This
Sunday, the official X account for the Kowloon Generic Romance anime confirmed
that voice actor Soma Saitō is joining the cast, playing a new character named
Xiaohei. This mysterious young man, who is also investigating the Kowloon area,
appears for the first time in the anime's mid-season promotional video.
With this
addition, the intriguing universe of Kowloon Generic Romance expands even
further, adding layers of complexity and mystery to a story already fraught
with emotion and secrets.
A City Out of Time: Nostalgia and Romance in Kowloon
Based on
the manga by Jun Mayuzuki, Kowloon Generic Romance transports us to a dystopian
version of Kowloon Walled City, where the past, present, and future intertwine
amid ruins, hidden emotions, and unusual routines.
The story
revolves around Reiko Kujirai, a real estate agent played by Haruka Shiraishi,
who begins to experience a romance as confusing as it is familiar. Her partner,
Hajime Kudō, is played by Tomokazu Sugita, and together they try to understand
the mysteries surrounding their surroundings.
The anime
is directed by Yoshiaki Iwasaki (Love Hina, We Never Learn) at Arvo Animation.
The script is by Jin Tanaka (Oshi no Ko), the character designs are by Yuka
Shibata, and the art direction is by Yūji Kaneko (Kill la Kill).
An immersive musical and audiovisual experience
The series
features an opening theme titled "Summertime Ghost" performed by the
group Wednesday Campanella, while the ending theme song "Koi no
Retronym" is sung by the artist mekakushe. Both songs perfectly capture
the nostalgic and melancholic atmosphere that defines the work.
Kowloon
Generic Romance premiered on April 5 and is currently streaming on Crunchyroll
with simulcast and Spanish dubbing.
The manga is also coming to the big screen.
In addition
to the anime, the manga will also inspire a live-action adaptation that will
premiere in the summer of 2025. Riho Yoshioka will play Reiko Kujirai, while
Kōshi Mizukami will play Hajime Kudō. The original series was launched by Jun
Mayuzuki in Weekly Young Jump in November 2019, and currently has ten compiled
volumes in Japan.
From the creator of After the Rain
Jun
Mayuzuki is also the author of After the Rain, a manga that had its own anime
adaptation in 2018, which aired on Fuji TV's Noitamina channel and is available
on Amazon Prime Video. This previous work already demonstrated the author's
ability to create introspective stories full of restrained emotions, something
that is also evident in Kowloon Generic Romance.
With each
new episode, the story continues to captivate fans of drama and science fiction
with touches of romance. And now, with Sōma Saitō joining the cast,
expectations only grow
