The official website for the upcoming anime adaptation of Kazune Kawahara’s romance manga, “A Star Brighter Than the Sun” (Taiyō Yori mo Mabushii Hoshi), has released its second promotional video, revealing a new cast member and the artist for its ending theme song. The video confirms Haruka Shiraishi will join the cast and previews the ending song “Saishin-wa” by Wanuka.
Haruka Shiraishi Joins Cast as Subaru Kamishiro
The latest promotional video confirms that Haruka Shiraishi will lend her voice to the character Subaru Kamishiro. Subaru is described as a friend of the protagonist, Sae. Shiraishi, known for her diverse roles, will portray Subaru, a third-year high school student and cousin to Koki Kamishiro. Subaru is characterized as someone who expresses her thoughts clearly, initially appearing tough, but possessing a caring nature and a strong sense of justice. Shiraishi noted the delicate portrayal of emotions in the series, expressing how the characters’ feelings resonated with her.
Wanuka to Perform Ending Theme “Saishin-wa”
Singer-songwriter Wanuka has been announced as the artist behind the anime’s ending theme song, titled “Saishin-wa” (Latest Episode). The second promotional video offers a preview of the song, giving fans a taste of the musical direction for the series’ conclusion. Wanuka’s involvement adds another layer to the anime’s auditory experience, complementing Motohiro Hata’s previously announced opening theme, “Stellar Days”.
Anime’s October Premiere and Previous Announcements
“A Star Brighter Than the Sun” is set to premiere on October 2 at 11:56 p.m. on the TBS channel and its affiliates in Japan. The anime had its world premiere at Anime Expo in July.
The main cast members previously announced include:
- Minori Fujidera as Sae Iwata
- Yūki Ono as Kōki Kamishiro
- Hina Yomiya as Hisui Onodera
- Taito Ban as Yōta Ayukawa
- Mutsumi Tamura as Mio Kagawa
- Ryōta Ōsaka as Yūshin Izawa
Aya Kobayashi is directing the series at Studio KAI, with Yasuhiro Nakanishi in charge of the series scripts. Jin Feng Zeng is handling character designs, while Natsumi Tabuchi and Miki Sakurai are composing the music.
The Story of “A Star Brighter Than the Sun”
The anime adapts Kazune Kawahara’s popular shojo manga, which began serialization in Shueisha’s Bessatsu Margaret magazine in June 2021. Viz Media is releasing the manga in English, describing the story as a first love tale between childhood friends Sae Iwata and Kōki Kamishiro. Sae, who harbored feelings for Kōki since elementary school, finds him transformed into a popular and handsome young man by high school, making him feel distant despite their long-standing friendship. The manga has been well-received, with over 3 million copies in circulation as of August 2025.
