Tokyo, Japan – Anime streaming giant Crunchyroll has officially announced it will stream the highly anticipated historical fantasy anime series Shabake starting October 3, 2025. The announcement follows a highlight during Aniplex Online Fest 2025, confirming global availability for fans across multiple regions.
The series, an adaptation of Megumi Hatakenaka’s popular novel series, will be accessible in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, CIS, and the Indian subcontinent.
Unraveling Mysteries with Spirits in Edo Period Japan
Shabake transports viewers to the Edo period, following the intriguing life of Ichitaro, the young master of Nagasakiya, a prominent commercial store in Nihonbashi. Born with a delicate constitution, Ichitaro is often confined indoors, but his world is far from solitary. He is constantly surrounded by a retinue of spirit companions, including a Hakutaku and an Inugami, who serve as his protectors and confidantes.
The plot thickens when Ichitaro, on a rare venture outside, witnesses a murder. This fateful event marks the beginning of a series of bizarre and unsettling murder cases that plague Edo. With the invaluable assistance of his supernatural guardians, Ichitaro embarks on a quest to unmask the culprit behind these mysterious incidents. The anime promises a blend of historical setting, supernatural elements, and a compelling mystery narrative.
Key Cast and Production Team Behind “Shabake”
The television anime adaptation is brought to life by animation studio BN Pictures, under the direction of Takahiro Okawa. Toko Machida is responsible for the series composition, while Akari Minagawa handles the character designs, ensuring the visual appeal of Hatakenaka’s world. The atmospheric music is composed by Rei Ishizuka.
The talented voice cast lending their voices to the Edo-era characters includes:
- Ichitaro: Daiki Yamashita
- Nikichi: Koji Okino
- Sasuke: Taku Yashiro
- Nozoki Byōbu: Daisuke Namikawa
- Matsunosuke: Seiichiro Yamashita
- Eikichi: Shimba Tsuchiya
- Oharu: Shion Wakayama
- Princess Suzuhiko: Akira Sekine
- Noderabo: Shinya Takahashi
- Kawauso: Misako Tomioka
- Yanari: Akane Matsunaga, Aika Wakuno, and Takako Tanaka
The opening theme song for the series, “Inochi no Parade” (Parade of Life), is performed by Kujira, while the ending theme, “Myaku-Myaku” (Continuous), is by KAFUNÉ.
From Novels to Anime: The Journey of “Shabake”
The Shabake anime series is based on the long-running historical fantasy novel series by Megumi Hatakenaka, which began publication by Shinchosha in December 2001 and boasts 23 volumes as of July 2024. The franchise has seen various adaptations over the years, including a manga illustrated by Mimori, which ran from 2017 to 2023, and a 3-minute original net animation (ONA) released in July 2021 to commemorate the novel series’ 20th anniversary. The TV anime adaptation was first announced in November 2024, building anticipation among fans of the historical fantasy genre.
