2026 has been an exceptional year for dark anime airing on Crunchyroll, with several series premiering since the start of the year. However, Fall 2026 has brought another dark anime that stands out even among the darkest, with a protagonist whose journey is built on a tragic childhood. While such narratives tend to soften their main characters’ suffering as new episodes are released, the second episode of this new dark series pushes its protagonist into an even more tragic situation. A protagonist like this usually emerges in seinen anime such as Vinland Saga and Attack on Titan, with even Jujutsu Kaisen earning similar recognition despite being a shonen series. Now, The Vermilion Mask is doing the same.
The new Fall seinen anime follows its protagonist as he journeys to destroy the masks his master created. This motivation stems from a tragic incident in Peru’s childhood, when he wielded a mask created by his master that drove him to kill his master and the other apprentices. Since then, Peru has been on a journey to destroy the masks, but the path has been far from easy. Now, as the second episode reveals more about the power that cost him everything, Peru is forced to lose his right hand. This loss is particularly devastating because, beyond being a human who needs his hand, Peru is a mask maker, making it an emotional blow as well.
The Vermilion Mask episode 2 continued the harrowing events of the first episode, with the Mask of the Warrior God appearing and Sona donning it. The mask’s power was unveiled as it defeated the villain, but its next target was naturally Peru. Knowing that the Mask of the Warrior God has a time limit and a short range, Peru does his best to stay away from Sona for the time being. Despite all his efforts, Peru loses his right arm. Given that he is the protagonist, it was expected that he would get it back, but the series doesn’t follow this pattern.
Instead, the loss is permanent, but Peru doesn’t give up on his journey to hunt down and destroy his master’s masks. To hide his pain, Peru uses a happy mask, revealing that he has always relied on such elements to conceal the struggles he has endured since his childhood trauma. The loss of his arm is also significant because he used his hands to craft masks, an art that connects him to his origins as a mask creator and his master. Losing his arm should have made him abandon his mission to hunt down the masks, but Peru continues regardless.
However, the episode ends on a good note for Peru, as Sona joins him on his journey, giving him the companion he certainly needs. The Vermilion Mask will follow a protagonist who gains a companion on his otherwise solitary journey, and it might also see Peru getting his arm back. For now, however, The Vermilion Mask is the darkest anime currently airing on Crunchyroll, and it could become even darker, judging by the first two episodes and the increasingly tragic journey of its protagonist.
