The Winter 2025 anime season has a new star joining its ranks. Acclaimed voice actor and singer Mamoru Miyano has been cast in MAPPA‘s original anime series, ZENSHU. Miyano will be voicing the character Ultimate Exister, a blue-haired pop idol. His first appearance was in episode four, which aired on January 26, 2025.
Who is Mamoru Miyano?
Mamoru Miyano is a highly celebrated Japanese actor and singer, renowned for his extensive voice acting work in anime, films, video games, and more. Born on June 8 in Saitama, Japan, Miyano has lent his voice to some of the most iconic anime characters of the last two decades. He began his voice acting career in 2001.
Some of his most notable roles include:
- Light Yagami in Death Note.
- Rintaro Okabe in Steins;Gate.
- Osamu Dazai in Bungo Stray Dogs.
- Chrollo Lucilfer in Hunter x Hunter.
- Tamaki Suoh in Ouran High School Host Club.
- Setsuna F. Seiei in Mobile Suit Gundam 00.
- Zero Kiryu in Vampire Knight.
- Death the Kid in Soul Eater.
Miyano’s talent has been recognized with several awards, including the Best Voice Actor award at the 2008 Tokyo International Anime Fair and the Best Lead Actor Award at the 2nd Seiyu Awards for his role as Setsuna F. Seiei in Mobile Suit Gundam 00.
What is ZENSHU About?
ZENSHU is an original anime television series produced by MAPPA, the studio known for its work on popular anime like Jujutsu Kaisen and Attack on Titan. The series premiered on January 5, 2025, on TV Tokyo and its affiliates. Crunchyroll is streaming the anime outside of Japan.
The anime is directed by Mitsue Yamazaki (Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle), with scripts by Kimiko Ueno (Delicious in Dungeon). Yoshiteru Tsujino provides the original character designs, which are adapted for animation by Kayoko Ishikawa (Sarazanmai). The music is composed by Yukari Hashimoto (A Sign of Affection).
The opening theme song is “Zen,” performed by Band-Maid, while the ending theme song is “Tada, Kimi no Mama de (ただ、君のままで),” performed by Sou.
Plot Overview
ZENSHU follows the story of Natsuko Hirose, a talented animator who quickly rises to fame as a director. Her debut anime becomes a massive hit, making her a celebrated genius in the industry. However, her next project, a romantic comedy about first love, hits a snag. Natsuko, never having experienced love herself, struggles to understand the concept and create a storyboard, bringing the movie production to a standstill.
Some viewers have described ZENSHU as a meta isekai anime. After dying from food poisoning, the antisocial animator Natsuko Hirose is transported to A Tale of Perishing, the anime that inspired her to become an animator. Though the story is supposed to end in tragedy, Natsuko decides to do what she can to give it a happy ending.
ZENSHU‘s Meta Narrative and Visual Appeal
ZENSHU has garnered attention for its unique premise and high-quality visuals. The series delves into the world of anime production, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process and the challenges faced by animators and directors.
MAPPA is renowned for the visual quality of their productions, and ZENSHU is no exception. Every scene has an incredible amount of fluidity and visual craft to it from start to finish.
Ultimate Exister: Miyano’s Role in ZENSHU
Mamoru Miyano voices Ultimate Exister, a charismatic blue-haired pop star who appears in episode four of ZENSHU.
Along with the casting announcement, MAPPA released a video for the character’s insert song, “I Am Ultimate Exister,” performed by Miyano as Ultimate Exister and Minori Suzuki as Memerun. The song is available on various streaming platforms. It will also be included on a bonus soundtrack CD in the first ZENSHU Blu-ray, scheduled for release in Japan on March 26.
Reception
ZENSHU has been well-received. Critics have praised its unique take on the isekai genre, strong writing, and visual presentation.
With Mamoru Miyano joining the cast as Ultimate Exister, ZENSHU promises to be a must-watch anime.
