It was revealed on January 16th that "Iwamoto Senpai no Shousou," a manga by Shiibashi Hiroshi, known for works such as "Nurarihyon no Mago," will be adapted into a TV anime. The manga is currently being serialized in the manga magazine "Ultra Jump" (Shueisha), and is set in 1910s Japan. It is a "romantic tale" depicting the human relationships between Iwamoto Kodo, a student at Seiho Junior High School, which is directly under the command of the army, and other supernatural beings. The cast for the anime has also been announced, with Taito Ban playing the protagonist Iwamoto Kodo, Sakakibara Yuki playing Iwamoto's cute junior Haramachi Kai, and Ito Kento playing Amano Soichiro, another junior.
"Iwamoto Senpai no Soushuu" was first published as a one-shot on Shueisha's manga app "Shonen Jump+" in March 2020, and began serialization in "Ultra Jump" in March 2021. Iwamoto Kodo, a third-year student at Seiho Junior High School, which is directly under the command of the Army, travels around the country on a military mission to investigate paranormal phenomena and recommend people with supernatural abilities who can be used for military purposes to the school. Numerous strange phenomena occur wherever he visits, and Iwamoto meets people with supernatural abilities from various backgrounds and tries to save them.
The anime staff has also been announced, with Toshifumi Kawase as director, Keiichiro Ochi as series composer, and Atsuko Nakajima as character designer. The series will be produced by Studio Deen. The first teaser visual and promotional video have been released, depicting Iwamoto Kodo standing amidst blooming and burning red spider lilies.
The original author, Shiibashi, commented, "First of all, I'd like to thank all the readers of Ultra Jump. Thank you so much for your support over the past five years. If you'd like, please watch the anime! And to all of you who have been supporting us all this time...including our previous works, and coming to events like PUS...I think each and every one of these things has led to the anime adaptation. I hope this anime will bring joy to everyone!"
Saka, who plays Iwamoto Kodo, said, "Iwamoto Kodo, the character I will be playing, is a third-year student at Army Seiho Junior High School, where people with special powers gather. His mission, and the core of the story, is to find and protect people with special abilities from all over the country and give them letters of recommendation to Army Seiho Junior High School. Iwamoto is very calm and compassionate, and is loved by many of his juniors, but he himself is still a junior high school student. He worries, suffers, struggles, and grows greatly throughout the story. I hope you will also pay attention to this very 'human' side of him. It is a colorful yet somewhat fragile story woven together by many fascinating characters. Please look forward to it!"
Sakakibara, who plays Haramachi Umi, commented, "When I read the original work, I was strongly attracted to the unique world view created by the beautiful illustrations that evoke the atmosphere of the time, and the narrative style that makes it feel like you're reading a diary or report. I'm extremely honored to have been given this opportunity to express such a unique world. It's a wonderful work, so I hope you'll look forward to it!"
Ito, who plays Amano Soichiro, said, "The quality of this work, from the pictures to the way the words are woven together, is incredible, and I think it's a work that offers the highest quality manga experience. The story is set in the past, but the themes resonate with us who live in the present, and each and every character is very charming. I find myself reading every single frame to the smallest detail. I'm sure there are many people who are curious to see how the abilities of the supernatural characters will be manifested, and how the flowers and flames will be portrayed as the series is adapted into an anime. I'm very much looking forward to it too. I'm sure that with the hard work of all the staff, it will be a wonderful animation."
Director Kawase said, "The hardest part about adapting Iwamoto Senpai no Shousou into an anime was how to visually express the characters and their individual abilities. The fate that they are burdened with because of their abilities is a fleeting yet tragic story. That's why I wanted to express it beautifully and neatly. Of all the things I struggled with, the most difficult was expressing the protagonist Iwamoto Kodo's "Cremation Spider Lily." How will his power save the characters who have been burdened with an unwanted fate? I hope you enjoy watching it."
Series composition writer Daichi commented, "Congratulations on the anime adaptation of 'Iwamoto Senpai no Sensei'. This work is full of attractive male characters, and I tried to portray Iwamoto Senpai as a man that other men fall in love with. I hope you enjoy the story that Shiibashi-sensei has spun, which is beautiful yet full of humor, sometimes cruel, but still in which hope is never lost!"
Character designer Nakajima said, "All the characters in 'Iwamoto Senpai no Soushuu' are quirky, have unique special abilities, and are all good-looking. Iwamoto Senpai, in particular, is too kind to those with special abilities. The exploits of his juniors who adore him are also a highlight. There are battles between beautiful, heartbreaking characters who have suffered emotional scars...and some sad stories too. I think it's a work that you will enjoy watching. I hope you enjoy it."
To commemorate the anime adaptation, a campaign will be held on the app "Young Jump +" and the online bookstore "Zebrack" offering three volumes of the original comic for free.
*Staff (titles omitted)
Director: Toshifumi Kawase▽Series Composition: Keiichiro Ochi▽Character Design: Atsuko Nakajima▽Sound Director: Takuya Hiramitsu▽Music: Yoshiaki Dewa, Toru Ishizuka▽Animation Production: Studio Deen
*Cast (titles omitted)
Iwamoto Kodo: Taito Ban ▽Haramachi Kai: Yuki Sakakibara▽Amahane Soichiro: Kento Ito
