Fans eagerly awaiting the anime adaptation of Hisaya Nakajo’s beloved shojo manga, Hana-Kimi, will be delighted to learn that the TV anime will premiere with an English dub simultaneously with its Japanese broadcast. The highly anticipated series is set to debut on Sunday, January 4, and will be available on Crunchyroll in both dubbed and subbed formats.
The announcement includes the reveal of the English voice cast, with Katelyn Barr stepping into the lead role of Mizuki Ashiya. This same-day release strategy allows international audiences to dive into the romantic comedy without delay.
Diving into the English Dub Cast
The immediate availability of an English dub for Hana-Kimi marks a significant move for Crunchyroll, which will stream the series across various regions including North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, CIS, and India. Katelyn Barr leads the English cast as Mizuki Ashiya, the Japanese-American track-and-field star who embarks on an extraordinary journey by enrolling in an all-boys school disguised as a male student. Her goal is to meet her idol, high jumper Izumi Sano.
The Japanese Voice Talent Behind the Characters
The original Japanese cast brings a wealth of experience to the series, with prominent voice actors taking on the iconic roles:
- Mizuki Ashiya is voiced by Aya Yamane.
- Izumi Sano is portrayed by Taku Yashiro.
- Shuichi Nakatsu is voiced by Kikunosuke Toya.
- Minami Nanba is voiced by Yuichiro Umehara.
- Hokuto Umeda is voiced by Jun Fukuyama.
- Senri Nakao is voiced by Reiji Kawashima.
- Daiki Kayashima is voiced by Koki Uchiyama.
- Kyogo Sekime is voiced by Wataru Komada.
- Shinji Noe is voiced by Anan Furuya.
- Wataru Nihonbashi is voiced by Kotaro Nishiyama.
- Julia Maxwell is voiced by Yuko Natsuyoshi.
- Additional cast member Satoshi Hino is also set to appear as Makoto Kagurazaka.
Production Team and Studio
The Hana-Kimi anime is produced by studio Signal.MD. The series is directed by Natsuki Takemura, with Shigeru Ueda serving as assistant director. Takao Yoshioka is in charge of the series composition, while Shiyi Su is handling the character designs. The music is composed by Masaru Yokoyama, and Jin Aketagawa is the sound director.
The Enduring Legacy of Hana-Kimi
Hana-Kimi, originally titled Hana Zakari no Kimitachi e, is a romantic shojo manga series by the late Hisaya Nakajo. It was serialized in Hakusensha’s Hana to Yume magazine from 1996 to 2004, becoming a defining work for the author. The manga has garnered a significant fanbase over the years and has previously inspired several live-action adaptations, including dramas in Taiwan (2006), Japan (2007, 2011), and South Korea (2012). Viz Media publishes the official English version of the manga.
The story centers on Mizuki Ashiya, a Japanese-American high school student who is deeply inspired by high jumper Izumi Sano. Determined to help him regain his form after an accident, Mizuki enrolls in his all-boys school, Osaka High School, by cutting her hair short and pretending to be a boy. Her efforts to keep her true identity a secret lead to a series of comedic and heartfelt situations as she navigates school life, dorm living, and her growing feelings, all while unknowingly catching the attention of both Sano and another classmate, Shuichi Nakatsu.
The upcoming anime adaptation aims to bring this beloved narrative to a new generation of viewers, capturing the essence of the original manga’s charm, humor, and heartwarming romance.
