It was announced on October 17th that Motoei Shinzawa's comedy manga "High School! Kimengumi," which was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" (Shueisha) in the 1980s and also gained popularity as a TV anime, will be adapted into an anime for the first time in approximately 39 years. A new TV anime will be produced and will air on Fuji TV's anime slot "Noitamina" every Friday at 11:30 pm starting in January 2026. This will be the first new anime in approximately 39 years since the TV anime aired from 1985 to 1987, and is said to be an anime that is in line with the Reiwa era.
The cast has been completely renewed from the previous film, and it has been announced that Seki Tomokazu Seki will be playing Ichidou Rei, Takeuchi Shunsuke will be playing Reikoshi Gou, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka will be playing Chiaki Kobayashi, Kikunosuke Toya be playing Oma Jin, Toya Kikunosuke will be playing Monohoshi Dai, Shiraishi Haruka will be playing Ikumi Hasegawa will be playing Uru Chie.
The original series began as "3-nen Kimengumi" in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1980, and was renamed "High School! Kimengumi" in 1982 as the characters progressed to higher education. It's a slapstick school comedy featuring the Kimengumi, a group of five middle school students: Ichidou Rei, Reikoshi Go, Idese Kiyoshi, Oma Jin, and Monohoshi Dai, along with Kawa Yui and Uru Chie. The TV anime, which aired from 1985 to 1987, also gained popularity with its theme song, sung by Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi, a spin-off unit of the idol group Onyanko Club.
The new anime will be directed by Kazuaki Seki, known for films such as "Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist's Journey" and "Beethoven Fabrication," and produced by Animation Studio Seven. This will be Seki's first time directing an anime.
A teaser visual featuring the five members of Kimengumi on a smartphone screen and an image music video (MV) were also released. In the MV, Yui Kawakawa, played by Shiraishi, and Chie Uru, played by Hasegawa, cover the theme song for the previous TV anime, "Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi," which was sung by Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi. The song was produced by Night Tempo and arranged in a modern style.
The original author, Shinzawa, commented, "I'm looking forward to seeing how young people who have no knowledge of the original work or the previous anime will view the new Kimengumi, with its new time setting and voice actors. Of course, I'm also looking forward to seeing the reaction of fans of the original work and the previous anime. I'm looking forward to it too."
Seki, who plays Ichidou Rei, said, "Back then, Kimengumi was super popular. I also spent my school days with them. I always dreamed of hanging out with everyone in Kimengumi, as well as Yui and Chie! I never thought the day would come when I'd get to play Ichidou Rei! I'm going to have fun being perverted with everyone in the new Kimengumi (laughs)."
Takeuchi, who plays Reikoshi Gou, said, "I'm Takeuchi, and I'll be playing Gou with an afro school uniform. I'm happy to be able to play Gou, as it feels like a connection to me. A long time ago, a senior colleague I work under told me at an izakaya, 'Take, speak in a higher voice! (deep bass)'. I asked myself, "Is that what it means?" as I approached the dubbing. I'm going to try various approaches to make Gou a doomed...or rather, immortal character. Shine! Azuki school uniform! I appreciate your support."
Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, who plays Idese Kiyoshi, commented, "There are a lot of people on set and it's chaotic, but there's a lot of energy! The atmosphere is like, anything goes! (laughs). I think you can feel that passion in the production, so I hope you enjoy it!"
Chiaki Kobayashi, who plays Oma Jin, said, "We are now in the Reiwa era, and the number of different works and content has increased, but it is precisely because of this time that this work, which is filled with love amidst laughter, touched me so many times during the dubbing. I'm sure this will be a work that will touch everyone's hearts and bring laughter to their hearts, so I hope you will look forward to it!"
Toya, who plays Monohoshi Dai, said, "Dai likes girly things and has a unique air about him even among the unique members of the Kimengumi. He apparently takes a bath three times a day. I thought that's just like me. Baths feel so good, don't they?"
Shiraishi, who plays Kawakawa Yui, said, "Yui is a cute girl, just as her name suggests, but while you might think she's a typical heroine...she has some unexpected quirks and her unique personality is what makes her so appealing. This work has such a strong comical element that it's hard to contain your laughter even during recording, but there are also many times when the words of the Kimengumi will take you by surprise. It's a fun work filled with messages that we hope will reach people in this day and age, so please come and meet the Kimengumi in the anime! Thank you!"
Hasegawa, who plays Uru Chie, said, "I am honored to have been entrusted with this role. In every episode, I am confused, amazed, and laughing at the members of Kimengumi, who go way beyond my expectations... I am enjoying the world of 'High School! Kimengumi' while sharing Chie-chan's feelings! At the dubbing studio, it is so hectic and lively that the air in the booth gets thin! Please look forward to the broadcast♪"
Director Seki said, "The anime Kimengumi is coming back. It's a work that I first encountered when I was a student. I feel honored that we, now adults, can approach the work with the same feelings we had back then. The power of Kimengumi to make us feel this way is also invigorating. I hope you enjoy the exploits of these five characters, who will make you forget for a moment the unpleasant things you feel every day, and the various characters that surround them. I hope you feel a sense of nostalgia and new discoveries! Kimen Flash!"
Animation director Takashi Nishikawa said, "I hope to create an anime that will cheer people up! Our society is in a state of constant turmoil, and various difficulties are arising. I can't say that if you have energy you can do anything, but without energy nothing can get started. I want to work hard on the production, keeping in mind that this representative work of lively comedy manga from the 1980s has been "revived as a kind of health food for the modern anime industry."
Shigeru Murakoshi, who is in charge of series composition, commented, "Kamengumi is one of the most representative comedy manga of the Showa era, and is still passed down in various forms to this day. Now, in the Reiwa era, when I look at the characters that appear, I feel even more of a strength that says, 'There are many things that happen, but let's laugh away our daily worries together!' I would be happy if people could feel not only the 'crazy fun, energy, and facial power,' but also the 'way of life that sticks to one's individuality and perversion,' which resonates especially in this day and age."
Abe Yuka, who is in charge of character design, said, "I've always been a big fan of the series, and I wouldn't be who I am today without Kimengumi. I'm truly honored to be able to bring this work to everyone in my role as a character designer, and I'm excited every day with the joy. I'd like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved, and to Shinzawa Motoei. Once you see it, you'll never forget it; it has a unique impact. It has not faded even now, 45 years after the series began in 1980. It is a face that should be passed down to future generations as a tangible cultural asset."
Night Tempo commented, "I am very honored to be able to be involved, even for just a second, in a work that I respect so much. I remade the original song, reconstructing it within a retro context. The charm of the character suits the song very well, and it turned out to be an interesting song. Please give it lots of love!"
*Staff (titles omitted)
Director: Kazuaki Seki▽Animation Director: Takashi Nishikawa▽Series Composition: Shigeru Murakoshi▽Character Design: Yuka Abe▽In-game Song Producer: Night Tempo▽Planning and Production: Slow Curve▽Animation Production: Animation Studio Seven
*Cast (titles omitted)
Ichido Rei: Tomokazu Seki ▽Reiko Go: Shunsuke Takeuchi▽Idese Kiyoshi: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka ▽Oma Jin: Chiaki Kobayashi ▽Monoboshi Dai: Kikunosuke Toya ▽Kawan Yui: Haruka Shiraishi▽Uru Chie: Ikumi Hasegawa
