Live-Action Junji Ito Series Rearranges Episode Order
The last-minute episode swap means the series will open with a different story than originally advertised, and the status of the planned Anime Expo screening of both episodes is now unclear.
Reporting from 1 sources: Anime News Network.
The staff for the live-action omnibus series Strange: Junji Ito's Tales for Sleepless Nights announced on Sunday that they are rearranging the episode order. The episode "Lovesickness" (Part 1) will now premiere as the first episode, while the previously planned first episode, "The Mansion of Phantom Pain," has been postponed with no new airdate announced. The series premieres on TV Tokyo on July 3.
The staff for Strange: Junji Ito's Tales for Sleepless Nights announced on Sunday that they are swapping the first two episodes of the live-action omnibus series. The episode "Lovesickness" (Part 1) will now air as the premiere, replacing "The Mansion of Phantom Pain," which was originally set to open the series. The staff did not say when "The Mansion of Phantom Pain" will air.
The change also affects a planned screening at Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles on July 3, which was set to show both episodes. Neither TV Tokyo nor Anime Expo has updated their listings to reflect the new order. The series premieres on TV Tokyo's "Drama 24" block on July 3 at 24:12 (effectively July 4 at 12:12 a.m.).
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.