aoppella, a new vocal multimedia project from KLab, tells the story of eleven high school students discovering the art of a cappella. On January 23, KLab released the music video for the group’s third a capella J-pop cover of UNISON SQUARE GARDEN’s Sugar Song and Bitter Sleep on YouTube.

In addition, the project will celebrate its second anniversary with an event on Mary 27 and 28.

Sugar Song and Bitter Step – UNISON SQUARE GARDEN (J-Pop Cover)

The cover transforms the popular track into an unbelievable a cappella performance highlighting the unique lyrics with the member’s powerful voices.

The music video shows the members of FYA’M’ walking around the city in their personal fashion. As mature as each of the boys may be, they’re still high schoolers with their own youthful personalities!

Story
It was on that unforgettable day that the boys found themselves changed.

In front of them were ordinary high school students just like them. There were no flashy costumes or musical instruments.

But the moment they began to sing a surreal harmony filled the air and the crowd went wild.

“We want to sing like that! We want to shine, too!”

High school students captivated by the art of a cappella aim for the top in the exclusive high school a cappella contest called ‘aoppella.’ Watch as they try to perfect their pitch–the show is about to begin!

©KLab

An advance screening and chat event for the upcoming anime series Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts, set to begin airing in April 2023, will be held at Shinjuku Wald 9 on February 11.

Those lucky enough to get tickets will be treated to the first two episodes of the series followed by a chat with select cast members including Kana Hanazawa (Sariphi), Satoshi Hino (Leonhart), Yuka Nukui (Cy), and Natsumi Fujiwara (Clops).

The ticket lottery is now open on e+, and general ticket sales will open on February 3 if any tickets are left!

Be sure to check out the series when it airs this April!

The CrosSing cover song project brings together popular voice actors to sing classic songs in their own unique style. Launched in March 2022, the YouTube channel has amassed over 150,000 subscribers and upon each song’s release, the project continuously trends on Twitter and other social media sites.

On January 18, 2023, the official CrosSing YouTube channel uploaded a recording video of voice actress Nanaka Suwa performing the song Fantastic future.

Nanaka Suwa is best known for playing Kanan Matsuura in Love Live! Sunshine!! The actress has also released two studio albums. In this new video from CrosSing, Suwa is seen performing Yukari Tamura’s popular song Fantastic future, used as the opening theme for the anime series The “Hentai” Prince and the Stony Cat.

Fantastic future – from CrosSing – Nanaka Suwa (Recording Video)

The track is now available on numerous streaming sites and those purchasing the high-res version from mora will be able to access a special mini-interview with Suwa herself. LINE MUSIC has also started a playback campaign, and fans listening to the track over 300 times will be entered to win an autographed image!

A retweet campaign is also underway, with two lucky winners receiving Nanaka Suwa’s autograph. For details, check out the official CrosSing Twitter.

The CrosSing project released its first compilation album, CrosSing Collection Vol. 1, in September. Kana Hanazawa’s cover of Rain from Makoto Shinkai’s short anime film The Garden of Words is included as a bonus track. The track is also available on YouTube.

CrosSing Collection vol.1

TrySail is a popular girl group consisting of three popular voice actresses: Momo Asakura,
Sora Amamiya, and Shiina Natsukawa. Since their debut in 2015, the girls have performed
incredible live concerts, managing to hold successful events at Yokohama Arena and the
Yoyogi National Gymnasium. TrySail’s latest album, Re Bon Voyage, was released in
September 2021, reaching the #5 spot on the Oricon Weekly Ranking.

The group’s newest song, Karei One Turn, will be used as the theme song for the 2023
anime series My One-Hit Kill Sister. The happy-go-lucky track can be heard in the second
teaser trailer for the show.

Along with this exciting anime tie-up, TrySail has announced the song flower. The song will be used to commemorate the group’s upcoming event ‘LAWSON presents TrySail Arena
Live 2023 ~Ai ni Yuku yacht! Minna de Aso-boat!~’ Be sure to watch out for what else
TrySail has in store for fans in 2023!

More information about the upcoming anime series Insomniacs After School has been revealed. The series is set to premiere on TV Tokyo in April 2023.

Makoto Ojiro’s coming-of-age manga series is set in Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture. It follows Ganta Nakami, a high school boy suffering from insomnia, and Isaki Magari, a girl with the same issue. Insomniacs After School is serialized in Shogakukan’s Big Comic Spirits.

The second key visual and trailer have been released, giving audiences a better glimpse at this bittersweet tale. The new image shows Ganta and Isaki in different rooms with headphones on. The text reads “what are you doing right now?”

The trailer shows off the beautiful scenery around Nanao City. An event was recently held in the real-life city to celebrate the popular series.

Insomniacs After School Trailer #2

New characters and their voices are revealed for the first time in this exclusive trailer!

The cast includes Haruka Tomatsu, Seiichiro Yamashita, Lynn, Natsumi Fujiwara, Sumire Morohoshi, Mamiko Noto, Sho Karino, Gen Sato, and Konomi Tamura.

Insomniacs After School is only three months away. Will you be tuning in?

Cast Comments

Haruka Tomatsu (Yui Shiromaru)
Popular Works: Sword Art Online (Asuna), Yo-kai Watch (Keta)

“I absolutely love stars, so this role makes me super happy! Shiromaru is cool and doesn’t talk too much, but he is kindhearted and pure, and it was super fun to play him. Since he’s an older character, there are plenty of scenes where he gives helpful advice. This series is really heartwarming and I hope you’ll tune in!”

Seiichiro Yamashita (Tao Ukegawa)
Popular Works: The Eminence in Shadow (Cid Kagenou / Shadow), More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers (Jiro Yakuin)

“There are things that are incredibly difficult to say to others, but things that you feel you need to say. I could really feel the romance behind sharing secrets as I worked on this project. It carefully handles difficult issues and reminds us how hard it can be to truly understand other people. That’s why the human experience is so complex and dramatic. It’s a wonderful work filled with love. Enjoy it!”

Lynn (Motoko Kanikawa)
Popular Works: Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury (Miorine Rembran), Uma Musume: Pretty Derby (Maruzensky)

“I love the atmosphere of the original work. The glimpses of ordinary life seen in every scene are so precious. Kanikawa is funny and cute and it was a blast to play her. I had a blast ad-libbing with the other cast members! I hope that this series reaches a ton of new people now that it’s being adapted into an anime series!”

Natsumi Fujiwara (Kanami Anamizu)
Popular Works: SPYxFAMILY (Damian Desmond), Chuka Ichiban! (Mao)

“I was worried that Anamizu would be too difficult of a role for me, but thanks to everyone’s help, I was really able to enjoy working on this series. The main character suffers from insomnia which is a terrible thing, but I was thrilled the entire time. After all, I love the stars! Ah, the splendors of youth! I can’t wait to see how the final product turns out!”

Sumire Morohoshi (Mina Nono)
Popular Works: Aikatsu! (Ichigo Hoshimiya), The Promised Neverland (Ema)

“Nono is so adorable! I wanted to make sure her laid-back energy came through. She’s gentle and kind and I think it will be completely apparent to audiences what kind of person she is. The work itself is both fresh and nostalgic at the same time, and it was so fun to work with the cast. I felt like I was back in high school again!”

Mamiko Noto (Usako Kurashiki)
Popular Works: Kimi ni Todoke (Sawako Kuronuma), Hell Girl (Ai Enma)

“I’m Mamiko Noto and I play the role of Usako Kurashiki. As a native of Ishikawa, it’s such a pleasure to work on a series based in my home prefecture. Ms. Kurashiki is a charming teacher and one I wish I had when I was a student. The original work is so rich in content and character, both warm and sad…it’s so detailed that it can truly feel like you’re wrapped up in it. I’m sure the anime will be the same way. I hope you’re looking forward to it!”

Sho Karino (Rui Haida)
Popular Works: Tokyo Revengers (Chifuyu Matsuno), Idolmaster SideM (Yukihiro Kamiya)

“This wonderful story is so meaningful. I was happy to experience it with everyone, with this entire cast. The scenery and starry skies will stick in your mind and make you want to go out and explore the night. Working on Insomniacs After School made me feel like I could enjoy my high school life again! Thank you so much!”

©オジロマコト・小学館／アニメ「君ソム」製作委員会

On August 31, 2022, the voice actor, hero, and music project PRELUDERS released the album By Your Side. Now, the music video for the song Horizon Climber by High Five has been released, and it’s absolutely gorgeous!

High Five is a group led by Asuka Morito (Junya Enoki), and Horizon Climber is a song filled with hope. Young people are encouraged to listen to imagine the kind of hero they’d like to become!

Horizon Climber Music Video

The music video for Horizon Climber depicts the fifth and final chapter of the voice drama Koubou (Beam of Light), in which the members of High Five and S-quad finally confront the two members of Vice Versa, voiced by Atsushi Tamaru and Shintaro Asanuma. The battle is ready to start, with Asuka (Junya Enoki) and Ko Kujikami (Yuma Uchida) taking on those who would threaten their friends. Be sure to keep an eye out for more from this exciting project!

Be sure to give this gorgeous video a watch!

（C)PRELUDERS

Mizuki Tsujimura’s popular novel about struggles in the anime industry Haken Anime! is getting a live-action film on May 20, 2022. Directed by Kohai Yoshino, the star-studded cast will include Riho Yoshioka, Tomoya Nakamura, Tasuku Emoto, Machiko Ono in the leading roles. 

The anime seen in the film is being created by popular studio Production I.G. The story focuses on Hitomi Saito, who has entered the anime industry and is making her directorial debut. She is competing for the title of Haken (supremacy) with the star direction she previously idolized, Chiharu Ouji. Together with a peculiar producer and a unique group of friends and colleagues, the novel shows the more difficult parts of creating a successful anime series. 

“Soundback -Kanade no Ishi” is the first film directed by Hitomi Saito in Haken Anime!, and “Unmei Sensen Liddell-Light” is Chiharu Ouji’s new film. Teaser trailers for each of these brief anime series created exclusively for the film were uploaded to YouTube in December 2021, garnering over 100,000 views in under a week. Soundback is directed by Azuma Tani, with manga artist Eisaku Kubonouchi in charge of character design and Takayuki Yanase handling mechanical design. Liddell-Light is directed by Takashi Otsuka with character designs by Takahiro Kishida.

Voice actress Marika Kouno will be starring in a live-action role for the first time as Aoi Gunno. Other newly-announced cast members starring in the short anime Soundback include Yuki Kaji (Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan) as Ryuichi, Megumi Han (Gon Freecss in Hunter x Hunter) as Takaya, Hina Kino (Anya in Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut) as Mayu, and Show Hayami as Kanade no Ishi. 

Liddell-Light will star Rie Takahashi (Megumin in KONOSUBA) as Mitsuri, Kana Hanazawa (Kuroneko in Oreimo) as Seira, Yui Horie as Deru, Yu Kobayashi (Sasha in Attack on Titan) as Shiori, Reina Kondo as Nanaka, Nanami Tomaru as Kei, and Ayaka Ohashi (Uzuki Shimamura in The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls) as Yuuki.

The film will be narrated by Romi Park, who plays Edward Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist. 

© 2022 映画「ハケンアニメ！」製作委員会

Netflix is all set to participate in Japan’s largest anime festival AnimeJapan 2022, which will be held at Tokyo Big Sight on March 26 & 27. The details and guest information for the Netflix Anime Booth have been released, with 21 voice actors from more than nine popular works set to take the stage.

This year’s Netflix Anime Booth will feature a number of new and classic titles set to be streamed worldwide. The featured voice actors will talk about their new roles, including those in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean, Baki the Grappler, Tiger & Bunny 2, Thermae Romae Novae, Vampire in the Garden, Spriggan, and Ultraman. Surprising information is also set to be revealed during the showcase!

Mariya Ise, Yuki Kaji, Junichi Suwabe, Kenjiro Tsuda, Megumi Han, and Seitaro Mukai will also appear at the Netflix Anime Special Presentation on March 27. 

The event will be streamed on the Netflix Anime YouTube channel!

The new cover song project ‘CrosSing- Music & Voice’ is live!

CrosSing brings together voice actors, anime song artists, VTubers, 2.5D actors, and other artists through music. The cast of the first season is featured in the channel teaser.

 In addition to popular voice actors Maaya Uchida, Kana Hanazawa, and Akari Kito, the project also includes towana, vocalist of popular ani-song unit fhána. Toshiki Tateishi, active mainly in 2.5D stage plays and musicals, and VTuber Hal Shibuya will also be participating!

Channel Teaser

All of the songs featured in the project are tracks that personally mean something to the cast. The music will be available on YouTube and on streaming services, and those interested are asked to follow the project on Twitter and TikTok!

Shenmue the Animation, based on Yu Suzuki’s game series originally released for the Sega Dreamcast in 1999, is scheduled to be released in 2022! The series is being directed by Chikara Sakurai at Telecom Studios. 

Official Trailer

A trailer for the series has been uploaded to YouTube showing Ryo Hazuki’s struggle against his nemesis Lan Di. The show is set in the nostalgic and beautiful city of Yokosuka and follows Ryo as he struggles to understand the death of his father. A key visual was also released alongside the trailer.

The new video footage also highlights the voice cast for the first time, including Masaya Matsukaze as Ryo Hazuki and Takahiro Sakurai as Lan Di. The two actors have also provided comments below.

The opening theme song UNDEAD-NOID will be performed by Kashitaro Ito, whose videos have been viewed over 80 million times.

Cast Comments

Masaya Matsukaze (Ryo Hazuki)

Thanks to the fans, I’ve been able to return to the role of Ryo after 20 years, and in my first anime role no less! 

Shenmue has been a very big part of my life. 

I hope that longtime fans and new fans alike will enjoy the show and that everyone will be able to experience the world of Shenmue. 

I can’t wait to see the finished product either!

Takahiro Sakurai (Lan Di)
I’m Takahiro Sakurai and I’ll be playing the role of Lan Di.

On a personal note, when I started working as a voice actor, I participated as a test voice during the development stages of Shenmue. That was my first encounter with this work.

That was a valuable experience for me.

I was so happy to hear that Shenmue would be reborn as an animated series.

The world of Shenmue has not faded from my memory in over 20 years. I hope everyone can enjoy it with me!

© SEGA / Shenmue Project

The voice actor idol unit DIALOGUE+ will release their 5th single Bokura ga Orokadanante Dare ga Itta (Who Says We’re Stupid?) on April 13, 2022. A sing-along version of the track has been released on the group’s official YouTube channel ahead of release.

Bokura ga Orokadanante Dare ga Itta (Who Says We’re Stupid?) – DIALOGUE+[Sing-Along ver.]

The new track will serve as the opening song for the anime series Skeleton Knight in Another World, scheduled to air in April. Tomoya Tabuchi (UNISON SQUARE GARDEN) provided the lyrics and composition. Popular creator of anime and game songs kz (livetune) arranged the music. 

The limited-edition version of the release will include a bonus Blu-ray containing the track’s music video and live footage from the group’s Hula Hula concerts held in May, June, and July 2021. 

The Blu-ray release of DIALOGUE+’s first nationwide tour ‘DIALOGUE+1’ will be released on March 30. The special features include over 20 minutes of behind-the-scenes tour footage, fixed point dance footage of the group’s more popular songs, and more. 

©秤猿鬼・オーバーラップ／骸骨騎士様製作委員会
©PONYCANYON

Platinum End has been a smash hit. Based on the manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, the team behind Death Note and Bakuman, the anime series will see its exciting conclusion in March 2022. Two new characters are being added to the cast before the big finale!

Masaya Hoshi will be played by Hiroshi Tsuchida, known for dubbing Lee Byung-hun’s Front Man in Squid Game and Lightning McQueen in Cars.

Manami Yumiki will be portrayed by Yui Ishikawa, known as the voice of Mikasa Ackerman in Attack on Titan and Violet Evergarden in Kyoto Animation’s Violet Evergarden.

Comment from Hiroshi Tsuchida (Masaya Hoshi)

“This role is so impressive that I can’t stand still while standing at the microphone. I’ve also noticed that our hairstyle and glasses seem to have become even more similar during recording…

I’ll try to do my best to change my stupidity into intelligence so I can perform the role of Masaya Hoshi properly.” 

Comment from Yui Ishikawa (Manami Yumiki)

“Although this is a fantasy world, there are so many realistic characters. It makes you feel like this really could be happening somewhere. While reading the original story, I enjoyed it, but I also felt as though I was being questioned about something. 

The character I play, Yumiki, is a detective at the Metropolitan Police Department. Please look forward to seeing how our new characters interact with the candidates for God!”

New episodes of Platinum End begin on January 14, 2022.

©︎大場つぐみ・小畑健／集英社・プラチナエンド製作委員会