Saga Prefecture will Produce Two New Anime

Saga Prefecture in Japan has revealed that it is producing two anime. Both Saga Arc: Tadaima (I’m back) and Karatsu Arc: Okaeri (Welcome back) will be distributed on March 12, 2017. A talk event with guests is planned on March 11, a day before the distribution.

Hideki Sonoda from Saga Prefecture wrote the scripts for the two Saga anime. He is known as a script writer for the Pokemon movie series.

The director of Saga Arc: Tadaima will be Akitaro Daichi, known for Kamisama Hajimemashita. Its story features Mei, an exchange student from Thailand who remembers her precious memories through interacting with the people in Saga. The anime will use actual scenery from Saga. Kaori Nazuka will play Mei and Kotono Mitsuishi will play Jun.

Hajime Kamegaki, who is famous for his work Lupin V.S. Conan, will direct Karatsu Arc: Okaeri. We don’t know the story yet, but Shohei Yamaguchi will voice Sora Aoi, the main character, and Kotono Mitsuishi will play Miyoko Aoi, Sora’s mother.

Junko Yamanaka is designing the characters of both anime. She worked with Akitaro Daichi on Nobunaga no Shinobi and with Kamegaki on Shijo Saikyo no Deshi Kenichi. TOMS ENTERTAINMENT will do the animation and Pony Canyon will produce.

Both anime will be distributed on YouTube starting from March 12, 2017. Screening events are planned at Saga Museum and Kyushu Toji Bunka-kan. The commemorative event for the release of ‘Animation Work Around Saga’ will be held on March 11 at Museum Hall in Saga Art Museum. Hideki Sonoda and Shohei Yamaguchi will be joining the event as guests. Special stickers will be distributed to participants as a token of participation. The event is free and the participants will be selected by lottery via an internet application. The application period is from January 31 to February 19. Details can be confirmed on the official website.

Saga released two short anime in 2016: Takeo-hen: Fuyu no Chikai Natsu no Matsuri Takeo no Ookusu and Arita-hen: Yakusoku no Utsuwa Arita no Hatsukoi by director Junji Nishimura. This is the second year that they will try to promote the prefecture through the use of anime.

‘Animation Work around Saga’ Commemorative Event
Date: from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on March 11, 2017 (opens at 6:30 p.m.)
Venue: Museum Hall in Saga Art Museum
Number of Participants: 200 people (applications need to be submitted in advance)
Participation Fee: Free
Application Period: from January 31 to February 19 in 2017

‘Saga Arc: Tadaima’
Director : Akitaro Daichi
Script : Hideki Sonoda
Character Design : Junko Yamanaka
Cast : Kaori Nazuka (Mei, the main character), Kotono Mitsuishi (Jun, Mei’s mother)
Animation Production : TOMS ENTERTAINMENT

‘Karatsu Arc: Okaeri’
Director : Hajime Kamegaki
Script : Hideki Sonoda
Character Design : Junko Yamanaka
Cast : Shohei Yamaguchi (Sora Aoi, the main character), Kotono Mitsuishi (Miyoko Aoi, Sora’s mother)
Animation Production : TOMS ENTERTAINMENT

To be distributed on YouTube starting from March 12, 2017.