The birth
of one of Japan's oldest arts will come to the small screen. Shochiku announced
on Wednesday that The World Is Dancing (World Is Dancing)
anime has been greenlit and will premiere in the summer of 2026.
This adaptation of Kazuto Mihara's historical manga will be
produced by CygamesPictures (Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray).
Along with
the announcement, a teaser visual and the first promotional video were
revealed, showing the beauty and harshness of an era marked by war and death,
where a boy seeks to revolutionize entertainment.
The
World Is Dancing Anime Details
The series
is directed by Toshimasa Kuroyanagi (The Great Passage, Backflip!!), with
character design by Keigo Sasaki (Blue Exorcist, ERASED). The
calligraphy and titles will be the work of Satoshi Nemoto.
Voice
cast
The role of
the protagonist falls to a versatile actress capable of playing complex roles:
- Yumiri Hanamori as Oniyasha
Known for being Nadeshiko Kagamihara in Laid-Back Camp and Sagiri Yamada Asaemon in Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku.
Team
reactions
The staff
and the protagonist shared deep reflections on the meaning of adapting this
play:
Toshimasa Kuroyanagi (Director):
"This is the story of a boy named Oniyasha who continues to defy
creation... He does not possess exceptional talent beyond the others, nor does
he have medals to boast of. Still, he dedicates himself to Sarugaku every day
in the hope that, by becoming someone of importance, he too can change the
world."
Yumiri Hanamori (Voice of Oniyasha):
"I think in this world there are so many things that people feel are good
as people themselves... If you are able to find something in this world that
you personally feel is good, then it will surely become a flower that colors
and lights the way."
Keigo Sasaki (Character Design):
"When I read the original work, I thought, 'ah, this is something I would
absolutely regret if I didn't participate.' It is a work full of that
attraction."
About
The World Is Dancing
The manga
is set in 1374, in the midst of the turmoil of the conflict between the Cortes
del Norte and del Sur. The story follows Oniyasha, a boy born into
a family of sarugaku artists, who, tormented by the question
"Why do people dance?", will end up shaping the art of Noh and
will be remembered in history as Zeami.
Kazuto
Mihara launched
the manga in Kodansha's Morning magazine in March
2021, ending in October 2022 with a total of six compilation volumes.
