The upcoming TV anime adaptation of Hisaya Nakajo’s beloved shojo manga, Hana-Kimi (also known as Hanazakari no Kimitachi e), has revealed an extensive list of additional voice cast members and its core production staff. This latest announcement follows an earlier teaser trailer and the introduction of the main trio’s voice actors. Crunchyroll is set to stream the romance series for audiences in various regions, including North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, CIS, and India.
First revealed with its initial cast in February 2025, the anime held its first episode’s world premiere at the Anime NYC event. The series is a school comedy centered on Mizuki Ashiya, a Japanese-American track-and-field star who disguises herself as a boy to enroll in an all-boys’ high school to meet her idol, high jumper Izumi Sano.
New Voice Cast Members Bring Beloved Characters to Life
The latest update confirms a robust ensemble for the series, fleshing out the cast beyond the previously announced main characters. Yuichiro Umehara, Jun Fukuyama, and Koki Uchiyama are among the prominent names joining the production.
The Main Trio and Their Voices
The central characters, whose voices were previously announced, are:
- Mizuki Ashiya: Voiced by Aya Yamane (known for Liliana Masquerade in Re:Zero).
- Izumi Sano: Voiced by Taku Yashiro (Sanosuke Sagara in Rurouni Kenshin 2023).
- Shuichi Nakatsu: Voiced by Kikunosuke Toya (Choji Tomiyama in Wind Breaker).
Expanding the Ensemble: Additional Cast Revealed
The newly announced voice actors will portray key supporting roles within the all-boys’ high school setting:
- Minami Nanba: Voiced by Yuichiro Umehara (Goblin Slayer in GOBLIN SLAYER).
- Hokuto Umeda: Voiced by Jun Fukuyama (Lelouch Lamperouge in Code Geass).
- Senri Chuo: Voiced by Reiji Kawashima (Fushi in To Your Eternity).
- Daiki Kayashima: Voiced by Koki Uchiyama (Tomura Shigaraki in My Hero Academia).
- Kyogo Sekime: Voiced by Wataru Komada (Chris Koron in THE IDOLM@STER SideM).
- Shinji Noe: Voiced by Anan Furuya (Haruka Asahina in OVERTAKE!).
- Wataru Nihonbashi: Voiced by Kotaro Nishiyama (Atsushi Kinugawa in Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!).
- Julia Maxwell: Voiced by Yuko Natsuyoshi (Sasha Necron in The Misfit of Demon King Academy).
Talented Staff to Bring the Manga to Life
Signal.MD, known for its work on series like Dragon Goes House-Hunting, will be handling the animation production for Hana-Kimi. The production team includes experienced individuals tasked with adapting Nakajo’s influential manga.
Key Production Staff Members
The main staff members bringing Hana-Kimi to the screen include:
- Director: Natsuki Takemura (director for Go! Go! Vehicle Zoo, episode director for Dragon Goes House-Hunting).
- Assistant Director: Shigeru Ueda (episode director for To Love-Ru, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? IV).
- Series Composition: Takao Yoshioka (known for Aharen-san wa Hakarenai, Horimiya: The Missing Pieces).
- Character Design: Shi Yi Su (also worked on Dragon Goes House-Hunting).
- Music: Masaru Yokoyama (composer for Arakawa Under the Bridge, Horimiya: The Missing Pieces, and Urusei Yatsura 2022 & 2024).
- Sound Director: Jin Aketagawa (sound director for 86, Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc, Golden Kamuy).
- Animation Production: Signal.MD.
The Enduring Legacy of Hana-Kimi
Hisaya Nakajo’s Hana-Kimi manga ran in Hakusensha’s Hana to Yume magazine from 1996 to 2004, becoming her defining work. The manga consists of 144 chapters compiled into 23 tankōbon volumes. Nakajo passed away in October 2023 at the age of 50 due to a heart condition.
The series has inspired numerous live-action adaptations, including Taiwanese (2006), Japanese (2007, 2011), and South Korean (2012) TV dramas. This upcoming anime marks the first animated adaptation of the popular romance story. VIZ Media publishes an English-language version of the manga.
While a specific release date for the Hana-Kimi TV anime has yet to be announced, fans can anticipate its arrival on Crunchyroll, promising a new interpretation of this classic shojo tale.
