This season, there’s another series that started late but has already wrapped up on Netflix: Grimm Kumikyoku. Produced by WIT Studio (known for Attack on Titan, Spy x Family, Vivy, and more), with character designs by CLAMP (reminiscent of their work on Code Geass), this work stands out with its unique storytelling.

The series is a collection of fairy tales (Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, etc.) but with a twist—they’re steeped in darkness, flipping the roles of good and evil. Take the first episode, for example: it’s the story of “Cinderella.” In the classic fairy tale most people know, Cinderella is mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters after her father remarries, painting her as a pitiful figure. Here, though, “Cinderella” wears an innocent face while pulling the strings behind the scenes. She’s the mastermind, weaving ruthless schemes to twist events in her favor, treating others like puppets to shape their fates. For instance, she pins the blame on her stepsisters to polish her own “poor me” image. I couldn’t stop laughing at her dirty tricks—some even veer into bloody territory. I almost felt bad for the stepmother (the stepsisters, though, were too rotten to pity 🤣). What’s refreshing is that these fairy tales don’t preach morals. They’re pure entertainment—familiar on the surface but packed with surprising turns. The “villains” don’t face punishment or death; they survive and come out on top, because these are their stories.

Being a WIT Studio project, the visuals are consistently stunning throughout. Though the series only has six episodes, each clocks in at around 40 minutes, making the total runtime roughly equivalent to a standard 12-episode anime cour. If you’ve got some free time and want something to unwind with, Grimm Kumikyoku is a perfect pick for a weekend binge-watch :3.