On January 7, Netflix is adding a new survival game anime to its catalog: Shiboyugi: surviving is my job. Known internationally as Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table, this series drops viewers into a world where lethal challenges are not just entertainment—they’re literally a career path.
A light novel success story before the anime
Before becoming an anime, Shiboyugi started life as a Japanese light novel written by Yushi Ukai and illustrated by Nekometaru. Published since 2022 under the MF Bunko J label, the series quickly stood out, earning an excellence award at the MF Bunko J Light Novel Newcomer Awards and gaining visibility in rankings focused on emerging licenses.
Its growing popularity paved the way for a manga adaptation, followed by an animated series produced by studio Deen. The anime is directed by Souta Ueno, with series composition handled by Rintarou Ueda and an original score composed by Junichi Matsumoto. The Netflix release is part of a larger trajectory: from light novel to manga to a global streaming launch.
What Shiboyugi is really about: death games as a profession
At the center of Shiboyugi is Yuki, a seventeen-year-old who wakes up in a sprawling, maze-like mansion ominously nicknamed the Ghost House. Dressed in a maid uniform, she quickly realizes that this is not a normal setting: the building is filled with deadly traps and carefully designed trials meant to kill anyone reckless—or unlucky—enough to walk into them.
Unlike the other participants caught in this nightmare setup, Yuki doesn’t react with fear or confusion. She calmly reveals that taking part in death games is literally her job. Used to extreme scenarios, she approaches each challenge with calculation and composure, taking the lead and guiding the others through mechanisms explicitly built to be fatal.
Rather than leaning entirely on graphic escalation, the narrative emphasizes the logic behind each trial and the mental states of the characters. Yuki’s accumulated experience in successive survival games shapes how she reads every room, every trap, and every potential ally or threat.
Global release and Netflix streaming details
The anime starts airing in Japan on January 7 on multiple TV channels, while Netflix handles the worldwide streaming rollout under the title Shiboyugi: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table. Depending on the region, other platforms may also carry the show, but Netflix is the main player for the global audience.
This first season is part of the Winter 2026 TV lineup and follows a classic television format, with a longer premiere episode followed by shorter regular installments. The opening theme is performed by Lin from the group Madkid, and the ending song is by Chiai Fujikawa, framing the series with distinct musical identities at the start and end of each episode.
With this anime adaptation, Shiboyugi reaches beyond its original light novel and manga readership and joins the wave of contemporary stories exploring the social and economic forces that shape death games and high-risk survival systems.
Key info at a glance
When is Shiboyugi coming to Netflix?
The anime is available on Netflix starting January 7.
Is Shiboyugi based on a manga or a novel?
The series is adapted from a Japanese light novel, which also received a manga adaptation.
What is the main theme of Shiboyugi?
The story focuses on deadly games where survival is treated as a profession, seen through the eyes of an experienced participant.
FAQ
Will Shiboyugi be available on Netflix worldwide?
Netflix is handling the global streaming release of the anime under the title Shiboyugi: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table, alongside other platforms depending on the territory.
Who created the original Shiboyugi light novel?
The original light novel was written by Yushi Ukai with illustrations by Nekometaru, published under the MF Bunko J label.
What makes Yuki different from other characters in Shiboyugi?
Yuki is a seventeen-year-old who treats participation in death games as her profession. She remains calm, methodical, and experienced in situations where others panic.
How does Shiboyugi fit into the Winter 2026 anime season?
The series is part of the Winter 2026 TV lineup, featuring a longer first episode followed by standard-length episodes, with music by Lin (Madkid) for the opening and Chiai Fujikawa for the ending theme.
