NEWS

TOKYO — August 24, 2026 — THE SEVEN, INC. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Katsuaki Setoguchi; hereinafter "THE SEVEN") today announced that it has planned and produced a live-action drama adaptation of Yugo Aosaki's masterpiece mystery novel Rock, Paper, Landmines, which swept major literary awards and mystery rankings in Japan. The Prime Original drama series will premiere exclusively in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on November 13, 2026, on Prime Video. Stay tuned for the next level of quality entertainment from THE SEVEN, the studio behind global hits.

The original novel Rock, Paper, Landmines by Yugo Aosaki transforms universally known everyday games—such as "Daruma-san ga Koronda" (Red Light, Green Light) and "Concentration" (Memory)—into intense, high-stakes battles of strategy and deception by incorporating devilish special rules. Its innovative premise and gripping tension captivated readers, earning the unprecedented triple crown of the 37th Yamamoto Shugoro Prize, the 24th Honkaku Mystery Award, and the 77th Japan Mystery Writers Association Prize, in addition to sweeping all major mystery rankings, including the SR Mystery Best 10—a historic nine awards in total that set new records in Japan's mystery genre. THE SEVEN proudly brings this masterpiece to the screen at the highest visual scale.

Leading this pulse-pounding battle of wits are two of Japan's brightest young actresses. Nana Mori plays Mato Imoriya, a seemingly carefree and easygoing high school girl who reveals sharp instincts and a gift for strategy the moment a game begins. Mori has captivated audiences in numerous hit works, including 5 Centimeters Per Second (2025), Hirayasumi (2025), Enjo (2026), and the film National Treasure (2025), for which she won the Outstanding Supporting Actress Award at the 48th Japan Academy Film Prize. Aju Makita plays Kazahi Koda, Mato's best friend—a caring and protective presence who watches over Mato as she takes on dangerous challenges. Makita was first recognized by acclaimed director Hirokazu Kore-eda in the drama Going My Home (2012) at age 10, and has since appeared in numerous Kore-eda works including Shoplifters (2018). Her recent credits include Reboot (2026), Kingdom: Battle of Souls (2026), and Look Back (2026). The gap between their charming appearances and the ruthless psychological warfare they engage in behind their smiles is a must-see. The lineup of eccentric rivals challenging the duo will be revealed at a later date.

Producing the series is Akira Morii (Executive Vice President & CCO, THE SEVEN), who has propelled Japanese content to a global scale by producing worldwide hits such as Alice in Borderland and Yu Yu Hakusho. As a leading producer in the death-game and survival genres, Morii chose Rock, Paper, Landmines as his next major project. Directing the series is Kazuaki Seki, renowned for his stylish visual beauty and rhythmic direction in iconic music videos for Perfume and Sakanaction, as well as films like Kakukakushikajika (2025) and Beethoven Forgery (2025). He brings a sleek yet intensely suspenseful visual approach to the transformation of everyday games into life-and-death showdowns.

The ultimate deception—who will have the last laugh? Look forward to Rock, Paper, Landmines, a thrilling new kind of mind-game suspense!

"I couldn't wait to see how such an unpredictable story would be translated to the screen. Working with an extraordinary crew and a cast of peers I genuinely admire made every day on set a thrill. The spectacular CG work and the inventive ways the battles unfold are experiences only a visual medium can deliver—I really hope audiences have as much fun watching as we did making it."

"When I first read the script, I wondered how the concept of moving from a real-world setting into an imaginary world would translate on screen. Once filming of the imaginary world began, it was a completely new experience for me—we all figured it out together through trial and error, which made for an exciting creative process. Every character has long stretches of dialogue explaining the rules and strategies of the games, which was challenging, but I believe the result is a truly compelling series to watch."

"We've assembled a cast and crew every bit as bold as the title Rock, Paper, Landmines itself. How will those fiendishly intricate games come alive on screen, and where will our protagonists' journey take them? I can't wait for you to discover the answers—please look forward to this enigmatic drama."

"This isn't a typical survival game—it's an extreme battle of wits where the stakes are the things most precious to high school life, such as the success of the class, a place for friends, and a once-in-a-lifetime youth. My producer instincts kicked in because I wanted to capture the novel's intricate game design and addictive entertainment value in live action. For this project, having two actresses with such delicate and versatile expressive abilities as Nana Mori and Aju Makita is our greatest strength. Mato (played by Mori)—a genius who seems carefree at first glance—and Kazahi-chan (played by Makita), who protectively watches over her. The exquisite acting chemistry between them amidst these fierce games is undeniably a major highlight. Everyday games transform into breathtaking psychological warfare, and the exhilarating feeling of watching them pull off bizarre tactics and miraculous turnarounds from desperate situations will surely be addictive. Together with Director Kazuaki Seki, we have packed this series with unexpected visual expressions that even fans of the original novel will enjoy. Please look forward to this new kind of mind-game suspense!"

"Rock, Paper, Landmines—it's a story about games that look simple but are surprisingly difficult. Adapting it to live action is also deceptively challenging—it requires a great deal of ingenuity in how things are presented visually. We're delivering this with a production team that I'm confident will clear those hurdles with ease. I can't wait for you to see what creative choices they've made, and what interpretation of Mato emerges in the drama. See you in November."

"I was drawn to the potential of this story, where the essence of human nature is revealed through simple games. It's a new kind of entertainment—one that keeps you on the edge of your seat without a drop of blood being spilled. I'm proud to deliver this to a global audience in over 240 countries and territories with the incredible cast of Nana Mori and Aju Makita."

"Rock-Paper-Scissors," "Memory"... universally known simple games transform into the ultimate battles of strategy and psychology with just a few added rules!

Mato Imoriya, a seemingly carefree high school girl with an uncanny talent for winning any game, plunges into underground school game battles to save her best friend, Kazahi Koda. What they stake isn't their "lives." It is their urgent "everyday lives" and "youth"—from securing prime spots for school festival booths to competing for 90 million yen worth of chips among students. High-level logic where a single step can be fatal, off-board tactics to outwit each other, and brilliant turnarounds that calmly flip the board from desperate situations. 

A "bloodless survival game" by high school girls who risk losing all their youth instead of their lives. The curtain rises on a thrilling, high-stakes battle-of-wits drama combining unpredictable tension with the catharsis of completely outwitting opponents!

Title: Rock, Paper, Landmines
Launch Date: November 13, 2026 (Exclusively on Prime Video worldwide)
Cast: Nana Mori, Aju Makita, and others
Original Novel: Rock, Paper, Landmines by Yugo Aosaki (Published by Kadokawa Bunko / KADOKAWA)
Director: Kazuaki Seki
Producers: Akira Morii (THE SEVEN), Shuhei Sekiguchi (THE SEVEN), Naohito Inaba (Kadokawa Daiei Studio)
VFX Producer: Tomofumi Akahane (THE SEVEN)
Post-Production Supervisor: Norimasa Ishida (THE SEVEN)
Screenplay: Tatsuro Mishima, Shiori Ueno, Daiki Kobayashi
Music: yuma yamaguchi
Produced by: Amazon MGM Studios
Developed and Produced by: THE SEVEN
Production Studio: Kadokawa Daiei Studio
Copyright: ©2026 Amazon Content Services LLC or its Affiliates.