News

Summer Pockets Anime Airs for Consecutive Half Year

Voice actress and singer Konomi Kohara posted on Instagram her photos at the "Summer Pockets Prologue Party" livestream event on Sunday, and stated that the anime of Visual Arts/Key's Summer Pockets visual novel will air in 2025 for two consecutive cours (quarters of a year). Kohara voices the character Shiroha Naruse in both the game and anime.

The game's insert song artist YURiKA also stated on a post on her X/Twitter account that the anime will run for two consecutive cours:

The staff had revealed in December 2021 that an anime was "in the works."

The anime will star:

• Shōya Chiba as Hairi Takahara
• Konomi Kohara as Shiroha Naruse
• Natsumi Takamori as Ao Sorakado
• Nene Hieda as Kamome Kushima (voiced by Tomomi Mineuchi in the game, Mineuchi quit voice acting in December 2022.)
• Emiri Iwai as Tsumugi Wenders

Additional cast announced during the event on Sunday are:

• Saku Ichimiya as Miki Nomura
• Sahomi Koyama as Shizuku Mizuori
• Aimi Tanaka as Umi Katō
• Megumi Takamoto as Kyoko Misaki
• Minoru Shiraishi as Kobato Naruse
• Konomi Suzuki as Inari
• Kentarō Kumagai as Ryoichi Mitani
• Yōhei Hamada as Tenzen Kanō

Tomoki Kobayashi (Akame ga KILL!, sola, Takunomi.) is directing the anime at studio feel. Keiichirō Ōchi (Adachi and Shimamura, Hinamatsuri, Go, Go, Loser Ranger!) is overseeing the series scripts and Mai Otsuka (Tearmoon Empire, Non Non Biyori) is designing the characters. Composers include Shinji Orito, Jun Maeda, Donmaru, Tomohiro Takeshita, Ryō Mizutsuki, and Shūhei Ōhashi. Konomi Suzuki, who performed the game's theme songs, is performing the anime's opening theme song "ALKA TALE" and the ending theme song "Lasting Moment."

Additional staff includes:

• Art: Bihou, Inc.
• Art Director: Shunichiro Yoshihara
• Art Setting: Kaoru Aoki
• Special Animation Director: Teruaki Tokumaru
• Color Design: Sari Tagawa
• Director of Photography: Fumi Nanba
• 3DCG Director: Kōhei Ogawa
• Editing: Rumi Maruyama
• Sound Director: Ryōsuke Naya

Summer Pockets originally launched for PC in June 2018 in Japan. Visual Arts/Key and Prototype launched the game's Nintendo Switch version digitally and physically in Japan in June 2019. Summer Pockets REFLECTION BLUE, an updated version of the game, launched for PC in Japan in June 2020. The new version has since launched on mobile devices, Switch, and PlayStation 4.

The game's English version launched for PC via Steam in February 2020.

The game takes place in a rural district of a certain isolated island. The story focuses on "one nostalgic summer."

Jun Maeda (Kanon, AIR, Clannad, Angel Beats!) is credited with the original concept. Na-Ga (Angel Beats!, Little Busters!, Charlotte), Tsubasu Izumi (Akane Iro ni Somaru Saka, Mashiroiro Symphony - The color of lovers), Yūnon Nagayama (Angel Beats!), and Fumuyun are credited with providing the original illustrations and character designs.

Yū Niijima (Koi x Shin Ai Kanojo, Majo Koi Nikki), KAI (Clannad, Rewrite, Harmonia), and Hasama (Tokyo Babel, Kimi to Kanojo to Kanojo no Koi.) wrote the scenario. Maeda composed the music with Shinji Orito (Angel Beats! Harmonia), Donmaru (planetarian, Little Busters!, Giniro, Haruka), and Tomohiro Takeshita (planetarian, Angel Beats!, Harmonia).

Sources: Konomi Kohara's Instagram account, YURiKA's X/Twitter account via Yaraon!