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Mekaku City Actors Anime's 7th Ad Highlights Misuzu Togashi's Hibiya

The seventh commercial for Mekaku City Actors, the television anime of the Kagerō Project (Heat Mirage Project) by Vocaloid musical composer and writer Jin (Shizen no Teki-P), aired on Saturday:

The commercial introduces Misuzu Togashi as Hibiya: "I am Hibiya, Mekakushi member No. 8. I am Hibiya, Mekakushi member No. 8. I am Hibiya, Mekakushi member No. 8 — what, we're already recording for real? Uh, uh, please watch our new program, 'Maternity Spiral'!"

Hibiya is the eighth member of the Mekakushi Group who visited the town with Hiyori. He can be both mature and impudent, and he is always bickering with Momo. He has been trying to save Hiyori after a certain accident. He has the "Strain the Eyes" ability to perceive distant things from a bird's-eye view.

The cast also includes:

Yūko Kaida as Kido, the first member of the Mekakushi Group. The girl serves as the leader of the group. She is always listening to music on earphones. She is basically good-natured, but she is struggling to assemble the idiosyncratic members of the group. Thanks to her ability to "Conceal the Eyes," she can erase awareness of herself and her surroundings within a fixed distance.

Shinnosuke Tachibana as Kano, the third member of the Mekakushi Group. He is always smiling, with an ambiguous personality unconcerned with small matters. Because he often teases Marry and Momo, one might think he is a playboy, but he can be relied on when it counts. He has the "Deceive the Eyes" ability to change the perception of those around him.

Kana Hanazawa as Marry, the fourth member of the Mekakushi Group. She is a quarter Medusa, and three-fourths human. Mary makes and sells artificial flowers as her side job, but her income from it is very low. She has the "Contact the Eyes" ability, which allows her to stop the movement for a few minutes of those who look her directly in the eyes.

Nanami Kashiyama as Momo, the fifth member of the Mekakushi Group. She is a hugely popular idol in town and a first-year high school student. Ever since an accident with her father in her early childhood, she gained the "Dazzle the Eyes" ability to attract attention, no matter people's interest and concerns. She possesses a peculiar sense of fashion and taste, and she has many views not shared by others.

Kana Asumi as Ene, the sixth member of the Mekakushi Group. She is an innocent cyber girl who resides inside Shintaro's computer, and is able to invade other electronics. Ene used to be human, but due to a certain experiment, she lost her body. She has the "Awaken the Eyes" ability that grants her immortality.

Mamoru Miyano as Konoha, the ninth member of the Mekakushi Group. He is a young man who has amnesia, and a foster child at Hiyori's older sister's house. He is quite naive and does things at his own pace. He has an extraordinary amount of stamina, and likes to play baseball with the other children in his neighborhood. He is also is full of curiosity.

The official website for the series also opened in January, revealing character descriptions and shadowed outlines for the character designs. Starting in January on Tokyo MX TV, BS11, and Niconico, the show's staff is debuting a new commercial each week that unveils a new anime character visual and cast announcement.

Tower Records reported in August that Akiyuki Shinbo (Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Bakemonogatari) will direct the series at studio SHAFT. JIN will be writing the show's scripts, and Shizu and Wannyanpu are handling the original character designs. Shizu will handle the storyboards for the opening theme, and will also create the ending theme animation as well.

The series will premiere on April 12 on Tokyo MX TV, BS11, and Niconico. The show will air for one cour or one quarter of a year.

Thanks to Maxim Firsov for the embedded video and Kano-kun for deciphering "Materinity Spiral"