It has been revealed that the TV anime "Hirayasumi," based on the manga by Keigo Shinzo currently serialized in "Weekly Big Comic Spirits" (Shogakukan), will begin airing on NHK General in January 2027. The anime is a highly anticipated work, as evidenced by the popularity of the live-action drama adaptation that aired on the same network from November to December 2025. The anime will be directed by Kei Suezawa, known for works such as "Fate/Grand Order - Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot - Wandering; Agateram," who will also be in charge of series composition and scriptwriting. Production +h., known for works such as "The Orbital Children," will produce the anime.
Naoyuki Asano, known for "Urusei Yatsura," "Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!" and "Mr. Osomatsu," is in charge of character design, Mika Nishimura, known for "Typhoon Noruda," is the art director, and Kaori Sawada, known for "What Did You Eat Yesterday?", is in charge of music. A teaser visual has also been released showing Hiroto walking in front of a single-story house, pushing a motorcycle, and his grandmother.
The story is set in Asagaya and follows Hiroto, a carefree free spirit with no steady job, no girlfriend, and no worries about the future, who receives a detached, single-story house for free from his friendly neighbor, Hanae Wada, and begins living there with his 18-year-old cousin, Natsumi Kobayashi, who has come to Tokyo from Yamagata to attend art school. The series began serialization in April 2021, and the comic series has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide.
◇Comment from Director, Series Composition, and Scriptwriter Kei Suezawa
When I first read "Hirayasumi," I strongly felt that I wanted to turn this work into an anime. I was drawn to the story of people who seemed like they had known each other for a long time, woven together in familiar landscapes. I would like to depict "Hirayasumi" using expressions that are unique to animation. Please look forward to the broadcast.
◇Comment from character designer Naoyuki Asano
This work is an everyday story without any exciting action or battle scenes, and without any particularly dazzlingly handsome men or beautiful women. In this day and age, I thought it was unlikely that the original work would be made into an anime, so I was very surprised when I received the offer. I am working on the artwork to come as close as possible to Shinzo-sensei's warm, analog-style lines, so please look forward to it!
◇Comment from art director Mika Nishimura
I believe "Hirayasumi" is a work that creates a moment of comfort, like being gently wrapped in a blanket, with every turn of the page. Many readers, myself included, have been comforted by the people who gather in that single-story house, transcending national borders and social standing, allowing them to relax and face tomorrow with a little more ease. Our art team has poured our love into creating the artwork so that you can feel Shinzo's gaze and warm touch as they are. We aim for backgrounds that are like a blanket, warmly enveloping the charming characters. We hope you can feel the atmosphere that surrounds the work.
◇Comment from musician Kaori Sawada
Having lived in Ogikubo, right next to Asagaya, during my elementary and junior high school years, I was enveloped in a nostalgic atmosphere every time I turned the pages of the original work. That single-story house and the fishing pond seem like they could be just around the corner. I'm incredibly excited to see the world that Hiroto and his friends live in come to life as animation, and I feel a great sense of joy in being able to accompany it through sound.
