The eight-episode Netflix series 'Gas Man,' a reboot of Toho's 1960 film 'The First Gas Man,' is streaming worldwide on Netflix as of July 2, 2026.
Netflix and Toho released 'Gas Man' on July 2, 2026, an eight-episode series rebooting Toho's 1960 special effects film 'The First Gas Man.' The series is directed by Shinzo Katayama and executive produced by Yeon Sang-ho, who also wrote the screenplay. It follows detectives Kenji Okamoto (Shun Oguri) and Kyoko Kono (Yu Aoi) pursuing a killer who can turn his body into gas. The titular Gas Man is played by debut actor UTA, who kept his role secret for three years and later revealed he binge-watched the show with his parents, actors Masahiro Motoki and Yayako Uchida, who praised the work.
Production ran from September 2024 to April 2025 across about 120 locations, with location scouting covering over 1,000 sites. The shoot achieved the first full closure of Tokyo Station front for a Japanese film after 18 months of negotiations. Character design supervisor Isao Tsuge, who joined the project two months before filming began, designed the Gas Man's blue-gray coat to represent the character's gas-like nature, convey otherness, and show respect for the 1960 original film's color palette. Tsuge praised UTA's performance, noting he delivered emotionless lines with precise timing while showing natural warmth in scenes with a young girl.
Yeon Sang-ho pushed for Southern All Stars' classic song 'Itoshi no Ellie' to be used as an insert song, calling the match fateful. The cast also includes Suzu Hirose and Kento Hayashi as video streamer siblings, and Yutaka Takenouchi as a former yakuza-turned-company president. Tsuge revealed he has known UTA since childhood through UTA's father, actor Masahiro Motoki, with whom Tsuge worked on 'Departures' and 'Gemini.'
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6d ago
Isao Tsuge, the character design supervisor for the Netflix series "Gas Man," has explained the three concepts embedded in the blue-gray coat worn by the titular character. In an interview with Cinema Today, Tsuge said the coat's color first represents the gas-like nature of the character, second conveys a sense of otherness, and third shows respect for the 1960 original film, which also featured blue and gray tones. Tsuge, who has worked on films including "Departures" and "Shin Godzilla," designed the Gas Man after receiving the role two months before filming began. He praised actor UTA, who plays the Gas Man, for delivering emotionless lines with precise timing while also showing natural warmth in scenes with a young girl. Tsuge noted he has known UTA since childhood through his father, actor Masahiro Motoki, with whom Tsuge worked on "Departures" and "Gemini." The series, a reboot of Toho's 1960 special effects film "The Gas Man First Number," is directed by Shinzo Katayama and stars Shun Oguri and Yu Aoi alongside UTA. All eight episodes are now streaming on Netflix.
Jul 9
Model and actor UTA attended the Kabukicho event for Netflix series 'Gas Man' and revealed he binge-watched the show with his parents, actors Masahiro Motoki and Yayako Uchida. They expressed relief and praised the work. UTA kept his role a secret for three years and aims for international recognition as an actor. The series is based on a 1960 Toho special effects film, directed by Shinzo Katayama and written by Yeon Sang-ho.
Jul 2
Southern All Stars' classic song 'Itoshi no Ellie' is used as an insert song in the Netflix series 'Gas Human,' a reboot of Toho's 1960 film 'The First Gas Human.' The 8-episode series, directed by Shinzo Katayama with a screenplay by Yeon Sang-ho, streams worldwide on Netflix. Yeon Sang-ho pushed for the song, calling the match fateful.
Jun 8
Netflix and Toho have released the main trailer and key art for the eight-episode series "Gas Man," a reboot of Toho's 1960 special effects film "The First Gas Man." The series, directed by Shinzo Katayama and executive produced by Yeon Sang-ho, follows detectives Kenji Okamoto (Shun Oguri) and Kyoko Kono (Yu Aoi) as they pursue a killer who can turn his body into gas. The trailer shows the Gas Man, played by debut actor UTA, announcing a press conference where he will reveal his methods and next target. Suzu Hirose and Kento Hayashi play video streamer siblings, and Yutaka Takenouchi plays a former yakuza-turned-company president. Filming ran from September 2024 to April 2025 across about 120 locations, with location scouting covering over 1,000 sites. The production achieved the first full closure of Tokyo Station front for a Japanese film shoot after 18 months of negotiations. The series streams worldwide on Netflix from July 2.