The staff for CITY The Animation, the television anime adaptation of Keiichi Arawi’s CITY manga, announced on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, that Hōchū Ōtsuka will be the anime’s narrator. This announcement completes the main cast member reveals for the series.
CITY The Animation is scheduled to premiere on July 6 on Tokyo MX at 24:00 JST (effectively, July 7 at 12:00 midnight), followed by broadcasts on ABC TV and TV Aichi at later times. BS11 will begin airing the anime on July 7 at 11:00 p.m. JST.
The Cast of CITY The Animation
The anime boasts a talented cast, including:
- Mikako Komatsu as Midori Nagumo
- Aki Toyosaki as Niikura
- Yui Ishikawa as Wako Izumi
- Yoshihisa Kawahara as Tsurubishi Makabe
- Miyu Irino as Tatewaku Makabe
- Ayaka Nanase as Matsuri Makabe
- Azusa Tadokoro as Eri Amakazari
- Yū Wakui as Riko Izumi
- Takehito Koyasu as Dr. Adatara/Adatara’s father
- Mayumi Asano as Adatara’s mother
- KENN as Tatsuta Adatara
- Satoshi Inomata as Ryōta Adatara
- Coco Hayashi as Kamome Adatara
- Haruna Fukushima as Umi Adatara
- Yūki Tenma as Sora Adatara
- Yū Miyazaki as Kamaboko Oni
- Ryōta Suzuki as Todoroki
- Kazutomi Yamamoto as Obaba
- Kiyomitsu Mizuuchi as Ii Hito (the Good Guy)
- Yūko Gotō as Sumire Sakurakomi Tanabe
- Jin Domon as Hotaka
- Makoto Kaneko as Rindō Obina
- Atsushi Kousaka as Yamato Kurogane
- Jun Fukuyama as Nobuteru Tekaridake
- Hōchū Ōtsuka as the Narrator
The Production Team
The anime’s production team includes:
- Character Designer & Chief Animation Director: Tamami Tokuyama (animation director for Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest Arc, key animator for Liz and the Blue Bird)
- Art Director: Shiori Yamazaki (background art for Violet Evergarden: The Movie, Sound! Euphonium The Movie – Our Promise: A Brand New Day)
Who is Hōchū Ōtsuka?
Hōchū Ōtsuka (born Yoshitada Ōtsuka on May 19, 1954) is a highly respected Japanese voice actor and narrator affiliated with Crazy Box talent management. With a career spanning decades, he’s known for a wide range of iconic roles in anime, tokusatsu, and video games, as well as dubbing foreign films.
Notable Anime Roles
Ōtsuka’s extensive anime credits include:
- Kyao Mirao in Heavy Metal L-Gaim
- Yazan Gable in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
- Akira Sendō in Slam Dunk
- Jiraiya in Naruto
- Abuto in Gintama
- Sakonji Urokodaki in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
- Mont Blanc Noland in One Piece
- Biscuit Oliva in Baki
- Alfred Pennyworth in Batman Ninja
He has also lent his voice to characters in popular series like Captain Tsubasa, The Idolmaster, Saiyuki, Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, and Sakamoto Days.
Beyond Anime: Dubbing and More
In addition to his anime work, Ōtsuka is renowned for his dubbing roles, providing the Japanese voices for actors such as:
- Jean-Claude Van Damme
- Donnie Yen (particularly in the Ip Man series)
- Jeff Goldblum
- Ray Liotta
- Tim Robbins
- Kiefer Sutherland
- Christopher Lambert
He also voiced Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
A Veteran Voice
Ōtsuka’s career began in 1976, and he has since become a prolific and versatile voice actor, contributing to countless projects across various media. His addition as the narrator for CITY The Animation is a testament to his enduring talent and popularity in the voice acting industry.
About CITY Manga
CITY is a Japanese manga series by Keiichi Arawi, the creator of Nichijou. It’s known for its quirky humor and slice-of-life situations. The anime adaptation is highly anticipated by fans of Arawi’s previous work and manga enthusiasts alike.
