Netflix has another hit on its hands with a new series remaking a classic Japanese sci-fi thriller. Netflix has become the home of several popular shows over the past few years, and it is the go-to destination for fans who want to see series from other countries. It is a good way for shows to get some monster views, especially when looking at the numbers on Netflix’s own site advertising its top 10 lists in terms of views. This week on the list of the top non-English shows on Netflix, there is even one series that has already eclipsed 10.5 million views in just two weeks with Agent Kim Reactivated.
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Human Vapor hit Netflix on July 2, and it has already hit two million views in its first week. According to Netflix’s website, the new series finished the first week in seventh place, the highest-ranking new series on the streaming service for non-English shows. It beat out Lock Upp Season 1 and Summer ’36, both of which also hit in the same week
Human Vapor is a Remake of a Classic 1960s Japanese Sci-Fi Movie
Human Vapor is based on the 1960 Japanese sci-fi thriller film by Ishirō Honda. That original movie is the third film in the Transforming Human Series franchise, following The H-Man (1958) and The Secret of the Telegian (1960). This specific movie follows a man who is transformed into a gaseous being after a scientific experiment goes wrong. He then becomes an antihero who uses his new powers to commit bank robberies, uses the proceeds to help his lover, and is always on the run from a detective trying to catch him.
In 2026, Human Vapor was remade as a series in a co-production between Japan and South Korea. The series originated as a deal with Topho producers and Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan, Hellbound) to bring the story to the modern day. The new series has eight episodes, and it follows a mysterious man who calls himself the Human Vapor. To kick off the series, the Human Vapor kills a professor on live television before saying he plans on killing everyone involved with The White Center
This leads to the main mystery, as a detective is tasked with investigating the murders while the detective’s ex-girlfriend runs her own investigation into the White Center and its connection with a meteorite crash 27 years earlier. Deadline reported that Netflix pushed the series hard, even referring to it in 2025 as a “flagship upcoming title” along with bigger-name shows like Bridgertonand One Piece. The two million views show that Netflix was right in its prediction, as it is on its way to becoming a massive hit for the streaming service.
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