The highly anticipated “Wandance” hip-hop dance anime, based on Coffee’s manga, has released its first promotional video, revealing details about its unique “dance cast” and the diverse lineup of music artists contributing to its soundtrack. The series is set to premiere in October 2025 and will be available to stream worldwide on Disney+.
The anime, produced by studios Madhouse and Cyclone Graphics, aims to bring the dynamic world of hip-hop dance to life through motion-captured choreography, promising a realistic and fluid depiction of the dance moves. Michiya Katō is directing the series, with renowned K-Pop choreographer RIEHATA serving as the dance producer, having previously worked with groups like BTS, EXO, and Red Velvet.
A Glimpse into the “Wandance” World: First Promo Video
The recently released trailer offers a vibrant look into the anime’s visual style and highlights key aspects of its extensive tracklist. The promo video emphasizes the series’ commitment to showcasing authentic dance, utilizing a “dance cast” whose movements were recorded with motion capture to ensure the animated sequences are as realistic as possible. This innovative approach is expected to elevate the emotional depth of the characters’ performances.
Introducing the “Dance Cast”
A distinctive feature of the “Wandance” anime is its “dance cast,” a group of professional dancers whose motion-captured performances will form the basis of the animated choreography. The announced “dance cast” includes:
- KAITA as Kaboku Kotani
- KANATA as Hikari Wanda
- ReiNA as On Miyao
- YOUTEE as Iori Itsukushima
- YU-KI as Gaku Kabeya
These professional dancers will bring their expertise to ensure the authenticity and high quality of the hip-hop dance sequences within the anime.
Voice Actors Behind the Characters
While the “dance cast” provides the physical performance, a talented group of voice actors will bring the characters to life verbally. The main voice cast includes:
- Kōki Uchiyama as Kaboku Kotani
- Hina Yomiya as Hikari Wanda
- Ayaka Suwa as On Miyao
- Toshiki Masuda as Iori Itsukushima
- Yūma Uchida as Gaku Kabeya
- Yuu Hayashi as Usen Takumi
- Chikahiro Kobayashi as Assei
This combination of dedicated voice actors and a motion-captured “dance cast” aims to deliver a comprehensive and immersive viewing experience.
The Sound of “Wandance”: Featured Music Artists
The “Wandance” anime promises an expansive soundtrack featuring over 30 songs from a diverse range of artists. Naoki “naotyu-” Chiba is in charge of the overall soundtrack. Some of the artists contributing to the series include:
- Yujin Aramaki
- Alisa
- Black Boboi
- FUNI
- GZO
- Hidetake Takayama
- Jazztronik
- JiN
- Seann Bowe
- Jua
- Kaztake Takeuchi
- Marcello Jonno
- Michael Yano a.a. ARK
- MONJOE
- RIEHATA
- RIKKI
- Sahnya
- Scatman John
- Shinichi Osawa
- Shinichiro Murayama
- Toru Ishikawa
- URU
- Weauxmaque
- Wez Atras
- Yaffle
The trailer notably features the song “Get Something Out of Your Mind,” produced by Yaffle. This extensive list of artists suggests a rich and varied musical landscape for the series, integral to its hip-hop dance theme.
“Wandance” Storyline and Production
“Wandance” is a coming-of-age story that follows Kaboku Kotani, a shy high school student with a stutter, who struggles with self-expression. His life takes a new turn when he encounters Hikari Wanda, a first-year student who dances freely and passionately, inspiring Kaboku to join the school’s dance club despite his initial reservations. The manga, created by Coffee, has been serialized in Kodansha’s Monthly Afternoon magazine since January 2019, with 13 tankōbon volumes released as of August 2024. Kodansha USA publishes the manga in English.
The anime adaptation was first announced in August 2024. With its focus on self-expression through movement and a blend of traditional animation with motion capture, “Wandance” is poised to be a significant addition to the dance anime genre when it premieres in October 2025 on TV Asahi’s IMAnimation W programming block and streams globally on Disney+.
