The dance cast for the TV anime "One Dance," based on a popular manga about dance currently being serialized in "Monthly Afternoon" (Kodansha), has been announced. The series uses a technique of motion capture to record the dancers' actual movements and then use CG to create the video, with dancers cast separately for each of the main characters in addition to the voice actors. RIEHATA, a world-famous dancer who has also choreographed for many famous artists such as "BTS," will serve as dance producer, and dancers KAITA will be in charge of the dance for Kotani Hanasaki, KANATA for Wanda Hikari, ReiNa for Miyao On, YOUTEE for Itsukushima Iori, and YU-KI for Kabeya Raku.
RIEHATA commented, "I am truly honored to have the opportunity to serve as the dance supervisor this time. The story I read in the manga also depicts realistic dance worries and the things that happen during the process of growing up, so I thought it would be best if the dance depicted in the anime was also realistic, and I did the casting, instructed the dance, and directed the choreography with that in mind. It was fun to be able to bring back memories of my own worries and youth, such as when I was a student and how I felt when I entered contests! Anime is a culture that Japan is proud of, so I would be very happy if dance and anime could be combined and spread even further around the world!"
The series will feature over 30 songs, an unusual number for a TV anime, and the artists who will be performing the songs have also been announced. The song "Get Something Out of Your Mind," featured in the teaser PV, is an original song for the series created by Kojima Yuki's solo project "Yaffle." Osawa Shinichi will also be involved in the production of the songs. The soundtrack will be provided by Chiba "naotyu-" Naoki.
The first PV, depicting the meeting between the main characters, Kotani Hanaki and Wanita Hikari, has been released on YouTube.
"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. The manga 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 anime will be directed by Michiya Kato and produced by Madhouse ("Summer Wars") and Cyclone Graphics. Koki Uchiyama will play the main character, Hanako Kotani, and Hina Yomiya will play the heroine, Hikari Wanita. It will be broadcast on TV Asahi's anime slot "IMAnimation W" from October.
