The highly anticipated anime adaptation of Kazune Kawahara’s romance manga, A Star Brighter Than the Sun (Taiyō Yori mo Mabushii Hoshi), has officially revealed its premiere date of October 2, 2025, alongside additional cast members and its first promotional video. The new details were unveiled on Friday via the anime’s official website, which also confirmed the opening theme song artist and a fresh visual.
Cast Shines with New Additions
Minori Fujidera and Yūki Ono were previously announced as the main voice cast, portraying the lead characters Sae Iwata and Kōki Kamishiro, respectively. Sae Iwata is described as a cheerful and relatable heroine who realizes her childhood friend, Kōki, has grown into someone she might have deeper feelings for. Kōki Kamishiro, on the other hand, is the cool and kind-hearted boy who begins to catch everyone’s attention, including Sae’s.
The latest announcement expands the cast with the addition of Hina Yomiya as Hisui Onodera and Taito Ban as Yōta Ayukawa.
Main Voice Cast
- Minori Fujidera as Sae Iwata
- Yūki Ono as Kōki Kamishiro
- Hina Yomiya as Hisui Onodera
- Taito Ban as Yōta Ayukawa
Promotional Video and Key Staff Details
The first promotional video for A Star Brighter Than the Sun offers a glimpse into the anime’s heartwarming narrative, showcasing the evolving relationship between Sae and Kōki. The teaser visual depicts Sae and Kōki in a classroom setting, hinting at the gentle atmosphere of the story.
Behind the scenes, a talented team is bringing Kawahara’s beloved manga to life. Aya Kobayashi, known for her work on Vinland Saga and Spy x Family, is directing the series at Studio KAI. Yasuhiro Nakanishi, recognized for scripts in Kaguya-sama: Love is War and Shy, is handling the series scripts. Character designs are by Jinfeng Zeng, and the musical score is composed by the duo Natsumi Tabuchi and Miki Sakurai, who have previously collaborated on Aggretsuko and I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss.
The opening theme song, titled “Stellar Days,” will be performed by Motohiro Hata.
Production Team
- Director: Aya Kobayashi
- Studio: Studio KAI
- Series Scripts: Yasuhiro Nakanishi
- Character Designs: Jinfeng Zeng
- Music: Natsumi Tabuchi and Miki Sakurai
- Opening Theme Artist: Motohiro Hata
Anime Premiere and Manga Background
The anime is set to premiere on October 2, 2025, at 11:56 p.m. on the TBS channel in Japan and its affiliates. The series had its world premiere at Anime Expo in July.
A Star Brighter Than the Sun (Taiyō Yori mo Mabushii Hoshi) is based on Kazune Kawahara’s shōjo manga, which began serialization in Shueisha’s Bessatsu Margaret magazine in June 2021. The manga has garnered significant praise, receiving a nomination for the 12th an an Manga Award in 2021 and winning the 14th edition in 2023. It also ranked 8th among top manga for female readers in Takarajimasha’s 2023 edition of Kono Manga ga Sugoi! guidebook.
Viz Media has licensed the manga for English publication and released the first English volume on March 4. The story follows Sae and Kōki, childhood friends whose relationship begins to change as they enter high school. Sae slowly realizes her feelings for Kōki, but she isn’t the only one with eyes on him, leading to a heartfelt and sparkling first love story.
