It has been announced that the popular children's horror novel series "The Horror Collector" (KADOKAWA) will be adapted into a TV anime and will begin airing on NHK General TV in the fall of 2026. The novels are written by Midori Sato, a screenwriter and novelist known for the anime series "Sazae-san" and the TV drama "Telekinesis Family," and Norio Tsuruta, known as the "father of J-horror" and director of the TV drama "Honne ni Atta Kowai Hanashi" and the film "Ring 0: Birthday." The series has been in publication since 2015, and has sold over one million copies in total.
The series depicts the pursuit of a boy who "collects" urban legends and a girl who "materializes" them. The protagonist, a boy named Chino Fushigi, overcomes the crises and conflicts that arise during his journey with the help of his friends.
Sato commented, "Thank you! I'm so happy that it's being made into an anime that I could cry. I want everyone to watch it, whether they're familiar with 'The Horror Collector' or not, whether they like urban legends and scary stories or haven't been interested in it until now. The original is a children's novel, but it's a work that adults can enjoy as well. It's scary, but interesting. Be sure to check out Chino Fushigi's exploits!"
Tsuruta said, "I worked on 'The Horror Collector' with Midori Sato and others with the hope of creating a 'good character' in the popular J-horror genre, which features scary ghosts like Sadako. I also dreamed of how wonderful it would be if J-horror and anime, two of Japan's world-famous genres, could be collaborated. Now, NHK has made our dream come true. As the 'father of J-horror', I couldn't be happier!"
Production manager Jun Sakata commented, "Fear exists right next to us in our daily lives, and we might encounter it at some unexpected moment. That is the kind of fear that 'The Horror Collector' depicts. We will deliver the fear that could be right next to you in the form of an anime to a wide range of generations on General TV. I believe that fear has the power to stir people's hearts and expand their imaginations. We hope that the anime 'The Horror Collector' will become a part of what adds color to everyone's lives."
