The upcoming anime film Eiga Odekake Kozame Tokai no Otomodachi (Little Shark’s Outings: The City’s Friend), based on Penguin Box’s Odekake Kozame manga, has revealed additional cast members and a summer 2025 release window. This heartwarming tale of a little shark’s adventures in the big city is highly anticipated by fans of the original web manga and anime series.
New Cast Members Announced
Kadokawa recently unveiled new cast members for the Odekake Kozame anime film. These additions promise to bring even more charm and depth to the story. The new cast members include:
- Megumi Han as Ankō-chan, a baby anglerfish who dislikes bright places. Han is well-known for her roles as Gon Freecss in Hunter x Hunter.
- Misaki Kuno as Usame-chan, a rabbit that Kozame-chan meets on a full moon night in the city. Kuno is recognized for her role as Hawk in The Seven Deadly Sins.
- Yūichirō Umehara as Man with a Mohawk.
- Natsuki Hanae as Haruto, Tokai’s older brother.
These actors join Kana Hanazawa, who returns to voice the titular character, Kozame-chan.
Character Details
- Ankō-chan: A shy baby anglerfish who prefers dimly lit environments, adding a contrast to the bright city setting.
- Usame-chan: A whimsical rabbit encountered by Kozame-chan during a full moon, suggesting a magical element to her city adventure.
- Haruto: Tokai’s older brother.
- Sora: A girl transferring to a high school in the city.
Production Staff and Details
The Odekake Kozame anime film boasts a talented production team:
- Director: Chihiro Kumano (The Mononoke Lecture Logs of Chuzenji-sensei)
- Scriptwriter: Hiroaki Nagashima (Odekake Kozame anime series)
- Character Designer: Ayumi Takeuchi (My Happy Marriage key animation)
- Sound Director: Kisuke Koizumi (My Happy Marriage)
- Music Composer: Yoshiaki Fujisawa (Love Live! Superstar!!)
- Animation Studio: ENGI
- Production: Kadokawa
- Distribution: Kadokawa Animation
Story Synopsis
The film centers around Kozame-chan‘s trip to the city. One day, she sees a glittering poster of the city in front of the Yaocho’s train station. Dazed by a shark-shaped cloud, Kozame-chan boards the train and heads to the bright, noisy, crowded city, and starts a big adventure.
Manga and Anime Background
Odekake Kozame began as a manga series by Penguin Box, first serialized on X (formerly Twitter) in June 2021. It was later serialized in the Aokishi magazine under Enterbrain’s Kitora imprint. The manga’s sixth compiled book volume was released in Japan on December 24, 2024.
Previous Anime Adaptation
The manga was previously adapted into a series of original net animations (ONA) that aired on YouTube from August 2023 to May 2024, totaling 60 episodes. The anime also aired on television. Kana Hanazawa wrote and performed the anime’s theme song “Yorimichi” (Detour).
Release Information
The Odekake Kozame anime film is scheduled to premiere in Japan in Summer 2025.
Expert Opinion
Chihiro Kumano, the director of the film, is known for their work on The Mononoke Lecture Logs of Chuzenji-sensei. Kumano’s experience in directing visually appealing and narratively engaging anime makes them a fitting choice for bringing the heartwarming story of Odekake Kozame to the big screen. Hiroaki Nagashima’s return as the scriptwriter ensures continuity with the tone and spirit of the original ONA anime series.
