The highly anticipated TV anime adaptation of Hisaya Nakajo’s classic romance shojo manga, Hana-Kimi (also known as Hanazakari no Kimitachi e), has officially announced a significant expansion of its voice cast and revealed its core production staff. These new details provide a clearer picture of the creative team and talent bringing the beloved series to life. The anime’s first episode recently held its world premiere at Anime NYC, with Crunchyroll confirmed to stream the series globally.
New Voice Actors Join the Cast of Hana-Kimi
Several prominent voice actors have been added to the Hana-Kimi anime’s roster, filling out key roles within the all-boys boarding school setting. These additions complement the previously announced main cast, enhancing the ensemble that will portray the vibrant characters of Osaka Gakuen.
The newly revealed cast members include:
- Yuichiro Umehara as Minami Nanba
- Jun Fukuyama as Hokuto Umeda
- Reiji Kawashima as Senri Chuo
- Koki Uchiyama as Daiki Kayashima
- Wataru Komada as Kyogo Sekime
- Anan Furuya as Shinji Noe
- Kotaro Nishiyama as Wataru Nihonbashi
- Yuko Natsuyoshi as Julia Maxwell
These actors join the previously announced main trio who will portray the central characters: Aya Yamane as the protagonist Mizuki Ashiya, Taku Yashiro as her idol Izumi Sano, and Kikunosuke Toya as Shuichi Nakatsu.
The Creative Minds Behind the Hana-Kimi Anime Production
The production of the Hana-Kimi TV anime is being handled by Signal.MD, a studio known for its diverse animation projects. A seasoned team of staff members has been assembled to adapt Nakajo’s iconic manga, which captivated readers from 1996 to 2004 and inspired multiple live-action dramas.
The main staff members revealed are:
- Director: Natsuki Takemura, who previously directed Go! Go! Vehicle Zoo and served as an episode director for Dragon Goes House-Hunting.
- Assistant Director: Shigeru Ueda, with episode directing credits on series such as To Love-Ru and Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? IV.
- Series Composition: Takao Yoshioka, known for his work on Aharen-san wa Hakarenai and Horimiya: The Missing Pieces.
- Character Design: Su Shiyi, who also contributed to Dragon Goes House-Hunting.
- Music: Masaru Yokoyama, a prolific composer whose works include Arakawa Under the Bridge and the recent Urusei Yatsura adaptations.
- Sound Director: Jin Aketagawa, recognized for his contributions to popular titles like 86 and Golden Kamuy.
The announcement of both expanded cast and detailed staff underscores the production’s commitment to delivering a faithful yet fresh adaptation of Hana-Kimi. Fans can anticipate more updates as the series approaches its full premiere, which will be available for streaming on Crunchyroll across various regions.
