The upcoming TV anime adaptation of Naru Narumi’s romantic comedy manga, “Watari-kun’s Is About to Collapse” (Watari-kun no xx ga Hōkaisunzen), has revealed its main cast, staff, and a premiere date of July 2025. The anime will be broadcast in Japan on TOKYO MX, BS NTV, and other channels.
Main Cast Announced
The anime’s official website unveiled the voice actors for the main characters:
- Naoto Watari: Voiced by Shuichiro Umeda
- Satsuki Tachibana: Voiced by Yumika Yano
- Yukari Ishihara: Voiced by Yurie Igoma
Key Staff Details
The anime is being directed by Takashi Naoya at Staple Entertainment, with Matsuo Asami as the assistant director. The series composition is being handled by Tatsuya Takahashi, with scripts by Tetsuya Yamada and Takashi Naoya. Shoko Yasuda is responsible for the character designs.
- Director: Takashi Naoya (Am I Actually the Strongest?, Real Girl, Übel Blatt)
- Assistant Director: Matsuo Asami (Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga, Gintama episode director)
- Animation Studio: Staple Entertainment
- Series Scripts: Tatsuya Takahashi (World’s End Harem, Eromanga Sensei)
- Scripts: Tetsuya Yamada (Am I Actually the Strongest?, Übel Blatt) and Takashi Naoya
- Character Designs: Shoko Yasuda (Am I Actually the Strongest?, Happy Sugar Life)
- Chief Animation Directors: Shōko Yasuda, Yukiyo Komito, Toshimitsu Kobayashi, and Taeko Ōgi
- Costume Design: Nonoka Suzuki
- Prop Design: Chie Yamazaki
Story Overview
“Watari-kun’s Is About to Collapse” is a chaotic, emotionally charged romantic comedy. The story follows Naoto Watari, a high school sophomore who has been prioritizing his younger sister, Suzushiro, since the death of their parents. He has given up on romance, club activities, part-time jobs, and friendships, putting his sister first in life. His ordinary life begins to unravel when his former childhood crush, Satsuki Tachibana, suddenly transfers to his school, dragging Naoto into the lives of mysterious and complex girls, causing his daily routine to crumble.
Manga Background
The original manga by Naru Narumi was serialized in Kadokawa Shoten’s Young Ace magazine from August 2014 to January 2015. It later moved to Kodansha’s Monthly Young Magazine, where it ran from November 2015 to September 2023. Kodansha USA Publishing releases the manga digitally in English. The manga has sold over 1.2 million copies in total.
Author’s Comment
Narumi, the original author, commented, “Please be sure to check out the anime ‘Wataru-kun,’ which we bring you with fantastic visuals, music, and wonderful voices. The original work is complete, so I would be happy if you could watch the anime with the comics in hand.”
Cast Comments
- Shuichiro Umeda (Naoto Watari): “Naoto is a responsible older brother, yet also struggles like any teenager. Watching him try to keep his life together while dealing with Satsuki, Suzushiro, and Ishihara is both hilarious and heartfelt. I hope everyone enjoys his journey!”
- Yumika Yano (Satsuki Tachine): “Satsuki shows us many different sides to her in every play – scary, kind, cute, sexy… Just like Naoto, I’m constantly being pushed around by her…”
