The upcoming anime adaptation of Tatsurō Suga’s manga, “The Catcher in the Ballpark!” has announced a new addition to its cast. Mayu Sagara, known for her roles in other popular anime, will be voicing the character of Sara, a high school student working as a vendor at the Chiba Motor Suns stadium. The series is slated to premiere in April 2025 on TV Tokyo and its affiliate channels, as well as on streaming services such as ABEMA, Lemino, and Amazon Prime Video’s Anime Times channel.
New Cast Member: Mayu Sagara as Sara
Mayu Sagara’s role as Sara will bring to life a character who is seen working at the Chiba Motor Suns stadium. This addition expands the already diverse cast, promising a richer narrative as the anime explores the interactions between the characters within the ballpark setting. Sagara is notable for her voice acting as Kasumi Nakasu in Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club.
Production Details
The anime is being directed by Jun’ichi Kitamura, who is also known for directing Fluffy Paradise, at EMT Squared studio. Shigeru Murakoshi, who worked on The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse, is in charge of series composition. Character designs are being handled by Fumio Iida, who was an animation director for Record of Ragnarok, and the music is composed by MONACA, known for their work on NieR:Automata Ver 1.1a.
Key Production Staff:
- Director: Jun’ichi Kitamura
- Studio: EMT Squared
- Series Composition: Shigeru Murakoshi
- Character Designs: Fumio Iida
- Music: MONACA
Storyline Overview
“The Catcher in the Ballpark!” follows the story of Murata, an office worker, who encounters Ruriko, a beer vendor with a gyaru-like appearance, at a baseball stadium. He becomes her first regular customer, and the story explores their evolving relationship. While Ruriko may appear cold towards Murata, she possesses a kind and innocent personality that she reveals when he is not around. The anime promises to capture the heartwarming and comedic elements of the original manga, set against the backdrop of a professional baseball stadium.
Premiering in April 2025
The anime is set to premiere in April 2025, offering viewers a fresh sports comedy series. It will be broadcast on TV Tokyo and its six affiliate channels, as well as streamed on ABEMA, Lemino, and Anime Times on Amazon Prime Video.
Voice Actor Cast
The cast includes:
- Fairouz Ai as Ruriko
- Satoshi Inomata as Murata
- Ikumi Hasegawa as Aona
- Satoshi Tanaka as Omatsu
- Yōji Ueda as Nakaizumi
- Ayumi Mano as Natsuno
- Momoko Seto as Kokoro
- Jin Urayama as Ryuichi Igarashi
- Chiharu Sawashiro as Takimoto
- Hiroki Tōchi as Kojiro
- Rika Tachibana as Yuki Takino
- Kentarō Tone as Dennis
- Kō Bonkobara as Brian
Fairouz Ai as Ruriko
Fairouz Ai, known for her role as Jolyne Cujoh in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean and Power in Chainsaw Man, will play the role of Ruriko.
Satoshi Inomata as Murata
Satoshi Inomata will voice Murata, the office worker who becomes Ruriko’s first regular customer.
Additional Cast Members
Other notable cast members include Ikumi Hasegawa as Aona, Satoshi Tanaka as Omatsu, and Yōji Ueda as Nakaizumi, each bringing their unique talents to the series.
Manga Origins
“The Catcher in the Ballpark!” is based on the manga series written and illustrated by Tatsurō Suga. The manga began serialization in Kodansha’s seinen manga magazine Morning in September 2020. As of November 2024, the manga has been compiled into fifteen tankōbon volumes.
Themes and Expectations
The anime is expected to capture the heartwarming and comedic elements of the manga, focusing on the interactions between the characters and the unique setting of a baseball stadium. With a strong production team and a talented cast, “The Catcher in the Ballpark!” is poised to be a noteworthy addition to the sports comedy genre in the upcoming anime season.
