Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 is a new anime set to premiere soon, and anime fans want to know if there’s manga to read ahead of time. The answer is a simple yes, but the history behind it is fascinating indeed.The 17-26 anime adaptation is based on two manga volumes released by Fujimoto in 2021. However, these are not your everyday manga series. They're collections of one-shot stories. Think of them as short films in manga form.Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 Source Material BreakdownThe two volumes of Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 (Image Credit: Shueisha)Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 adapts stories from two volumes: Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man: 17-21 and Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man: 22-26. Those numbers aren't random. They represent Fujimoto's age when he created each story. Hence, volume one includes the work done from the age of seventeen until twenty-one, volume two, till twenty-six.There are eight one-shots in the two collections. In addition to some twisted vampire love stories, you have stories about post-apocalyptic aliens and more somber subjects like gender identity and physical dysmorphia. And they are all very different from one another.What to expect from the storiesThe first volume of Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 kicks off with "A Couple Clucking Chickens Were Still Kickin' in the Schoolyard (2011)." It's a chaotic post-apocalyptic tale with alien invasions. Then you've got "Sasaki Stopped a Bullet (2013)," which is exactly what it sounds like. Then there is "Love is Blind (2013)," a romantic comedy that escalates to absolutely absurd levels following Murphy's Law. "Shikaku (2014)" rounds out the first volume with a twisted romance between an assassin and an immortal vampire.Volume two brings us "Mermaid Rhapsody (2014)," a coming-of-age story between a boy and a mermaid centered around an underwater piano. "Woke-Up-as-a-Girl Syndrome (2017)" tackles gender identity in Fujimoto's typically unconventional way. "Nayuta of the Prophecy (2015)" follows a young girl whose quirks and appearances coincide with a prophecy that teases the destruction of the world. The collection closes with "Sisters (2018)," an emotional tale about sibling rivalry through art.Where to read the mangaShonen Jump News @WSJ_mangaLINKTatsuki Fujimoto's one-shots will be republished in Shonen Jump+ App to commemorate the release of 'Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26'. · 11/08: A Couple Clucking Chickens Were Still Kickin' in the Schoolyard. · 11/15: Sasaki Stopped a Bullet. · 11/22: Love is Blind. · 11/29: Shikaku.If you want to read the original stories before Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 comes to Prime Video, you can. Viz Media released English versions of both volumes in early 2023. You can find them in print under the title Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man.In addition, by starting with the manga, readers would be able to get a clear idea of how much Fujimoto’s storytelling has changed. You can see the first ideas that will later come into play in Chainsaw Man and his other works. Also, each one-shot has notes from the author in the form of a text block. Fujimoto himself writes what he was thinking when creating these works.How the anime handles itTatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 (Image Credit: Prime Video)What makes Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 special as an adaptation is the production approach. Amazon Prime Video assembled six different animation studios and seven directors to bring these stories to life. Each episode gets its own creative team, which means each one-shot maintains its unique vibe and visual style.Studios like ZEXCS, Lapin Track, GRAPH77, 100studio, Studio Kafka, and P.A. Works are all contributing episodes. Directors with credits ranging from Blue Lock to Paradox Live are putting their own spin on Fujimoto's early work. It's basically an anthology series where every episode feels fresh.Why these stories matterShikaku (Image Credit: Prime Video)The collection behind Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 is, essentially, a creative time capsule. These one-shots show a young artist trying their hand at a variety of genres, themes, and storytelling methods. Some can be a bit rough on the edges. However, it is still beautiful. You're watching someone figure out their voice in real time.Some of these stories pack a punch. Some of Fujimoto’s best works are marked by his ability to create both the wackiest and most sentimental stories. He has always had that ability. This is even more impressive considering that at the time of writing those stories, Fujimoto was younger.ConclusionThe anime comes out worldwide on Amazon Prime Video on November 7, 2025. You can read the manga first or just watch the show. Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 gives a cool look at the creator of Chainsaw Man before he became famous.