Apothecary Diaries Director Drops Dinosaur-Ninja Anime at Expo

Norihiro Naganuma, the director behind the acclaimed The Apothecary Diaries, just announced something completely different at Anime Expo 2026: Jurassic Shadows, an original anime that mashes dinosaurs, ninjas, and makeup-based superpowers into one audacious premise.

The setup is delightfully strange. Set in Tokyo in 2029, the world looks normal on the surface—but dinosaurs are secretly living among humans. Enter the ninjas, who've figured out how to tap into dinosaur powers using a special pigment called Ryugesho. Apply the right makeup, and you unlock abilities tied to these prehistoric creatures.

Naganuma is bringing much of his core team along for the ride. The production reunites several key staff members from The Apothecary Diaries, suggesting this isn't just a throwaway passion project but a fully realized creative endeavor from people who've already proven they can execute intricate, visually distinctive work.

The project is being produced through a collaboration involving SlowCurve, Avex Pictures, cannoncode, LLC, and SANB, with character designs by Kenta Ihara and series composition by Yoichi Amano. The roster also includes Yukiko Nakatani, Misato Aita, Yusuke Takeda, Makoto Honda, Shoji Hata, and Shuhei Mutsuki.

What makes this announcement interesting isn't just the wild genre blend—it's that Naganuma is clearly willing to swing for something completely unexpected after the success of The Apothecary Diaries. That's the kind of creative confidence that suggests the team has something genuinely weird and worthwhile in mind.

Source: Anime Corner