The television anime adaptation of Tadatoshi Fujimaki’s Kill Blue manga will premiere globally on April 11, 2026, with a wide North American streaming release across seven major platforms. DMM and the production team announced that the series will be available day-and-date on Netflix, Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video, Rakuten Viki, Plex, the It’s Anime FAST channel on Samsung TV Plus and Vizio WatchFree+, and the It’s Anime YouTube channel. Additional North American availability includes Tubi, DirecTV, Xumo, and It’s Anime on Sling TV.
This marks the first time CUE serves as the main animation production studio for a television series. The studio was founded in 2023 by DMM and former Production I.G executive Rui Kuroki.
Kill Blue follows Juzo Ogami, a legendary hitman whose name strikes fear into the underworld. After waking up one day transformed into a teenager, he must infiltrate the one place he never expected to return to — high school — to uncover what happened to him and complete his final job.
The manga, which ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from April 2023 to September 2025, blends action, comedy, and school-life elements with Fujimaki’s signature character-driven storytelling. Viz Media publishes the series digitally and in print, with the sixth volume releasing on April 7, 2026. The final compiled volume shipped in December 2025, and a novel adaptation titled Kill Blue Secret Report also launched that month.
Main Cast
- Shunsuke Takeuchi as Juzo Ogami (adult)
- Yūko Sanpei as Juzo Ogami (youth)
- Fūka Izumi as Noren Mitsuoka
- Shūichirō Umeda as Kotatsu Nekota
- Takeo Ōtsuka as Tenma Tendo
- Atsumi Tanezaki as Chisato Shiraishi
- Yumi Uchiyama as Eri Wanibuchi
- Daisuke Sakuma as Shin Kohazame
- Shōya Chiba as Kazuma Rindō
- Yoshiki Nakajima as Eiji Rindō
Production Staff
- Director: Hiro Kaburagi (Great Pretender, Hozuki’s Coolheadedness)
- Character Design: Miho Daidōji (Kuroko’s Basketball TV series and films)
The opening theme “ATTITUDE” is performed by South Korean girl group aespa, while the ending theme “KILL SHOT” is performed by boy band RIIZE.
In Japan, the anime premieres on TV Tokyo and affiliated stations on April 11, with AT-X following on April 17. Streaming in Japan also begins on April 11. North American viewers get near-simultaneous access across the listed platforms.
Kill Blue is Fujimaki’s first major series since Kuroko’s Basketball (2008–2014), which became a massive hit with three TV seasons, multiple films, stage plays, and a sequel manga. Fans of his dynamic character work and sports/action storytelling are expected to find familiar appeal in this new assassin-in-high-school premise.
The anime’s wide multi-platform release in North America should give it strong visibility, especially with the involvement of popular K-pop acts for the themes and the established reputation of Fujimaki’s previous work.