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An experienced Editor representing Canada via Screen Rant's Team Anime, J.R. has been reading manga since the first printing of Shonen Jump in North America. This passion drove him to write about anime, manga, and manhwa since 2022, having recently served as Lead Anime Editor for ComicBook.com.
His favorite moments in media coverage include reviewing the series premieres of Zom 100 and Bleach: TYBW Part 2 back-to-back and briefly meeting Junji Ito at a VIZ gallery event in 2023.
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Amazon Prime Video has had a complicated relationship with anime lately, but its latest addition, The Darwin Incident, explores a fascinating premise otherwise not seen in Winter 2026's slate. The weekly series, taking a different direction from the likes of Planet of the Apes, explores the idea of a human-chimpanzee hybrid attempting to live a normal life in human society.
The Darwin Incident follows Charlie, a "humanzee" recovered after the eco-terrorist Animal Liberation Alliance (henceforth ALA) attacks a research lab and finds his mother, a pregnant chimpanzee. 15 years into the present, Charlie goes to his first day of school as The Darwin Incident episode #1 sets up his unique struggles, and the forces vying to recruit him.
The Darwin Incident Is a Promising New Debut on Amazon Prime Video
Adapted from the pages of Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon seinen magazine, The Darwin Incident released on Prime Video on January 6, 2026. While not boasting overly complicated animation in episode #1, Bellnox Films introduced audiences well to its premise. It also features an impressive Japanese voice cast including Atsumi Tanezaki (Spy x Family) as a precocious teenage Charlie.
Lined with other stars, including Mitsuho Kambe (Delicious in Dungeon), Akio Otsuka (Metal Gear Solid), Toshiyuki Morikawa (Naruto), Rina Satō (A Certain Magical Index) and Yōji Ueda (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure) the anime is certainly best-enjoyed in its original Japanese. But beyond an impressive lineup of voiceover cast, The Darwin Incident charges out the gates with poignant statements about animal rights.
It's certainly a different scenario from other vegetarian commentary like Grant Morrison's Animal Man.
Given Charlie's position as a "humanzee", his status as an outsider is often unavoidably targeted by the student body's cruelest members. This includes them challenging his vegan upbringing, including posing life-or-death rhetorical traps, only for Charlie to cleverly and cooly shut them down. It's certainly a different scenario from other vegetarian commentary like Grant Morrison's Animal Man.
Everyone is deeply invested in how Charlie operates in society. His adoptive parents merely wish him to have a good first day. Classmates notice how different he is, but Charlie shrugs it all off, choosing instead to be a model student largely keeping to himself.
However, viewers soon realize that not everyone wants to befriend Charlie for benevolent purposes.
Charlie Is a Different Spin on Planet of the Apes' Caesar
While the ALA seemed largely dormant following their discovery of Charlie, their operations are revealed by the end of The Darwin Incident episode #1. Crucially, one of the ALA's founders, Max, wants to recruit Charlie, seeing him as a natural, positive addition to their violent extremist cause. However, Charlie is more than a pawn.
Whereas Caesar of Planet of the Apes fame was first to say "No!" as depicted particularly well in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Darwin Incident's Charlie walks through his options, with his responses often being a far colder, more pragmatic answer. Bearing heightened human and chimpanzee traits, Charlie is essentially superhuman, yet ultimately an outsider.
Bearing heightened human and chimpanzee traits, Charlie is essentially superhuman, yet ultimately an outsider.
The Darwin Incident thus places its version of Caesar in a relatable school environment as the ultimate outsider, not wishing to judge humanity's worse elements, but also not shying away from making brutal quips. However, Charlie's first day proceeds on a high note, rescuing a cat from a tree and making his first friend and fellow outsider, Lucy Eldred.
The Darwin Incident is poised at best to achieve sleeper hit status with Winter 2026 bringing about Frieren's return alongside Jujutsu Kaisen and other hits. Its English dub isn't particularly worth writing home about, but certainly leagues ahead of what Prime Video did to Banana Fish. However, its premise, and excellent Japanese staff, make this an anime worth checking out.
Created by Pierre Boulle
Movie(s) Planet of the Apes, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, War for the Planet of the Apes, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
English (US) ·