Horror Manga Master Itou Junji’s 3rd Anime Season ‘CRIMSON’ Announced! Theme Song is a Newly Written Track by Matsutouya Yumi
Get ready for more chilling tales! It has been announced that a third anime season based on the works of horror manga master Itou Junji, titled “Itou Junji ‘CRIMSON'”, is currently in production. What’s more, the theme song will be an original track titled “Karasu Ageha” by the legendary musician Matsutouya Yumi, affectionately known as Yuumin. Alongside this exciting news, the music video for “Karasu Ageha” has been released, and comments from both Itou Junji and Matsutouya Yumi have been shared.
About Itou Junji
Itou Junji is a renowned master of horror manga, celebrated worldwide for his unique and unsettling creations. With four prestigious Eisner Awards under his belt, he is truly a treasure of Japanese horror. His distinctive worldview, combined with his incredibly detailed and striking artwork and unforgettable characters, craft masterpieces of terror that have captivated readers globally.
His works have seen successful anime adaptations before. In January 2023, a selection of 20 representative titles, including classics like Tomie, Souichi, and Kubitsuri Kikyuu (Hanging Balloons), were adapted into Itou Junji ‘MANIAC’ and exclusively streamed worldwide on Netflix. This series was a hit, charting in the TOP 10 on Netflix in various Asian countries and later broadcast on TOKYO MX in 2024.
Following the positive reception of the 2018 series Itou Junji ‘COLLECTION’ and the 2023 series Itou Junji ‘MANIAC’, the newly announced Itou Junji ‘CRIMSON’ will be the highly anticipated third anime installment. The title “Crimson” evokes a sense of deep red, and the concept for this season is centered around “Monsters.” The production team is carefully selecting masterpieces from Itou’s extensive catalog, both old and new, that are filled with his signature brand of unique madness. Get ready to be fully immersed in eerie, bizarre, and terrifying stories straight from Itou’s original world.
An Exciting Collaboration
The announcement for Itou Junji ‘CRIMSON’ was made at Japan EXPO 2025, currently taking place in Paris, France. It was there that the news broke about Matsutouya Yumi providing the theme song “Karasu Ageha.” This incredible collaboration was sparked when Matsutouya visited the “Itou Junji Exhibition: Temptation,” held at Setagaya Literary Museum in 2024, and posted about it on social media. Itou, who has long been a huge fan of Matsutouya, saw her post, and this connection initiated their interaction.
Their relationship developed further, with Itou appearing on Matsutouya’s radio program. This interaction paved the way for Matsutouya to write the theme song for Itou Junji ‘CRIMSON’. A heartwarming detail from their first meeting during the radio recording session is that Matsutouya welcomed Itou while wearing a beautiful yukata. This yukata featured a design based on Itou’s drawing Bijyo no Shinkai (Beauty in the Deep Sea), which she had purchased at the exhibition – a truly thoughtful gesture highlighting her appreciation for his work.
The theme song, titled “Karasu Ageha,” centers around a butterfly of the same name (a type of swallowtail). In the song’s narrative, the Karasu Ageha serves as a connector, bridging the gap between the underworld and the real world. This concept of mixing different, disparate spaces directly ties into the concept of Matsutouya’s upcoming 40th original album, which is planned for release this autumn and is set to include this powerful track.
The music video for “Karasu Ageha,” which has now been released, features a special illustration of the Karasu Ageha butterfly drawn by none other than Itou Junji himself. Fans will definitely want to keep an eye out for this unique artistic touch.
Both Itou Junji and Matsutouya Yumi have shared their thoughts on this collaboration and the upcoming anime:
Comments
Itou Junji
Currently, an anime titled “Itou Junji ‘CRIMSON'” is being created based on my original works. Just hearing this title sends shivers down my spine and builds anticipation. I’ve heard that they are selecting stories from my short works, both new and old, that can particularly make the most of the deep red, blood-like color, and animating them.
I believe that Matsutouya Yumi, or Yuumin, is one of the greatest composers in the world. This time, Yuumin will be in charge of the opening theme for “CRIMSON”. This is something extraordinary, truly like a dream. When I first heard Yuumin’s demo, which was in a scat-like style, I immediately felt it was a masterpiece. It’s very rich in emotion, a melody that you won’t forget once you hear it. Lately, this new masterpiece by Yuumin has been playing endlessly in my head, and I’m immersed in happiness.
The fact that the TV anime “Itou Junji ‘CRIMSON'” will be an anime series evoking the image of deep red is a crucial point. Furthermore, with Matsutouya Yumi handling the opening theme, it will surely become a special anime work with a different atmosphere than “COLLECTION” or “MANIAC”. I know the fans are eagerly awaiting it, so please look forward to it!
Matsutouya Yumi
No matter how surreal or grotesque Itou Junji’s works are, there is always a delicate sense of “Wa” (Japanese harmony/beauty) and sorrow underlying them. Perhaps, the more deformed things are, the more they highlight a yearning for something that exists but can never be grasped. It is a common aesthetic sense that both we Japanese fans and many French fans subconsciously recognize. How wonderful it is to be able to travel together through this enchanting world that has been cultivated over approximately 200 years!
This MUSIC VIDEO is a small journey preceding “Itou Junji ‘CRIMSON'”. The guide is the ever-transforming (Karasu Ageha), fluttering about. I asked Itou Junji to draw the black butterfly for me. When I was asked to create the theme song this time, along with the melody layered over a labyrinthine chord progression, what came to mind was the form of a messenger, connecting the underworld and the present world, wandering through different dimensions. Coincidentally, I heard that in French too, black butterflies have such a meaning. I felt reassured that the image I envisioned was not mistaken. For a while until the main story is released, I hope that as many people as possible will build anticipation for “CRIMSON” through this “Karasu Ageha” MUSIC VIDEO.
We eagerly await further news regarding the third anime series based on the works of horror manga master Itou Junji, “Itou Junji ‘CRIMSON’.”
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