The highly anticipated TV anime adaptation of Shun Umezawa’s award-winning manga, The Darwin Incident, has released a new promotional video, revealed additional cast members, and confirmed its premiere in January 2026 on TV Tokyo and its affiliates. The latest trailer also features a snippet of the opening theme song, building excitement for the sci-fi thriller.
New Promotional Video Showcases Opening Theme
A new main trailer for The Darwin Incident anime was released on Friday, December 12, offering viewers a deeper look into the series’ world and characters. This promotional video highlights the animation quality by BELLNOX FILMS and previews the opening theme song, “Make Me Wonder,” performed by the popular pop-rock band Official HIGE DANdism. Previous teaser trailers and visuals had been released, gradually building anticipation for the adaptation.
Expanding the Voice Cast: Key Roles Revealed
Alongside the new video, the anime has unveiled more of its main voice cast, bringing crucial characters to life. Atsumi Tanezaki (known for Anya in SPY x FAMILY) will voice Charlie, the titular “Humanzee” protagonist. Mitsuho Kambe has been cast as Lucy Eldred, Charlie’s clever human friend, while veteran voice actor Akio Otsuka (All For One in My Hero Academia) will portray Rivera Feyerabend. These cast members are expected to deliver compelling performances for the series’ complex characters.
Behind the Scenes: Production Team and Studio
The anime is being produced by BELLNOX FILMS, with Naokatsu Tsuda (director for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind) at the helm as director. Katsuichi Nakayama serves as the series director, while Shinichi Inozume is handling the series composition. Character designs are provided by Shinpei Tomooka, and the musical score is composed by Alisa Okehazama and Mariko Horikawa. This experienced team aims to faithfully adapt the critically acclaimed manga.
The Premise of The Darwin Incident
The Darwin Incident centers on Charlie, a unique being who is half-human and half-chimpanzee, a “Humanzee,” created in a biological science laboratory. At 15 years old, Charlie attempts to live a normal life and attends high school, where he forms his first significant friendship with a human girl named Lucy. However, his ordinary existence is shattered when the Animal Liberation Alliance (ALA), the eco-terrorist organization responsible for freeing his mother from the lab fifteen years prior, re-emerges with a plot to kidnap Charlie. The narrative delves into themes of identity, animal rights, and societal perceptions of those considered “different.”
Acclaimed Manga Origin
The anime is based on Shun Umezawa’s original manga series, which began serialization in Kodansha’s Monthly Afternoon seinen magazine in June 2020. The manga has garnered significant critical recognition, winning the prestigious 15th Manga Taisho award in 2022 and an Excellence Award at the 25th Japan Media Arts Festival. Kodansha USA is publishing the manga in English, making the thought-provoking story accessible to a wider international audience.
