The upcoming anime adaptation of Mareho Kikuishi’s Your Forma light novel series is generating buzz with the release of its creditless opening video and the announcement of a mini-anime series. Here’s a breakdown of the latest news and what you can expect from this sci-fi crime suspense anime.
Premiere Date and Where to Watch
Your Forma is set to premiere on April 2, 2025, on TV Asahi’s new “IMAnimation W” programming block. This block airs on Wednesdays at 11:45 p.m. JST (10:45 a.m. EDT).
Creditless Opening Video
A creditless opening sequence video has been released by the anime distributor REMOW. The video features the opening theme song “GRIDOUT,” performed by yama. The opening offers a sneak peek into the anime’s action and unique setting. It showcases:
- Echika Hieda in action alongside her android partner Harold Lucraft.
- The duo investigating cases, including “brain dives” into people’s memories.
- Glimpses of other characters like Bigga, Ui Totoki, Ivan Lukich Fokine, and Darya.
Mini-Anime: Petit Forma: Electrocrime Bureau Journal
In addition to the main series, a mini-anime titled “Petit Forma: Electrocrime Bureau Journal” has been launched. The first episode is already available, starring Kana Hanazawa as Echika and Kenshō Ono as Harold. This spin-off series offers a contrast to the main anime’s tense atmosphere, depicting the everyday lives of super-deformed (SD) versions of Echika and her friends.
Story
Your Forma is set in an alternate 2023 where a technology called “Your Forma” has become an integral part of daily life. This “smart thread” is implanted in the brain, recording every sight, sound, and emotion a person experiences.
The story revolves around:
- Echika Hieda: A prodigious “Electronic Investigator” who dives into people’s memories via the Your Forma to solve crimes. Her exceptional talent isolates her, as her assistants struggle to keep up.
- Harold Lucraft: A brilliant and cheeky android partner assigned to Echika.
The series follows this unlikely duo as they navigate their mutual suspicions and work to avert a deadly technological infection threatening the world. The anime adaptation will begin with the story from the novels’ second volume, focusing on Harold’s origins and the RF Amicus androids’ backstory, as Harold and his “brother” units become suspects in a crime.
Background: The World of Your Forma
In 1992, a viral encephalitis pandemic led to the development of “Your Forma,” a medical technology that saved humanity. This technology evolved into an invasive information device implanted in the brain. In this world where everything is recorded, special detectives known as “Electronic Investigators” are tasked with diving into the collective data to investigate major crimes.
Characters and Voice Cast
The anime features a talented voice cast:
- Echika Hieda voiced by Kana Hanazawa
- Harold W. Lucraft voiced by Kenshō Ono
- Bigga voiced by Nao Tōyama
- Ui Totoki voiced by Aya Endō
- Ivan Lukich Fokine voiced by Nobuhiko Okamoto
- Darya Romanovna Chernova voiced by Ayaka Nanase
- Lexie Willow Carter voiced by Chiwa Saitō
- Benno Kleemann voiced by Yuu Hayashi
- Kuprian Valentinovich Napolov voiced by Kōichi Yamadera
- Kazimir Matinovich Szubin voiced by Tomokazu Sugita
- Sozon A. Chernov voiced by Jun Fukuyama
- Raissa Germaine Robin voiced by Hisako Tōjō
Production Staff
The anime is brought to life by a dedicated production team:
- Original Creator: Mareho Kikuishi
- Original Character Design: Tsubata Nozaki
- Director: Takaharu Ozaki (Girls’ Last Tour, Goblin Slayer)
- Series Composition: Kazuyuki Fudeyasu (Girls’ Last Tour, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime)
- Character Design: Chikashi Kadekaru (Juni Taisen: Zodiac War, Mieruko-chan)
- Music: Tatsuya Katō (Love Live! Sunshine!!, Free! – Iwatobi Swim Club)
- Animation Production: Geno Studio
- Production: Twin Engine
Themes and Setting
Director Takaharu Ozaki highlights the anime’s modern relevance, despite its science fiction setting. The cyber world in Your Forma resembles a smartphone’s capabilities within the brain, while AI assistants like Harold are becoming increasingly common in society. The anime explores social themes and the connections between people in a technologically advanced world.
Light Novel and Manga
Your Forma began as a light novel series written by Mareho Kikuishi and illustrated by Tsubata Nozaki. It launched in March 2021 under ASCII Media Works’ Dengeki Bunko imprint. As of August 2023, six volumes have been released.
A manga adaptation, illustrated by Yoshinori Kisaragi, was serialized in Kadokawa Shoten’s Young Ace magazine from June 2021 to September 2023, with three volumes published.
Yen Press has licensed both the light novel and manga series for English publication.
Initial Reception
The first three episodes of Your Forma premiered at Kawaii Kon in Hawaii in March 2025.
Key Aspects of Your Forma
- Brain-Implanted Technology: The “Your Forma” device records all sensory experiences, raising questions about privacy and the nature of memory.
- Electronic Investigators: These detectives dive into recorded memories to solve crimes, blurring the lines between reality and virtuality.
- Human-Android Partnership: The dynamic between Echika, a gifted but isolated human investigator, and Harold, her android partner, explores themes of trust, connection, and what it means to be human.
- Cyberpunk Setting: The anime presents a near-future world with advanced technology and social commentary, creating a thought-provoking and visually captivating experience.
With its intriguing premise, compelling characters, and talented production team, Your Forma is poised to be a standout anime in the Spring 2025 season. The release of the creditless opening and the launch of the mini-anime have further heightened anticipation for this sci-fi crime suspense series.
