TL;DR, K2 Pictures announced a Gigant anime adaptation, marking the studio’s first animated feature, and also revealed Ken Ninomiya will direct a musical film version of The Book of Human Insects for Osamu Tezuka’s 100th anniversary.

K2 Pictures announced an anime adaptation of Gigant and a Tezuka musical. The studio said Gigant will be its first animated feature, and tapped filmmaker Ken Ninomiya to direct a musical film of The Book of Human Insects. The twin moves outline a push into animation and literary prestige projects.

The Gigant anime brings Hiroya Oku’s mature sci-fi manga to the big screen. The Tezuka film aligns with the creator’s centennial efforts, adding a high-profile musical to the slate. Both items were confirmed through K2 Pictures and trade reporting, signaling a broader content strategy in 2026.

What K2 Pictures Just Announced

K2 Pictures revealed two productions in a single update. First, a Gigant anime is in development and, per the K2 Pictures announcement, it will serve as the studio’s first animated feature. Second, the company confirmed a musical film of Osamu Tezuka’s The Book of Human Insects with director Ken Ninomiya attached.

The company positioned these projects as parallel tracks, pairing a contemporary manga adaptation with a heritage literary title. The Book of Human Insects musical adds anniversary weight, while Gigant expands the studio’s footprint into feature-length animation. Details arrived via the studio and corroborating trade coverage, with creative attachments named for the Tezuka project only.

The Tezuka title was reportedly pitched at the Spotlight on Japan event at Berlin’s European Film Market in February, indicating an early international marketplace push. Centennial projects often ripple across the calendar, as seen in our anime anniversary coverage. Specific release windows, distribution partners, and format particulars for Gigant beyond “animated feature” were not yet specified.

• Gigant: feature-length animation, confirmed as the studio first animated feature project.
• The Book of Human Insects: musical film format, with Ken Ninomiya directing.
• Both titles were introduced together by K2 Pictures, aligning new IP and classic manga.
• Spotlight on Japan pitch at Berlin’s EFM flagged early market interest for the Tezuka film.
• Gigant creative team, cast, and release timing were not disclosed in the materials.
• The Tezuka film’s production timeline and music team were not detailed publicly.
• Trade reports and K2 Pictures’ channels serve as the basis for confirmed information.
• Further updates are expected from the studio as development progresses.

What we know about the Gigant anime

The Gigant anime adaptation draws from Hiroya Oku’s manga, which ran in Shogakukan’s Big Comic Superior. Oku launched the series in December 2017 and ended it in September 2021. The tenth and final compiled volume shipped in Japan in December 2021, giving the adaptation a clear, complete narrative to pull from.

Seven Seas Entertainment licensed the manga in English, adding accessible source material for overseas viewers. K2 Pictures labels the project its first animated feature, a notable pivot into theatrical-length animation. No staff, cast, or release information was included in the initial confirmation, keeping focus on the property’s credentials and the studio’s format choice.

The manga’s modern seinen pedigree and finite run help frame production scope. English-language availability supports broader awareness as plans take shape. The announcement did not expand on format beyond “feature,” and did not name animation partners or distribution channels.

Those elements typically surface later in development for projects of this scale.

• Author: Hiroya Oku, serialized in Big Comic Superior.
• Run: December 2017 start, concluded September 2021.
• Gigant manga volumes: 10 total, with the final volume released December 2021.
• English license: Seven Seas Entertainment.
• Project type: Gigant anime adaptation positioned as a feature film.
• Studio context: K2 Pictures’ first animated feature project.
• Unconfirmed: Director, studio partners, cast, and release window.
• Source basis: Details attributed to K2 Pictures and industry trade reporting.

What The Book of Human Insects musical film is, and Ken Ninomiya’s role

Ken Ninomiya will serve as director on The Book of Human Insects musical, part of the Osamu Tezuka 100th Anniversary Project. The film was pitched at the Spotlight on Japan showcase during Berlin’s European Film Market in February, indicating an early international strategy and outreach to buyers.

Vertical publishes the manga in English and provides a noir-tinged synopsis. The story previously inspired a live-action television series in 2011, showing the material’s on-screen viability. Tezuka’s official website also announced on May 12 that NHK will air a live-action special based on the autobiographical short Paper Fortress in August.

Featuring a noir cast of jaded journalists, anarchist hit men, right-wing shadow brokers, cutthroat executives, and spent artists, The Book of Human Insects traces the career of an ingenue who is every bit those men’s match but is far from a feminist role model. In step with a heroine who is equally self-seeking, the usually “humanist” author here achieves with a Wellesian smirk a portrait of a world without heroes.

Ninomiya’s brief signals an emphasis on style and music to interpret Tezuka’s darker social themes. The centennial backdrop situates the film alongside ongoing Tezuka live-action projects, as legacy titles reach new formats. Additional casting, music staff, and release plans were not listed in the initial reveal.

• The Book of Human Insects musical: feature film format with musical framing.
• Ken Ninomiya director: officially attached by K2 Pictures.
• Osamu Tezuka 100th Anniversary: project aligned with centennial programming.
• Marketplace: pitched at Spotlight on Japan, Berlin’s EFM.
• English edition: published by Vertical.
• History
• Related news: NHK producing Paper Fortress special, announced by Tezuka’s official site.
• Unconfirmed: Cast, composers, and distribution still to be detailed.

Source: ANN