A television anime adaptation of Takashi Itsuki and Hisaya Shiraiwa’s “Ganglion” manga is set to debut on October 3. The announcement was made on Friday with the opening of an official website for the series. This adaptation promises to bring the unique work-related drama, set in early 2000s Tokyo, to a wider audience.
What is “Ganglion” About? The Plot and Premise
“Ganglion” is described as a work-related drama, offering a somewhat nostalgic and poignant tale of a salaryman combatant. The story unfolds in Tokyo during the early 2000s and centers on Isobe, a fighter for “Ganglion Co, Ltd.,” a company with ambitions of world domination. Isobe’s daily work life involves undertaking various outlandish missions, such as the “Blow Up Mt. Fuji Operation” and the “Tokyo Cedar Pollen Operation.” However, his efforts are consistently thwarted by the hero known as Hopeman. Adding to Isobe’s challenges are the often unreasonable demands from his superiors, painting a picture of a hapless employee navigating a bizarre corporate landscape.
Unveiling the Cast and Crew Behind the Anime
The upcoming “Ganglion” anime boasts a notable lineup of voice actors and production staff.
Main Voice Cast
The anime features a talented cast bringing the characters to life:
- Yōji Ueda as Kenji Isobe
- Fumihiko Tachiki as Colonel Shadow (real name: Jin Kageyama)
- Tomokazu Sugita as HOPEMAN
- Aoi Koga as Setsuko Isobe
- Yoshino Aoyama as Takashi Isobe
- Hikaru Tōno as Komiko
- Itsuji Itao as the Old Man at the Food Stall
Key Production Staff
Leading the production is an experienced team:
- Planning: Yoshimoto Kogyo
- Script: Harise
- Director: Ayumu Watanabe (known for works such as Komi Can’t Communicate and Summer Time Rendering)
- Assistant Director: Ryōsuke Tanaka
- Character Designer, Chief Animation Director: Shigeru Fujita
- Series Composition: Tomoaki Shiono
- Music: Takeo Asami
- Animation Production: studio maf
- Cooperation: Yoshimoto Broad Entertainment
- Production: Ganglion Production Committee
Takashi Itsuki, the manga’s illustrator, created a special illustration to celebrate the anime announcement.
Broadcast Information and Where to Watch
The “Ganglion” TV anime is scheduled to begin airing on October 3. Viewers in Japan can catch the series on several channels:
- TV Tokyo
- TV Osaka
- AT-X (which will have the fastest broadcast)
- BS Yoshimoto
Specific broadcast times vary by channel, with TV Tokyo airing on Fridays at 25:53 (effectively Saturday at 1:53 AM JST), TV Osaka on Tuesdays at 21:55, AT-X on Fridays at 20:30, and BS Yoshimoto on Saturdays at 22:55. While international streaming details have not been explicitly released in the initial announcement, platforms like Crunchyroll and others often secure rights for simulcasting new anime for global audiences.
The Manga’s Origins
The original “Ganglion” manga, authored by Hisaya Shiraiwa and illustrated by Takashi Itsuki, was published as a single volume by Yoshimoto Books in 2009. Its upcoming anime adaptation marks a significant milestone for the 15-year-old series, bringing its unique blend of corporate satire and superheroics to television screens.
