TV series
Yamishibai is a picture-story style of animation whose motif is surrounded and based off the rumors, and urban legends throughout the history of Japan.
Availability
Theatre of Darkness: Yamishibai premiered July 15, 2013. We don't have a confirmed streaming, rental or purchase option yet.
Yamishibai is a picture-story style of animation whose motif is surrounded and based off the rumors, and urban legends throughout the history of Japan.
Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.
Episode 1
A business on his way home from work spots a cat lying lifelessly in the road after being hit by a car. He carries it to the sidewalk, but it's clearly beyond help, so he makes a grave for it and heads home. That night, while relaxing at home, he hears what sounds like a kitten's cry.
Guest stars Ryouta Murai, 岸野聡子
Episode 2
A boy in middle school learns of a creepy old house near his school. He decides to check it out and, once inside, discovers a large fish tank in one room. Curious to know what's in it, he cautiously peers through the glass.
Guest stars Ryouta Murai
Episode 3
A young woman in college has moved into a certain old apartment building. As she is unpacking her belongings, she sees a spot on the wooden floor where a mismatched board has been added. Curious, she lifts the board to find a dirt surface with a pair of rusty scissors stuck in the ground -
Where to watch Theatre of Darkness: Yamishibai
Episode 4
A business has missed the last train after working overtime. He tries to hail a taxi some distance from the train station, but is unable to catch one. As he's wondering what he should do, he spots a vacant taxi racing along an empty street at high speed and finally manages to catch a ride.
Guest stars Ryouta Murai
Episode 5
A group of college students sets off on a night bus to go on vacation. On the way, one of them develops a stomachache and asks the driver to stop at a service area along the highway. But when he returns from the bathroom, the atmosphere inside the bus is very different..
Guest stars Ryouta Murai, 岸野聡子, Shoichiro Masumoto
Episode 6
A high school student is visiting an amusement park with an older member of her club, whom she has a crush on. She's thrilled at the prospect of going on this date with the senpai she admires. But on the way home, they see a creepy woman on the train platform, and from that point onward, the girl's head is overtaken by a frightening suspicion.
Guest stars Ryouta Murai, Fuuka Haruna, Ryosuke Takei
Episode 7
A husband, after finally receiving some time off, accompanies his wife on a shopping trip. Along the way, he receives an invitation from a friend to go out for drinks. To avoid upsetting his wife, he replies to his friend in a bathroom stall, but then he notices some creepy writing on the wall.
Where to watch Theatre of Darkness: Yamishibai
Episode 8
A man has returned to his hometown to attend the wedding of a friend from elementary school. To please his family, he arrives a day early to stay at his parents' home the night before. As he's marveling at how his childhood bedroom hasn't changed at all, he discovers a cassette tape in a desk drawer labeled "What Happened Today" and decides to listen to it.
Where to watch Theatre of Darkness: Yamishibai
Episode 9
An office lady uses some of her paid leave to go on a trip with her coworkers, but during the trip, she develops a toothache. Hoping to get it fixed even though she's on vacation, she visits a local, old-looking dental clinic. The dentist takes one look at her tooth and shoves pliers into her mouth to pull it without asking for her approval.
Guest stars 岸野聡子
Episode 10
Some middle school girls are staying over at a classmate's house. At school that day, the girls had agreed to perform a ritual at the sleepover that they believe will let them speak to the dead.
Where to watch Theatre of Darkness: Yamishibai
Episode 11
A new teacher is staying after school grading tests for her class. When she glances out the window, she sees a student in an unfamiliar, old-looking school uniform, laying white powder lines in the schoolyard.
Where to watch Theatre of Darkness: Yamishibai
Episode 12
A boy in elementary school has been brought to the snowy country by his parents to visit his grandparents over winter break. He doesn't often see snow, so he's overjoyed to have snowball fights and build snow huts with his cousin. Then, in a grove of trees, they find a snow hut with no entrance.
Guest stars 岸野聡子
Episode 13
A college student is caught in a sudden rainfall on the way home from a night out drinking. He attempts to take shelter until the rain stops, but discovers an underground path to the train station and heads down it.
Guest stars Kanji Tsuda
Episode information updated Sep 12, 2026
Available now in United States
These shows are available now and closely match Theatre of Darkness: Yamishibai.
Kanji TsudaStoryteller (voice)
Yūto IkedaThe Boy (voice)
桃ノ井理子(voice)
Ryouta Muraipolice reporter (voice)
小泉ようEita (voice)
Ryō HiranoTooru (voice)
Risa AizawaAsako (voice)
白石るりThe Dawn Girl (voice)
AT-XJapan
TV TokyoJapan
ILCAJapanTV TokyoJapan
