The highly anticipated anime adaptation of Kappy’s popular web manga, Eren the Southpaw (Hidarikiki no Eren), has officially announced its main cast, key staff, and a targeted April 2026 broadcast window. The reveals came alongside a new teaser trailer and visual, nearly three years after the project was first unveiled.
Key Cast Members Revealed
Leading the voice cast are two prominent talents in the anime industry. Shoya Chiba, known for his role as Nirei in WIND BREAKER, will lend his voice to Koichi Asakura. Joining him is Yumi Uchiyama, celebrated for her work as Rudeus in Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, who will portray the titular character Eren Yamagishi.
Bringing Koichi Asakura to Life
Koichi Asakura is depicted as a designer at an advertising agency, grappling with a lack of recognition despite his diligent efforts. His journey often leads him to reflect on his past encounter with Eren.
Eren Yamagishi: The Enigmatic Artist
Eren Yamagishi, also known as “The Southpaw,” is an exceptionally talented painter residing in New York. Her genius, however, often comes with its own set of challenges.
Behind the Scenes: Production Staff and Studios
The production of Eren the Southpaw is a collaborative effort by renowned animation studios Signal.MD and Production I.G. The creative team assembled for the project includes experienced individuals who have worked on a variety of successful anime titles.
Directorial and Compositional Expertise
Toshimasa Suzuki, who previously directed RWBY: Ice Queendom, is at the helm as the anime’s director. Handling the series composition is Taku Kishimoto, known for his work on titles such as BUCCHIGIRI?!.
Character Design and Animation Leadership
The animation character drafts are provided by Takayuki Goto. Yuka Fukuchi and Akane Tamai are credited as both Character Designers and Chief Animation Directors, ensuring a consistent and high-quality visual presentation.
Musical Score and Additional Credits
The music for the series will be composed by Pasocom Music Club, who also contributed to the ending theme of Stardust Telepath. Additional production credits include Mitsuko Sekimoto for Color Design, Takeshi Sato as Art Director, Kazuhiro Obata as Art Designer, Shun Arimura as Director of Photography, Junichi Masunaga as Editor, and Jin Aketagawa as Sound Director.
The Journey to Anime: From Web Manga to Screen
Eren the Southpaw originated as a web manga by Kappy, which was serialized on the “cakes” service from March 2016 to September 2017. A remake version, featuring art by nifuni, was later published on Shueisha’s online platform Shōnen Jump+ from October 2017 to October 2022, culminating in 24 tankōbon volumes.
The series has a prior adaptation, having inspired a 10-episode live-action television drama that aired from October to December 2019 on MBS and TBS. The announcement of an anime adaptation initially came in December 2022, with fans eagerly awaiting further details since then. The story is described as an inspirational adult ensemble drama about creatives, focusing on the gruelling nature of the advertising industry.
