It has been announced that the TV anime "One Dance," based on a popular manga about dance currently being serialized in "Monthly Afternoon" (Kodansha), will be broadcast on TV Asahi's anime slot "IMAnimation W" from October. It has been revealed that Suwa Ayaka, Toshiki Masuda Toshiki, Yuma Uchida Yuuma, Hayashi Isamu, and Kobayashi Chikahiro will appear as additional cast members playing unique dancers. Koki Uchiyama will play the main character, Kotani Hanagi, and Hina Yomiya will play the heroine, Wanita Hikari.
Suwa, who plays Miyao On, a third-year student and captain of the Ichirin High School dance club, commented, "On-chan is always cheerful and cute, and is a leader that everyone can rely on! I will do my best to beautifully portray the various sides of this charming and lovable On-chan! Also, I was so impressed when I read the original work, and I am looking forward to seeing how the dance scene will be adapted into the anime! The delicate human drama depicted through 'dance' is also truly wonderful, so I hope you will enjoy this work from various angles."
Masuda, who plays Itsukushima Iori, a second-year student in the Ichirin High School dance club, said, "When I read the original work, I was shocked at how much passion the dance could be felt from just a static manga. Although dance and acting may seem different, they have many similarities, and I was moved by the depictions that I empathized with as the story progressed. Iori Itsukushima's stance is somehow not something that can happen to someone else, so I am happy to be able to be involved in the production by playing this character. I hope you will look forward to it while munching on some Yanduke."
Uchida, who plays Kabeya Raku, a technical B-boy who believes in breaking above all else, commented, "When I hear the sound, it makes me want to dance. When I read the original work, I felt that same sense of exhilaration. I am very much looking forward to seeing how this work, which depicts the charm and passion of dance, will be expressed in animation. Be sure to check out One Dance!"
Hayashi, who plays Takumi Uchi, the captain of the Shoya High School dance club, said, "I had the impression that he was a funky and groovy character, so I had fun playing him while keeping that in mind. I'm really looking forward to seeing how he, whose selling point is his mature, sophisticated dancing, and each of the dancers in One Dance perform in the production. I look forward to working with you!"
Kobayashi, who plays Assay, a professional dancer from the dance team "PTSG," said, "Assay may be someone who is at the top of the dance world in some ways. I find it thrilling that what he seeks most in dance is passion. I feel that all artistic activities, including acting, require numerous techniques, etiquette and standards that have been built up over history, but the fact that what he wants to see more than anything else is passion gave me hope. I am honored to be able to play such a role. I will do my best."
"One Dance" is a manga by Coffee that began serialization in "Monthly Afternoon" in January 2019. It is a coming-of-age manga about a high school student, Kotani Hanaki, who has a stutter, who is fascinated by her classmate Wanita Hikari, who is absorbed in dancing without worrying about what others think, and challenges herself to a "freestyle" dance that does not require words. It has also gained popularity overseas, winning the "You Should Read This Manga 2023" award as a "work expected to be made into an anime." The comic series has sold over 900,000 copies in total.
The anime will be directed by Michiya Kato and produced by Madhouse ("Summer Wars") and Cyclone Graphics, which specializes in digital animation using VFX and CG. World-renowned dancer RIEHATA will participate as dance producer.
◇Cast (titles omitted)
Hanaki Kotani: Koki Uchiyama ▽Hikari Wanda: Hina Yomiya ▽On Miyao: Ayaka Suwa▽Iori Itsukushima: Toshiki Masuda ▽Raku Kabeya: Yuuma Yuma Uchida ▽Takumi Uchi: Isamu Hayashi▽Assay: Chikahiro Kobayashi
