Studio 100studio and the production committee behind Shuiro no Kamen (The Crimson Mask) have released the initial synopsis and preview stills for Episode 1, titled "Pell the Mask Merchant", ahead of its televised broadcast scheduled for October 10, 2026.
Based on the dark fantasy manga written by Dr.Poro and illustrated by Nabana Naba, published in Shonen Gahosha's Young King OURs magazine, the anime adaptation is helmed by director Tetsuaki Watanabe with series composition by Daisuke Daito and animation production by 100studio.
The Burden of Cursed Power
In this universe, masks grant their wearers incredible abilities while carrying catastrophic consequences. Pell, apprentice to the legendary artisan Gaston Lou, fell under the control of the War God's Mask, inadvertently causing the death of his master and peers. Seeking atonement, Pell sets out across the world to shatter every creation left behind by Gaston to prevent further calamity.
Episode 1 opens in a city lively with decorations for an approaching masquerade ball, beneath which an ominous tension lingers among the townsfolk. Pell operates an unassuming traveling mask stall when he crosses paths with a young girl named Sona, revealing to her his solitary objective: destroying the artifacts forged by Gaston Lou.
The production features music scored by Alisa Okehazama, alongside opening theme song "Firestarter" performed by rock outfit MAN WITH A MISSION and ending theme "Koe" by yutori. The ensemble cast includes:
- Taito Kimura as Pell Darest
- Yuuki Yamamoto as Sonarue Maywood
- Kazuki Ura as Moku Sharib
- Kazuhiko Inoue as Gaston
- Akio Otsuka as the War God's Mask
- Yui Horie as Master
The series will air on Yomiuri TV and Nippon TV nationwide networks, with a confirmed second cour slated to follow in April 2027.
