New visuals have arrived from the TV anime “The Heike Story” (to be broadcast in January 2022). There are also comments from the staff, including scriptwriter Yoshida Reiko and character designer Takano Fumiko.

“The Heike Story” is a classic work of Japanese literature that has been handed down by Biwa players and has had a great influence on the literature and theater of later generations. The story is based on a modern translation by Furukawa Hideo, and will be adapted into a TV series for the first time by director Yamada Naoko, screenwriter Yoshida Reiko, character designer Takano Fumiko, and musician Ushio Kensuke.

A new visual for the film has been released. Comments have also been unveiled including the original writer Furukawa Hideo, the script writer Yoshida Reiko, the original character designer Takano Fumiko, the music composer Ushio Kensuke, the character designer Kojima Takashi, and other staff.
The anime was streamed exclusively on FOD from 0:00 am today, September 15.

“The Heike Story” started being streamed exclusively on FOD from 0:00 am on September 15, 2021. It will start airing on Fuji Television Network’s “+Ultra” and other channels in January 2022.

＜The full text of the comments is as follows＞

Character Designer: Kojima Takashi (illustration comment)

Original Writer: Furukawa Hideo

I think that most people misunderstand “The Heike Story,” which is supposed to be known to all Japanese because they usually come into contact with only a small percentage of the episodes in this heavyweight story, and they are exaggerated. If you read through the story, you will find that it is filled with emotions that complain “war is sad and terrible.” It is also filled with the emotions that say, “We need to repose the souls of the dead. We must mourn any of the dead.” And there is a fact that besides the men who play the leading roles on the battlefield, the drama is also depicted by the women who are rarely present on the battlefield. Who in the world understood that the main characters in “The Heike Story” are also women? I’m here to tell you that “This TV anime version did.” Vividly yet bitingly. This anime version is approaching the decisive importance that the original “The Heike Story” had hidden, and for that reason, it touches our hearts as we watch it. Biwa, the main character will strike your heartstrings.

Script Writer: Yoshida Reiko

I was thrilled to be working on this title with this ensemble. “The Heike Story” is directed by Yamada.
Takano Fumiko-sensei is the original character designer (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve reread the short story “Bo Ga Ippon”).
When I finished writing the script, I felt that this was our “re-declaration of our commitment to storytelling.”
We will rise and fall, times will change, people will end their lives. But the story will live on, retaining its sparkle.
That gave me courage.

Original Character Designer: Takano Fumiko

I drew Shigemor-san first, and then the Heike brothers, starting with the youngest in age.
All of them are handsome, and all of them are wonderful men, which is something that I have never seen in my manga.
Halfway through the work, I got to see the director’s storyboard.
I was so happy when I realized that it was “Biwa-chan” as her round face with her eyes slightly separated from each other was drawn all over the paper.
I had a lot of fresh experiences. I would like to thank everyone who gave me this opportunity.

Music Composer: UshioKensuke

Before I started composing, I had been thinking about what kind of work the anime “The Heike Story” would be.
When confronted with a story with so many characters and such a large historical flow, I had a hard time figuring out where to start and what to draw in terms of music.
However, this story is more than a big historical story, it is, in the director’s words.
“But this story is more than a big historical tale, it is, to use the director’s words, “a story of each person who actually lived.”
It is the story of each and every person who laughed, who was happy, who was angry, who was sad.
I hope that the music will have been with all of them.

[Broadcast and streaming information]
It will begin broadcasting on the Fuji Television Network’s “+Ultra” and other channels in January 2022.
It was streamed exclusively on FOD from 0:00 am on September 15, 2021.
*Broadcast and steaming dates are subject to change without notice.

[Staff]
Based on the novel “The Heike Story” by Ikezawa Natsuki, translated by Furukawa Hideo, published by Kawade Shobo Shinsha
Director: Yamada Naoko
Screen Writer: Yoshida Reiko
Original Character Designer: Takano Fumiko
Music: Ushio Kensuke
Animation Production: Science SARU
Character Designer: Kojima Takashi
Art Director: Kubo Tomotaka (Deho Gallery)
Animation Director: Imai Shotaro
Color Designer: Hashimoto Ken
Director of Photography: Izumida Wajin
Editing: Hirose Kiyoshi
Sound Director: Kimura Eriko
Sound Effects: Kurahashi Hiromune (Otonarium)
History Supervisor: Sata Yoshihiko
Biwa Supervisor: Goto Yukihiro
Opening Theme: Hitsujibungaku “Hikaru Toki”
Ending Theme: agraph feat. ANI (Scha Dara Parr) “unified perspective”
[Cast]
Yuki Aoi
Sakurai Takahiro
Hayami Saori
Genda Tessho
Chiba Shigeru
Inoue Kikuko
Irino Miyu
Kobayashi Yumiko
Okamoto Nobuhiko
Hanae Natsuki
Murase Ayumu
Nishiyama Koutarou
Hiyama Nobuyuki
Kimura Subaru
Miyazaki Yu
Minase Inori
Sugita Tomokazu
Kaji Yuki

(C) “The Heike Story” Production Committee