‘Hirayasumi’ Anime Unveils Footage, Key Visual and Lead Voice Cast Ahead of NHK Debut

New footage from the anime adaptation of Shinzo Keigo’s manga “Hirayasumi” has been unveiled, along with a key visual and the principal voice cast, ahead of the series’ January 2027 premiere on Japan’s NHK General TV.

Viz Media and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions (ShoPro) released the material. International streaming plans have yet to be revealed. Production +h., which made “The Orbital Children” and “Dead Dead Demons Dededede Destruction,” is animating the series.

The teaser trails follows Hiroto, a relaxed 29-year-old part-timer, through his daily routine in the Asagaya neighborhood. It also sketches his close bond with the elderly neighbor he calls Granny and the arrival of his cousin Natsumi, who has come to the capital to study at art school.

The key visual places Hiroto and Natsumi in front of the one-story Asagaya house he inherited from Granny. Joining them are Hideki, Hiroto’s closest friend; Akari, who studies alongside Natsumi at university; and Yomogi, a real estate agent from the neighborhood.

Uchida Yuma voices Hiroto. His previous roles include Fushiguro Megumi in “Jujutsu Kaisen,” Ash Lynx in “Banana Fish” and Mikage Reo in “Blue Lock.”

“‘Hirayasumi’ is a wonderful work where human drama unfolds amidst the ordinary moments of everyday life. I hope to have fun portraying Hiroto while staying true to his unpretentious personality and easygoing vibe,” Uchida said.

Takahashi Mayu plays 18-year-old Kobayashi Natsumi, a reserved newcomer from Yamagata who privately hopes to become a manga artist and often clashes with her laid-back cousin. Takahashi finished second in the Kimi Koe Project, a scheme set up to find and train new voice actors, and her earlier credits include “The Legendary Hero Is Dead!” She said that on reading the original manga, she felt she had never identified with a character so strongly, adding: “I’m truly delighted to be involved in this wonderful work that I love so much.”

Veteran performer Aikawa Rikako voices Wada Hanae, the 83-year-old Granny, a pensioner who once served school lunches and starts eating dinner with Hiroto twice a week after a chance meeting. Aikawa’s voice roles span Squirtle in the “Pokémon” franchise, Oxnard in “Hamtaro” and Ishishi from the “Kaiketsu Zorori” series.

“All of the characters are very kind. And yet, deep inside, they carry pain and worries of their own. ‘Hirayasumi’ brings not so much a flutter in the heart, but a catch in the chest, followed by a slow, tender swell of emotion,” Aikawa said.

Suezawa Kei (“Fate/Grand Order: Camelot – Wandering; Agateram,” “FLCL Progressive”) directs and handles series composition and scripts. Asano Naoyuki (“Urusei Yatsura,” “Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!”) is character designer, Nishimura Mika (“Typhoon Noruda”) is art director and Sawada Kaori (“What Did You Eat Yesterday?,” “When Spring Comes”) composes the music.

Shinzo’s manga began its run in Shogakukan’s “Weekly Big Comic Spirits” in 2021 and now spans 10 volumes, with more than 1.7 million copies in print worldwide. Its honors include best serial comic at Lucca Comics & Games 2024 as well as the 71st Shogakukan Manga Award.

Shinzo made his debut in 2008 with “Nankin.” His 2016 series “Moriyamachu Driving School” became a feature film, and “Tokyo Alien Bros.” received a live-action adaptation in 2018. An autobiographical one-shot about his recovery from lymphoma, which Shinzo created during the COVID-19 pandemic, also inspired “Hirayasumi.”