Voice actor Yūichirō Umehara has been announced as a new addition to the cast of the upcoming TV anime adaptation of Kusunoki’s Garden of Gods (Kami no Niwatsuki Kusunoki-tei), slated to premiere in 2026. Umehara will lend his voice to the character Saiga Harima, a modern-day exorcist.
Yūichirō Umehara Takes on the Role of Saiga Harima
The announcement, made on October 3, 2025, reveals Umehara’s involvement in the highly anticipated fantasy slice-of-life series. His character, Saiga Harima, is depicted as a calm, straightforward, and diligent modern onmyoji (exorcist) from a distinguished family known for producing many such practitioners. Saiga Harima holds protagonist Minato Kusunoki in high regard and often relies on the power of his protective charms. Umehara is well-known for his roles as Weather Report in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean, Mars in Black Clover, and the titular Goblin Slayer in GOBLIN SLAYER.
About Kusunoki’s Garden of Gods
Kusunoki’s Garden of Gods is based on the popular light novel series written by Enju and illustrated by ox. The story centers on Minato Kusunoki, a young man who, after purifying his home of malevolent spirits using his unique abilities, finds his residence transformed into a haven that attracts a diverse array of benevolent gods and spiritual beings. Minato subsequently enjoys a peaceful, leisurely life surrounded by his spiritual neighbors. The anime adaptation is set to debut in 2026.
The Expanding Cast of Divine Neighbors
Prior to Umehara’s casting, several other key voice actors were confirmed for the series. Shōgo Sakata is cast as the protagonist Minato Kusunoki, while Shinshū Fuji voices Yamagami. Recent announcements also introduced Minako Kotobuki as Torika, Shinnosuke Tokudome as Seri, and Makoto Koichi as Utsugi, further enriching the ensemble of characters inhabiting Minato’s unique abode.
From Web Novel to Anime Adaptation
The Kusunoki’s Garden of Gods story originated as a web novel on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website in April 2021. It was later acquired by ASCII Media Works for full publication, with the first light novel volume released in November 2021. A manga adaptation, illustrated by Akira Anzai, also began serialization on Kadokawa’s ComicWalker website in November 2021. Yen Press is responsible for publishing the light novels in English, with the third volume scheduled for release on November 11. The ongoing series has seen ten volumes of the light novel and four volumes of the manga released in Japan as of July and December 2025, respectively.
