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Masami Kikuchi, Nao Tōyama, Yō Taichi Star in Ai Tenchi Muyo Anime
posted on by Kyle Cardine
The official website for the new Tenchi Muyo! series, Ai: Tenchi Muyo!, updated on Friday with the cast and additional staff, as well as the final versions of the character designs. The voice actors for Tenchi, Ryoko, Sasami, Mihoshi, and Washu are reprising their roles from earlier shows in the franchise. Haruhi Nanao as Ayeka is the only new cast member to play a returning character.
The cast includes:
Nao Tōyama as Momo Kawanagare, the school's student council president. She is straight-forward and honest and has a strong sense of justice.
Yō Taichi as Beni Kinojyou, the bodyguard of the school science club. She's taciturn, brave, and confident. She has superhuman strength like an ogre.
Kana Yūki as Hachiko, the student council's enforcer. She's chivalrous, spirited, and fundamentally brave. She loves Momo and anyone who gets close to Momo is an enemy.
MAO as Hana Saryu, the student council's accountant. Contrary to her outward flirtatiousness, she's an aikido master. She has a broad outlook and is good at reading the atmosphere.
Ai Fukada as Touri Fueyama, the student council's clerk. She's brilliant and keeps her calm no matter what the situation is. Her grades are number one in the school.
Azusa Satō as Yuki Fuka, the club president of the science club. She's quick-tempered and unyielding. She searches for treasure around the school. Her science club has a rivalry with the student council.
Rui Tanabe as Rui Aoi, a shy and weak member of the science club. She's big and eats more than most people. She and Fuka are childhood friends and are therefore, unfortunately for Aoi, often together.
Ayako Kawasumi as Ukan Kurihara, Tenchi's senpai as a teacher, who offers him guidance. She uses the rod when guiding the students.
(Many of the new characters have corresponding characters from the Japanese legend of Momotaro.)
Ai Orikasa as Ryoko
Haruhi Nanao as Ayeka
Chisa Yokoyama as Sasami
Yūko Mizutani as Mihoshi
Yūko Kobayashi as Washu
The newly announced staff includes:
Series Organizer: Hiroshi Negishi, Junpei Yoshihara
Anime Character Design: Masami Inomata
Supervisor: Masami Inomata, Hiroaki Gohda
Art Director: Satoru Hirayanagi (Heikuro)
Art Setting: Takeshi Takahashi
Prop Design: Miyana Okita
Costume Design: Sao Tamado
Color Design: Miyu Yamamoto
Director of Photography: Chiaki Tokuda
Editor: Masanori Utsunomiya
Music: Yoshihisa Hirano
Music Producer: Koichi Kikuchi
Animation Studio AIC PLUS+
A new key visual was also released:
In the story, the world is in trouble because Washu is stirring up trouble again. In order to save the world from crisis, Tenchi goes undercover as a teacher in a girls' school. However, many problems arise as Tenchi is predisposed to finding trouble.
Character designer Suzuhito Yasuda (Durarara!!, Yozakura Quartet) is designing the characters for the new series, Hiroshi Negishi (Tenchi Universe, Saber Marionette J) is returning to the franchise to direct, and Masaki Kajishima is credited as the original creator.
The city of Takahashi in Okayama Prefecture is sponsoring the new anime. The anime will be set in Takahashi, as the city hopes fans will come on a "pilgrimage" to see the setting of the anime, and plans to sell goods and host related events. The series is slated to run for 50 five-minute episodes on Tokyo MX starting in October.
The anime studio AIC is producing the series. AIC previously produced the first Tenchi Muyo! original video anime series and the projects that followed. The franchise is celebrating its 20th anniversary with this new project.
The series is slated to run for 50 five-minute episodes on Tokyo MX starting on October 6.
[Via Yaraon!]
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