Netflix officially presents the adaptation of Cells at Work! in live-action format, which will air on June 13, 2025. For those of you who are curious about what the battle of human cells looks like in a real movie, this project is worth the wait. With its emotional approach and cinematic visuals, the movie takes the spirit of the anime to a new realm that is more realistic and closer to everyday life.
Global Announcement from Netflix
Netflix announced the release of Cells at Work! live-action through the official account @NetflixAnime on the X/Twitter platform, accompanied by the launch of the trailer and key visuals. The film is scheduled to air globally from June 13, 2025. Before it hits Netflix, the film will first be screened in Japanese theaters on December 13, 2024.
In the promotional materials, Netflix highlighted that the movie will show the dynamic internal battle of the human body, while presenting a touching family story. The global launch through the streaming platform is also a strategic move to reach a wider audience-both fans of the original anime and new viewers.
Story and Trailer
The movie's story focuses on Niko Urushizaki, a young girl whose body is fighting an infection, and her father Shigeru who is suffering from health problems. Inside their bodies, cells such as Red Blood Cell and White Blood Cell is portrayed as a hardworking character who faces various microbial threats.
Cells at Work! live-action combines biological conflict with the dynamics of relationships between family members. Instead of just showing imaginative scenes in the inner environment of the human body, the movie also slips in a strong emotional narrative between father and son. These two threads run parallel and reinforce each other, creating a touching and educational story experience.
The first trailer depicts the internal environment of the human body in compelling detail, complete with a mix of CGI and practical effect which is used in a balanced way. The tone of the movie feels more mature than the anime version, without losing the signature touch that made the series popular.
Production Staff
The movie is being worked on by a production team that has proven capable of adapting manga to the big screen without losing its distinctive characteristics. Here are the staff and main cast behind Cells at Work! live-action:
Production Staff:
- Director: Hideki Takeuchi (Nodame Cantabile, Thermae Romae)
- Screenplay: Yūichi Tokunaga (Kaguya-sama: Love is War live-action)
- Distributor: Warner Bros. Japan
- Theme Song: "50%" by Official HiGE DANdism
Cast and Characters:
- Mei Nagano as Red Blood Cell
- Takeru Satō as White Blood Cell
- Mana Ashida as Niko Urushizaki
- Sadao Abe as Shigeru Urushizaki
- Kōji Yamamoto as Killer T Cell
- Riisa Naka as NK Cell
- Wakana Matsumoto as Macrophage
- Maika Pugh as Platelets
- Shōta Sometani as Helper T Cell
- Rihito Itagaki as Red Blood Cell
- Ryō Katō as Senior Red Blood Cell
- Seishirō Katō as Shin Takeda
- Kyōko Fukada as Hepatocyte
- Ainosuke Kataoka as Coccus pneumonia
- Shinya Niiro as Streptococcus pyogenes
- Forward Ozawa as Staphylococcus aureus
- Fukase (SEKAI NO OWARI) as ???
- Takashi Tsukamoto as Teacher Neutrophil
- Wataru Ichinose as Anal sphincter muscle captain
- DJ KOO as Neuron
Why This Could Be the Breakout Adaptation of the Year
Live-action adaptations of anime are often criticized for improper visualization or storytelling that loses its essence. But Cells at Work! live-action instead takes a different approach: focusing on emotionally relevant stories, strong character relationships, and supportive visual techniques.
Hideki Takeuchi directs the movie by keeping the focus on character conflicts and personal emotions, rather than relying solely on the appearance of digital effects. CGI is used wisely, not excessively, so that the visual elements really support the strength of the story.
With the support of Netflix as a global distribution platform, the movie has the potential to reach a wide audience-both those who are already following the movie and those who are not. Cells at Work! since the manga as well as new audiences who are new to it. If successful, this could be an example of how anime-to-live-action adaptations can remain relevant and narratively successful.
About Cells at Work!
Cells at Work! is a manga by Akane Shimizu that was first published in the magazine Monthly Shonen Sirius owned by Kodansha in March 2015 and ended in January 2021. The anime adaptation premiered in July 2018 and continued with a second season in January 2021, which aired alongside the anime Cells at Work! Code Black.
Kodansha USA Publishing released English versions of the main manga and the following spinoffs:
- Cells at Work: Bacteria!
- Cells at Work!: Neo Bacteria!
- Cells at Work! White Brigade
- Cells at Work! Baby
- Cells NOT at Work!
- Cells at Work! Code Black
- Cells at Work and Friends!
- Cells at Work! Lady
- Cells at Work: Platelets!
In addition, there are also several other spinoffs published in Japan:
- Cells at Work! Illegal by Kae Hashimoto
- Cells at Work! Muscle by Yū Maeda
- Cells at Work! Cat by Choko Aozora and Meku Kaire
- Cells at Work! Medicine by Koma Warita and Ryō Kuji
With the arrival of the Cells at Work! live-actionThe franchise is expanding its reach to a wider audience. The movie not only provides educational entertainment about the human body, but also an emotionally relevant story. If you're looking for something unique and touching, this movie should be on your mid-year watch list.
Source: Netflix Anime X/Twitter
