Netflix is gearing up for the highly-anticipated release of the new anime series based on Shigeru Mizuki’s Akuma Kun manga in India on November 9. The anime is set to make its debut on the very same day.
Netflix has provided a tantalizing glimpse into the story, describing Akuma Kun as a tale of a young boy on a mission to establish a society where humanity can fully realize its potential and lead a life of happiness, all with the assistance of some rather unexpected allies.
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This fresh take on the story is situated three decades after the events of the original 1989-1990 anime series. Fans will be delighted to learn that Yūko Mita and Toshio Furukawa will reprise their roles from the previous anime, lending their voices to Akuma I / Shingo Umoregi and Mephisto II, with Furukawa also taking on the role of Mephisto III. Yuuki Kaji will be the voice behind the protagonist, Akuma II / Ichirō Umoregi.
The cast includes:
- Yumiri Hanamori as Mio Kazama
- Fairouz Ai as Gremory
- Ryoko Shiraishi as Sanae Kazama
- Michiyo Yanagisawa as Etsuko Umoregi, Mephisto III’s mother
- Yukiyo Fujii as Hina Asanagi
- Yūsaku Yara as Satan
- Hiro Shimono as Strofire
The mastermind behind the Akuma Kun anime project is none other than Junichi Sato, known for his work on the Aria franchise and Sailor Moon. He serves as the chief director at Encourage Films, while Fumitoshi Oizaki, renowned for A Centaur’s Life and Romeo × Juliet, takes on the role of series director.
Hiroshi Ohnogi, credited with works like the 2018 GeGeGe no Kitarō and Noein – to your other self, oversees the series scripts. The production is in the capable hands of Toei Animation.
Additional staff members include:
- Magic Circle Design: Wataru Osakabe
- Art Director: Yumiko Kuga
- Color Key Artist: Kunio Tsujita
- Music: Akio Izutsu (Phi-Brain – Kami no Puzzle)
- Character Design, Chief Animation Director: Sakae Shibuya (A Centaur’s Life, Magical Girl Site)
- Compositing Director of Photography: Takeo Ogiwara
This anime is part of a quartet of “big projects” created to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Shigeru Mizuki’s birth, a beloved figure who passed away in 2015 at the age of 93. Another exciting project is the anime film “Kitarō Tanjō: Gegege no Nazo” (Kintarō Birth: The Mystery of Gegege), set to open on November 17.
It’s worth noting that the original manga had already inspired a television anime in 1989-1990, along with two anime films that premiered in 1989 and 1990. The new anime marks the first fresh addition to the series in 33 years and adds to the already rich history of live-action adaptations.
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Mizuki crafted the original manga between 1963 and 1964, with several other series in the franchise surfacing during the 1970s and 1980s. The manga revolves around the enigmatic “Akuma-kun,” a young boy wielding the powers of demons to safeguard world peace.
Source | Netflix
