Peru d’Arrest is a merchant, traveling the world selling magical masks—at least, that’s his cover. Peru is hiding a deeply tragic past involving his apprenticeship to the legendary Gaston Roux. And now, he is tracking down all of his master’s masks in order to destroy them. However, there is one mask in his possession whose power Peru is unable to control, and he’s entered a kingdom, Lisblanc, ruled by a king whose strength is beyond comprehension. Can this young man achieve his quest—and will the runaway Sona be a help or a hindrance?

Oho! What is this? I think my Spidey senses are tingling…or maybe that’s Peru’s Spidey senses? Yes, among Peru’s nifty masks is a spider one that will make you wonder, why don’t we have a Peni Parker anime yet? But you’ll only think that for a minute, because this series quickly progresses from fairly average shonen series (albeit with a cool angle with the masks) into an intense, dark fantasy. And Tetsuaki Watanabe, known for his immersive but singularly-focused action scenes, is the perfect director for it. The final minutes of this episode are “get off your seat” exciting, leading to a cliffhanger that makes me wonder why I decided to watch this episode almost a month before episode two airs. Sigh.

I should also note that while “dark fantasy anime” has gained a negative connotation these days (Wait, is it just me whose sick of dark series that think it’s okay to swap tragedy and gore for characterization and plot?), this series calls back strongly to a classic anime filled with dark scenes, too: Fullmetal Alchemist. Yes, Peru looks a little like Edward with his braided blonde hair, but the tragedy of his childhood recalls the Elric brothers’ difficult past and how they left home as children. The animation, too, feels very 2000s, though vibrant in a way that’s consistent with current animation. Peru is very likeable, Gouon is not, and Sonarue is a strong female character who I’m hopeful will become a companion whose story we’ll admire as much as the protagonist’s. Oh, and did I mention that cliffhanger? This series wasn’t on my radar coming into the fall 2026 anime season, but you can bet it is now; we’ll see if it can fulfill the promise of the potential revealed in episode one.

Episode 1 of The Vermilion Mask will be available to stream on Crunchyroll on October 10, 2026.

© Nabana Naba,Dr.Poro,SHONENGAHOSHA/ “The Vermilion Mask” Production Committee.