The official X/Twitter account for Yoroi Shin Den Samurai Troopers, the highly anticipated sequel to the Yoroiden Samurai Troopers series, announced on Tuesday that veteran voice actress Sayaka Kinoshita has been cast as Nasti Yagyu. The character, a familiar face from the original series, made her return in the new anime, which premiered on the Tokyo MX channel on Tuesday and is also streaming on platforms like U-NEXT, Anime Hōdai, and d Anime Store.
A Familiar Face Returns: Nasti Yagyu’s Evolved Role
Nasti Yagyu, a character from the original Yoroiden Samurai Troopers (known as Ronin Warriors in the West), re-emerges in Yoroi Shin Den Samurai Troopers as a pivotal figure. In the new narrative, Nasti returns as a witness who fought alongside the first Samurai Troopers 35 years ago and now commands the Defense Special Task Force (DST). Originally, Nasti served as an assistant to her grandfather, Professor Konosuke Yagyu, and was an indispensable helper to the initial team. She was previously voiced by Kaori Kusakabe in the original series.
Sayaka Kinoshita Lends Her Voice
Sayaka Kinoshita, a prolific Japanese voice actress born on July 21, 1981, in Chiba Prefecture, brings her extensive experience to the role of Nasti Yagyu. Kinoshita is renowned for her versatile voice work across anime, video games, and foreign media dubbing. Her notable anime roles include the energetic hero Mirko (Rumi Usagiyama) in My Hero Academia, Elias Ainsworth (female form) and the antagonist Alcyone in The Ancient Magus’ Bride, and Secretoru in Delicious Party♡Precure. Beyond anime, she is also recognized as the official Japanese dubbing voice for Kristen Stewart, particularly as Bella Swan in the Twilight series, and for Nina Dobrev as Elena and Katherine in The Vampire Diaries.
The Legacy of Yoroi Shin Den Samurai Troopers
Yoroi Shin Den Samurai Troopers serves as an official sequel to Sunrise’s classic hero action TV anime Yoroiden Samurai Troopers, which originally aired from 1988-1989. The new anime takes place in present-day Shinjuku and follows the story of five new boys who don Yoroi Gear samurai armor to combat the demon emperor Arago, who has returned to wage war on the human world.
The new series is directed by Yōichi Fujita (Gintama, Mr. Osomatsu) at Sunrise, with Shōgo Mutō (Crows Zero) supervising and writing the series scripts. Hajime Yatate, the collective penname for Sunrise’s creative staff, is credited with the original story. Yūhei Murota (Love Live!) is handling main character designs, while Hideo Okamoto, the original Yoroi Gear designer, returns to work on the new show’s armor.
Continuing the Saga
The Yoroi Shin Den Samurai Troopers anime is slated for two Blu-ray Disc releases, each containing six episodes, for a total of 12 episodes. Volumes 1 and 2 are scheduled to ship on April 22 and May 27, respectively. The series’ premiere marks a significant return for the beloved franchise, extending its rich legacy to a new generation of fans while re-engaging long-time enthusiasts.
