu Nobe discussed how they adapted Ito’s horror manga for the live-action series Strange: Junji Ito’s Tales for Sleepless Nights in an interview published by Daily Dead. The report says the series adapts 13 stories, had aired in Japan and had started streaming on HBO Max, giving viewers a new screen version of Ito’s work during the Halloween season.
The series is built around “Lovesickness” and also adapts stories including “The Bully,” “The Face Thief” and “Used Records,” according to the interview. Nobe said TV Tokyo selected the stories, weighing whether each could be made effectively in live action. She said “Lovesickness” was included because it was a favorite, while some other choices reflected her personal preferences and the stories’ suitability for the screen.
Shimotsu said three directors worked on the series and were able to submit preferred episodes without overlapping choices. Among the stories he wanted to direct were “The Face Thief” and “The Bully.” Ito praised the casting and performance of Yôko Maki in “The Bully,” a story that follows its central character across a long stretch of life. He also said the adaptation captured the weight of the character’s guilt and reproduced the impact of the manga’s final image.
For that final scene, Shimotsu said he kept the original manga near the camera monitors while filming so the team could check the composition. The interview also describes a change to “The Face Thief”: the live-action version develops the relationship between two girls and alters the climax’s ending. Ito said he could see how the adaptation differed from his original, which he described as colder, and recognized the added depth the filmmakers created through the friendship.
How the Adaptation Changes Ito’s Stories
The interview offers a direct account of decisions that shape how Ito’s manga translates to live action: which stories were chosen, what directors prioritized and where the series departs from the source material. For readers familiar with the original stories, the comments clarify that the production was not simply reproducing panels on screen. At least one episode changes its ending and gives more attention to a relationship between characters.
That distinction matters because the adaptation’s appeal rests both on recognisable moments from Ito’s work and on the filmmakers’ interpretation of them. Ito’s approval of elements in “The Bully,” including its closing image, provides his perspective on the result, while his comments on “The Face Thief” acknowledge the difference between the manga’s tone and the television version. The interview does not establish how audiences or critics have received those choices.
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From Manga Panels to Television
Strange is described in the source report as TV Tokyo’s first effort at a live-action adaptation of Ito’s stories. The interview took place in Japan and included the creator, one of the series’ directors and the network’s producer. Its focus is the production process rather than a review or a detailed account of the series’ full release schedule.
The report identifies “Lovesickness” as the series’ anchor and names several other adapted stories, but does not provide a complete episode list. It says the show had recently aired in Japan and had begun streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes arriving weekly at the time of publication. The source frames the release as timed for Halloween, but the supplied material does not specify exact dates.
““First of all, we have to consider feasibility, whether it’s possible to make a live-action adaptation.””
— Mayu Nobe, TV Tokyo producer
Release and Episode Details
The supplied interview material does not give the series’ exact premiere date, a full episode-by-episode list, or the dates for weekly releases. It also does not specify whether the HBO Max schedule differed by region or whether every episode was available in all markets. The report says the series had begun streaming, but those details should not be inferred from that description.
The interview records the views of Ito and the production team; it does not offer independent audience figures, reviews or evidence about the adaptation’s wider reception. Ito’s positive comments about particular performances and scenes are his assessment, not a measure of critical or viewer response.
Weekly Episodes and Viewer Response
At the time described in the Daily Dead report, new episodes were being released weekly on HBO Max after the series’ Japanese airing. The source does not state when the season would finish or identify a later release milestone. Viewers seeking current availability should check the service’s listings, since the interview’s schedule describes the release status at publication.
Further information that could clarify the series’ rollout includes a complete episode guide, regional streaming dates and the final episode schedule. The interview itself centers on the creative choices behind the adaptation; it does not announce a second season or any additional production plans.
Key Questions
What is Strange: Junji Ito’s Tales for Sleepless Nights?
It is a live-action series adapting 13 stories by horror manga creator Junji Ito, according to the Daily Dead interview.
Which stories does the series adapt?
The interview names “Lovesickness,” “The Bully,” “The Face Thief” and “Used Records.” It does not provide the complete list of 13 adaptations.
Where was the series streaming?
The report says the series had started streaming on HBO Max after airing in Japan. It describes weekly episode releases but does not give regional availability details.
Did the live-action version change the original stories?
Yes, at least one adaptation changed elements of its source. Shimotsu said “The Face Thief” has a different ending and develops the characters’ friendship; Ito acknowledged that difference.
What did Junji Ito say about “The Bully” adaptation?
Ito praised Yôko Maki’s performance and said the production captured the story’s gradual development and the impact of its final image.
Source: dailydead.com
