Japanese stars Oguri Shun (“Godzilla vs. Kong”) and Aoi Yu (“Rurouni Kenshin: Final Chapter Part I – The Final”) will reunite on screen after 23 years in “Human Vapor,” a new Netflix series produced in collaboration with Toho. The duo last worked together in 2001’s ‘Ao to Shiro de Mizuiro’.
‘Human Vapor’ is a modern reinterpretation of the 1960 science fiction thriller of the same name. The original film, directed by Ishirō Honda of ‘Godzilla’ fame, tells the story of a librarian who gains the ability to transform into a gaseous state after radiation experiments has been subjected. Using his new powers, he embarks on a series of bank robberies to financially support a struggling dancer he admires. The film is known for its exploration of power structures and societal oppression.
Yeon Sang-ho, known for ‘Train to Busan’ and ‘Hellbound’, will executive produce and co-wrote the script with Ryu Yong-jae (‘Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area’). Katayama Shinzo, whose credits include “Missing” and “Gannibal,” will direct the series.
The project marks the first-ever collaboration between the streaming giant and the iconic Japanese studio. The series is made in collaboration with Wow Point.
Yeon said: “One of Toho’s proposals, to reinvent the ‘Transforming Human Series’ [a term for genre of the films released by Toho in the 1950s and 1960s, including “The Invisible Avenger” (1954), “The H-Man” (1958) and “The Secret of the Telegian” (1960)] there was ‘The Human Vapor’. It’s a 1960 film, but the sci-fi expressions are still impressively skilled. I believed that if it were reborn with modern imagery, it would be truly fascinating.”
Katayama added: “I was intrigued by the mix of human drama and romantic elements, even though it included an absurd creature like the Human Vapor. I saw the potential to modernize this classic special effects piece with today’s VFX CG and integrate human drama to make it a very compelling work.
The duo worked on the script for approximately three years, focusing on updating the story for a contemporary audience while maintaining its core themes. Yeon said: “Although it is a sci-fi and thriller, at its core it is a story about people. We focused on carefully handling human emotions and portraying the humanity of the characters through the script.”
Katayama added: “We received special permission to film in locations where filming is not normally allowed. I believe we will deliver images that have never been seen before.”
“Human Vapor” joins a growing list of Korean-Japanese collaborations on Netflix, including the upcoming “Romantic Anonymous” (working title) and “Soul Mate.”