Norihiro Naganuma, the director behind the hit anime The Apothecary Diaries, has announced a new original anime project titled Jurassic Shadows.
The project was unveiled alongside its first promotional video, a concept visual, story details, staff information, and comments from the creative team.
Described as a visually driven battle anime, Jurassic Shadows blends dinosaurs and ninjas with the modern concept of “kesho” (makeup).
The project also brings together several staff members from The Apothecary Diaries.
Yukiko Nakatani serves as character designer, while Misato Aita is handling color design. Original character concepts are by manga creator Yoichi Amano, known for works published in Weekly Shonen Jump like Akaboshi: Ibun Suikoden and Ana no Mujina.
In a statement released with the announcement, Naganuma described the anime as “a beautiful yet dark and fascinating world that combines the themes of memories, dinosaurs, ninjas, and makeup. With mysteries, truths, and hidden motives swirling beneath the surface of the story, it is set to be a truly one-of-a-kind anime.”
Character designer Yukiko Nakatani said she believes viewers of all ages will be able to find a favorite character in the series, while original character designer Yoichi Amano highlighted the project’s combination of dinosaurs and ninjas, calling it “a world packed with everything boys dream of” and expressing confidence that it would be an exciting series.
The anime will also receive a manga adaptation, which is set to be serialized by Kodansha. Further details, including the serialization platform and launch date, will be announced at a later date.
The plot of Jurassic Shadows can be described as:
The story is set in Tokyo in 2029. Dinosaurs, long believed to have been wiped out by the asteroid impact, have secretly survived by passing their DNA into humanity through interbreeding. Hidden among ordinary people, they now prey upon humans while living unnoticed within society. Standing against them is a covert order of ninjas who wield Ryugesho, a special pigment infused with ancient memories. By applying this mysterious pigment, they awaken the powers of dinosaurs within themselves and fight back against the predators threatening humanity. As the dinosaurs launch their campaign to wipe out humankind, the ninjas rise to stop them. The battle for the survival of two species begins.
Source: Press Release
