Viz Media Announces Hirayasumi Anime World Premiere for 2027
Viz Media has revealed the teaser trailer, cast, and a 2027 release date for the anime adaptation of the award-winning manga 'Hirayasumi,' with a world
Viz Media has unveiled the teaser trailer, key visual, and voice cast for the anime adaptation of Keigo Shinzō's manga 'Hirayasumi.' The announcement confirms a 2027 release on NHK General TV. Viz Media and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions released the footage and details on Monday.
Yūma Uchida will star as the protagonist Hiroto Ikuta. Mayu Takahashi voices his cousin Natsumi Kobayashi. Kei Suezawa is directing the anime at studio Production +h, with character designs by Naoyuki Asano.
World premiere and release plans confirmed
The anime will have its world premiere at Japan Society in New York City on October 7 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. The screening will feature the first episode. Composer Kaori Sawada and producer Junichi Katsutani are scheduled to attend the event. Viz Media's Community Manager Godswill Ugwa will host the premiere panel.
The series is officially scheduled to premiere on Japanese television in January 2027. Viz Media has also confirmed an English-language release for that year.
Creative team and source material background
Keigo Shinzō launched the 'Hirayasumi' manga in Shogakukan's Weekly Big Comic Spirits magazine in April 2021. The series now spans 10 volumes, with over 1.7 million copies printed worldwide. Its accolades include winning the 71st Shogakukan Manga Award and best serial comic at Lucca Comics & Games 2024.
The anime is a co-production with Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions Co., Ltd and Production +h. The creative team brings together notable industry figures. Director Kei Suezawa, who is also handling series composition and scripts, previously worked on 'Fate/Grand Order: Camelot, Wandering; Agateram.'
Naoyuki Asano, the character designer, is known for 'Urusei Yatsura.' Art director Mika Nishimura's credits include 'Typhoon Noruda.' Composer Kaori Sawada scored 'What Did You Eat Yesterday?'
Cast and character details
The story follows Hiroto Ikuta, a 29-year-old part-timer living in Tokyo's Asagaya neighborhood. His 18-year-old cousin Natsumi moves to the capital to study at an art school with dreams of becoming a manga artist. Their lives intersect with their elderly neighbor, an 83-year-old pensioner named Granny, voiced by Rikako Aikawa.
| Character | Voice Actor | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| Hiroto Ikuta | Yūma Uchida | 29-year-old part-timer; prior roles include Megumi Fushiguro in 'Jujutsu Kaisen.' |
| Natsumi Kobayashi | Mayu Takahashi | 18-year-old art student from Yamagata; finished second in the Kimi Koe Project. |
| Granny (Wada Hanae) | Rikako Aikawa | 83-year-old former school lunch server; actor's credits include Squirtle in 'Pokémon.' |
The newly released key visual features Hiroto and Natsumi in front of the one-story Asagaya house inherited from Granny. It also includes additional characters: Hideki, Hiroto’s closest friend; Akari, who studies with Natsumi at university; and Yomogi, a neighborhood real estate agent.
Author Keigo Shinzō debuted in 2008. His 2016 series 'Moriyamachu Driving School' was adapted into a feature film. The 'Hirayasumi' manga was inspired by an autobiographical one-shot about the author's lymphoma recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic. International streaming plans for the anime adaptation have not yet been revealed.
The world premiere screening of the first episode will take place at Japan Society in New York City on October 7 at 7:00 p.m. EDT.
