The highly anticipated anime adaptation of Leeanne M. Krecic’s popular webcomic “Let’s Play” is receiving a short web manga adaptation, set to debut on Wednesday. The manga, created by Kei Kumoi and produced by GEEK WONDERS, will expand on parts of the anime’s first episode, offering fans an early glimpse into the animated world. This news comes just as the “Let’s Play” anime, animated by studio OLM, gears up for its premiere on Fuji TV’s +Ultra programming block on Wednesday, October 1, 2025 (effectively October 2, 12:45 a.m. JST).
The Journey of “Let’s Play” from Webtoon Sensation
“Let’s Play,” a romantic comedy webcomic created by Leeanne M. Krecic, also known as Mongie, first launched digitally on Webtoon in 2016. The series quickly amassed a massive global following, boasting over 7.5 million subscribers and even receiving an Eisner Award nomination in 2019. The story follows Sam Young, a 22-year-old software developer in Los Angeles, whose dream of creating video games takes a complicated turn when her passion project is harshly reviewed by a popular streamer, Marshall Law, who unexpectedly becomes her new neighbor. The comic explores themes of gaming, social anxiety, and modern romance, resonating deeply with a broad audience.
In November 2022, Krecic announced the comic would be moving away from Webtoon due to various platform difficulties, with season four continuing elsewhere. The series later found a new digital home on Tapas, with its fourth season set to launch alongside the anime.
Anime Adaptation: Bringing Sam’s World to Life
The announcement of an anime adaptation for “Let’s Play” was first made at New York Comic Con in October 2023, generating considerable excitement among its dedicated fanbase. Studio OLM, known for its work on series like The Apothecary Diaries, is at the helm of the production. Daiki Tomiyasu, known for his work on Pokémon Sun & Moon, is directing the series, with Aya Matsui (Marmalade Boy) handling the series composition. Ebimo is credited with the original character design concepts, while Saki Ebisawa is responsible for the animation character designs. Conisch is composing the anime’s music.
The anime is scheduled to premiere on Fuji TV’s +Ultra programming block on October 1, 2025, and Crunchyroll will stream the series to a global audience, making it accessible in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, CIS, India, and Southeast Asia.
Key Cast and Production Team
The anime features a talented voice cast bringing the beloved characters to life:
- Kana Hanazawa as Sam Young
- Shimba Tsuchiya as Marshall Law
- Yūichi Nakamura as Charles Jones
- Tomokazu Sugita as Link Hudson
Additional staff members include Ayumi Moriyama as assistant director, Yusuke Ikeda as art director, and Toshinobu Kubota performing both the opening theme song “1,2, Play” and the ending theme song “Left & Right.”
The New Web Manga: A Companion Piece
The newly announced short web manga adaptation, illustrated by Kei Kumoi and produced by GEEK WONDERS, will tell a story that covers part of the first episode of the anime. This companion manga will be posted on the “Let’s Play” anime’s official X (formerly Twitter) account. This initiative provides fans with an additional way to experience the story and build anticipation for the anime’s full release. In further expansion, Kakao’s Piccoma platform will also begin publishing the Japanese version of the original “Let’s Play” webcomic on the same day as the manga’s release.
