Netflix releases Japanese thriller series “Human Vapor” on July 2

Netflix is partnering with Japan’s Toho Studios to launch an eight‑episode thriller titled “Human Vapor,” slated for streaming on July 2. The series reimagines the 1960 cult film with an original story by acclaimed filmmaker Yeon Sang‑ho, known for Train to Busan and Hellbound, and is directed by Shinzo Katayama. Veteran actors Shun Oguri and Yu Aoi lead the cast as a detective and reporter tracking a mysterious killer who can turn his body into gas and announces each murder in advance, while newcomer UTA portrays the titular “Human Vapor.”

The production marks a first‑ever co‑production between Netflix and Toho and features an unprecedented scale for Japanese television, including nearly eight months of filming, extensive visual effects, and the full closure of the area in front of Tokyo Station for major shoot sequences. The series is promoted as one of Netflix’s biggest international thriller releases of the summer.