The popular fairy tale mystery novel series ‘Red Riding Hood: A Detective Story’ is officially getting a television anime adaptation. Production studio Benten Film will bring the story to screens in 2027, with Yume Miyamoto voicing the title character and Akira Sekine as Pinocchio.
The announcement arrived on August 10, 2026, through a new official website that also released a teaser trailer and teaser visual. The series, written by Aito Aoyagi, blends classic fairy tale elements with mystery storytelling. With over 600,000 copies of the novels in circulation, the franchise already includes a manga adaptation and a live-action Netflix film.
Cast and Staff Revealed
Yume Miyamoto takes on the role of Red Riding Hood, the clever detective who solves crimes across the fairy tale world. Akira Sekine joins as Pinocchio, who serves as her companion throughout the journey.
The creative team includes director Itsurō Kawasaki, who also handles series composition and scripts. Kawasaki previously worked on ‘Baban Baban Ban Vampire’ , ‘Cardfight!! Vanguard’ , and ‘Lady Jewelpet’ . Manami Minakata and Yūko Yahiro serve as character designers. Minakata previously worked as sub-character designer on ‘Baban Baban Ban Vampire’ , while Yahiro contributed to ‘Kaguya-sama: Love is War Season 2’ and ‘Aharen-san wa Hakarenai’ .
Izumi Hoki and Hiroshi Katō handle art direction. The animation production team also includes color setting by Tomoe Yoshimura, composition direction by Rieko Koike, and editing by Daisuke Hiraki.
Plot: Fairy Tale Meets Mystery
The story follows Red Riding Hood, who lives on the outskirts of town. One day, she sets out on a journey for a specific purpose. But strange things keep happening along the way. She keeps getting pulled into one incident after another.
Using her natural curiosity and sharp mind, Red Riding Hood investigates each mystery. The teaser trailer features her asking a memorable question from the original work: “Why is your criminal plan so sloppy?”
The series takes place in a world of familiar fairy tales. But instead of a simple retelling, it puts a detective spin on the classic character. Red Riding Hood works as a detective solving crimes that happen throughout this fairy tale world. Pinocchio joins her as her assistant on these adventures.
Teaser Trailer and Visual Released
Along with the announcement, the production team released a teaser trailer and teaser visual. The visual shows Red Riding Hood smirking in the centre, with Pinocchio sitting in a basket beside her. Various motifs from the story surround them, creating a mysterious atmosphere.
The teaser trailer gives viewers a quick look at the series’ world and tone. Both the trailer and visual are available on the official website and social media channels.
Original Novel Series
Aito Aoyagi began publishing the novel series in August 2020 through Futabasha. As of July 2025, four volumes have been released. The Japanese title translates literally to ‘Little Red Riding Hood Encounters a Corpse on Her Journey’ .
The series has expanded across multiple media formats. A manga adaptation illustrated by Kanoka Tana ran from January 2023 to May 2025. It first appeared in Monthly Action magazine before moving to the Web Comic Action website.
A live-action film adaptation titled ‘Once Upon a Crime’ released worldwide on Netflix in September 2023. It became the first Japanese film to reach Number 1 on Netflix’s Weekly Global Top 10 list.
Director’s Comments
Director Itsurō Kawasaki shared his thoughts on adapting the series for television. He mentioned that translating the magic tricks and fairy tale settings into animation has presented certain challenges. But he hopes viewers can simply enjoy the finished series when it arrives.
Original author Aito Aoyagi also expressed excitement about the adaptation. He described Red Riding Hood as a great detective and Pinocchio as her goofy assistant. He said they will go on a grand adventure of mystery and deduction in a world full of wonder. He added that cunning culprits will set many tricks unique to fairy tales, and he hopes people all over the world will enjoy this fantasy mystery.
Voice actress Yume Miyamoto said she is excited to portray a character she has known since childhood. She also praised the cases that Red Riding Hood encounters throughout her journey. Akira Sekine highlighted Pinocchio’s growth and his developing relationship with Red Riding Hood.
Production Studio: Benten Film
Benten Film handles animation production for the series. The studio was recently acquired by Creator’s X, a company involved in AI animation. The acquisition has drawn attention from industry watchers, but the studio continues its production work on multiple projects.
Pony Canyon is involved in the production and describes the story as follows: On the outskirts of town lived a girl called “Red Riding Hood.” One day, she found herself forced to embark on a journey for a certain purpose. Strangely enough, she kept getting swept up in incident after incident along the way. Using her innate curiosity and clever mind, Red Riding Hood set about solving each mystery.
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Release Window and Where to Follow
The ‘Red Riding Hood: A Detective Story’ anime is scheduled to premiere in 2027. An exact premiere date has not been announced yet.
The production has launched an official website along with official X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram accounts. Future updates will be posted through these channels. More information about the series, including additional cast members and a specific premiere date, is expected closer to the release.
Stay tuned for more anime news and updates on ‘Red Riding Hood: A Detective Story’ and other upcoming adaptations. Bookmark this page for the latest developments as we get closer to the 2027 premiere.
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