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With Natsume Shingo of “One-Punch Man” as director/scriptwriter, Mad House producing the anime, Eguchi Hisashi drafting the characters, and Ging Nang BOYZ singing the theme song, the original TV anime “Sonny Boy” has been announced to start on July 15, 2021. Along with the announcement, information about the main characters and cast members was revealed.

“Sonny Boy” is a coming-of-age, sci-fi, ensemble drama created by director Natsume Shingo and Mad House.
One day during the summer vacation, a middle school drifts into a different dimension. The 36 students in the school obtain supernatural powers and are forced to survive in an unfair world.

Four cast members were announced.
Ichikawa Aoi as the 3rd-year student Nagara, the protagonist drifting in a different dimension, Oonishi Saori as Nozomi, Yuuki Aoi as Mizuho, and Kobayashi Chiaki as Asakaze.
Their comments have also been released.

“Sonny Boy” will be broadcast on TOKYO MX, KBS Kyoto, Sun Television, BS Asahi, RAB Aomori, and other channels, from July 15, 2021.

<Full comments are as below>
Nagara Voice: Ichikawa Aoi

The development of the story completely unpredictable and surprised me at every twist.
I wanted to know what’s going to happen next but also wanted time to digest what happened. It was such a busy process.
The director spoke to me (about Nagara) before the post-recording, and he told me, “not to read the script too thoroughly.”
I went to the recordings for each episode with the first impression of the script in mind and tried to express a freshness in my performance.

I want everyone to feel the mood throughout the show and the spaces between the lines.
It will fill your imagination, so please enjoy it while thinking hard about what’s going on.
You can enjoy it repeatedly from various angles but I also want you to value your first impression of “Sonny Boy”.
Let’s watch over their spiritual growth together.

―― Character Introduction
A 3rd-year middle school student who is bored of his surroundings and has given up on his life. Not being able to have a healthy relationship with his family, he keeps a distance from the other students and has a cold attitude towards them. The ability he obtained from the drift ​is still unknown.

Nozomi (voice: Oonishi Saori)

The first time read the script it got me really excited and a grown adult was dancing around saying, “I love this kind of story!”, haha.
I wasn’t told about Nozomi’s character until right before the post-recording, so going to the recordings felt like charging into the battlefield with a single spear.
The audio director told me “not to act too much” and that was so difficult!
Keep an eye out for every single detail! Will you be able to spot it…? (grin)
It’s an innovative and unprecedented show.
I look forward to seeing how you will interpret it!

―― Character Introduction
A mysterious transfer student who has just returned from Berlin. On her first day at school, she was spotted by Nagara when she was ripping apart her textbook. She has a strong will that never gets bent no matter how difficult the situation is. Her strong will can also be seen in her eyes looking straight ahead. She obtained the ability “Compass”, which lets her see a light that always points towards the same direction anywhere she is. But Nozomi is the only one who can see the light.

Mizuho (voice: Yuuki Aoi)

It was really confusing when trying to understand the foreshadowing, metaphors, and my role in the story. These days, animes are made very easy to understand, but this complex anime slaps that trend in the face, and I love it!
I was told that Mizuho is a girl with the aggressiveness of that of an uncastrated male stray cat. She’s straightforward to the point that she becomes out of hand, and for the better or worse her honestness with her feelings makes her go with her own flow. I tried not to aim for cuteness but instead tried to make her adorable by gradually exposing her weakness.

Though set in an absurd world like in “Alice in Wonderland”, you can feel sympathy towards the characters. The scenery is something you’ve never seen before but somehow it seems like you know the place. I hope you can enjoy each of these elements.
It’s a tough anime to take on, so be prepared! But when we get to understand this show, maybe, we will be able to understand a part of our own minds. Please enjoy.

―― Character Introduction
A 3rd-year middle school student brings along her three cats: Tora, Gen, and Sakura, who were cherished by her grandmother. She goes with her own flow and is honest with her feelings. She doesn’t willingly interact with others and tends to be alone. The ability she obtained is “Nyamazon”, which the three cats bring her anything she desires. The other students rely on her ability, which is crucial for survival, but Mizuho seems displeased about it.

Asakaze (voice: Kobayashi Chiaki)

I was excited by the unpredictable storyline. It feels like taking a peek into director Natsume’s head every week, haha.
Asakaze’s character was developed from a realistic point of view, so I performed with my own memories of middle school and my rebellious phase in my mind.

If you look at the situation they’re put in, it’s a sci-fi and unreal. But to them, it’s an extension of their lives at school and is helplessly real. I hope you can enjoy this gap between us and the characters.
The show is filled with things that we have forgotten and the things that are important to us. And it’s also full of mysteries and foreshadowing that the cast members discussed the show every week, so please look forward to it!

―― Character Introduction
He’s rebellious and hates to be told what to do. When drifting into another dimension, he strongly rebelled against the student council trying to control the students and caused a commotion. He obtained the ability “Slow Light”, which controls gravity. Asakaze’s ability helps Nagara and the others many times in the dangerous survival life. He gradually makes his presence felt among the students who struggle to get back to the world they came from.

(C) Sonny Boy committee