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Minami Tanaka, Yuka Maruyama, Rui Tanabe Join Hai-Furi Anime's Cast

The official website for the Hai-Furi television anime series announced three more cast members with character designs and descriptions Tuesday-Thursday.

Minami Tanaka as Junko Heki (nickname: Jun-chan), who likes playing ring toss and eating deer meat, but dislikes broccoli.

Yuka Maruyama as Ritsuko Matsunaga (nickname: Ricchan), who is an expert at bowling and likes butter, but dislikes margarine. She was born on October 12 (astrological sign Libra) with blood type B.

Rui Tanabe as Kayoko Himeji (nickname: Kayo-chan), who is an expert at bowling and likes to eat eggplant, but she dislikes eating wild plants. She was born on August 2 (astrological sign Leo) with blood type A.

Previously revealed cast members include:

Shiina Natsukawa as the heroine Akeno Misaki (nickname: Mike-chan), a forward-looking, big-hearted girl. She enjoys canoeing, curry, and pudding, but not raw oysters. Her best school subject is Japanese, and her worst is math. She is 152 centimeters (about 5 feet) tall, and she was born on July 20 (astrological sign Cancer) in Nagano Prefecture with blood type B.

Lynn as Mashiro Munetani (nickname: Shiro-chan), who likes fortune-telling and raw flounder sashimi, but not beef rib meat. She excels at all school subjects as a calm, collected honors student. However, she is very unlucky. Her favorite saying is, "All misfortunes are just stepping stones to the future." She is 159 centimeters (about 5 feet, 3 inches) tall, and she was born on May 27 (astrological sign Gemini) with blood type A.

Sora Amamiya as Moeka China (nickname: Moka-chan), who is Akeno's childhood friend, and is always giving encouragement to Akeno. She is an excellent leader, and has no subjects she isn't good at. She is 158 centimeters (about 5 feet, 2 inches) tall, and she was born on July 25 (astrological sign Leo) in Nagano Prefecture with blood type AB.

Nozomi Furuki as Tateishi Shima (nickname: Tama-chan), who likes watching sports, playing softball, curry, and sautéed chicken, but she dislikes rice gruel and rice porridge. She excels at P.E. but isn't good at science. Her favorite phrase is "Silence is golden." She is taciturn and mature, but she isn't good at communicating with others. She is 147 centimeters (about 4 feet 10 inches) tall, and she was born on August 5 (astrological sign Leo) with blood type A.

Atsumi Tanezaki as Mei Irizaki (nickname: Mei-chan), whose hobbies are shogi and carpentry, and who likes eel and rice bowls. She dislikes cold soba noodles and is bad at P.E., but she is good at Japanese history. She has an impatient personality. She is 146 centimeters (about 4 feet 9 inches) tall, and she was born on January 28 (astrological sign Aquarius) with blood type AB.

Miharu Sawada as Hikari Ogasawara (nickname: Hikari-chan), who likes playing darts and eating horse meat, but dislikes bell peppers.

Hitomi Kikuchi as Michiru Takeda (nickname: Micchan), who likes playing billiards and eating wild boar meat, but dislikes tomatoes.

The website is revealing a new voice cast member every day this month.

The anime's site describes the story:

"In the sea we live, the sea we protect, and by the sea we go ... Blue Mermaids!"

Japan, 100 years after plate subductions caused many other countries to be submerged.

To save the remaining countries, the coastal cities that had been built up were launched into the seas, and the seaborne routes between them expanded. With this expansion, a need for personnel that could safeguard the seas arose.

Women began to seek employment in this new industry, and soon, the "Blue Mermaids," those who keep the sea safe, began to be a source of admiration for many.

The childhood friends Akeno Misaki and Moeka China sought to become Blue Mermaids themselves, and together with others who shared their dream, they enrolled in Yokosuka's Marine High School.

Yuu Nobuta (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2, Blade & Soul episode director) is directing the series at Production IMS. Reiko Yoshida (Non Non Biyori, K-ON!, Yowamushi Pedal) is handling series composition, and Atto (Non Non Biyori) is drawing more than 30 original character designs for the series. Naoto Nakamura (A Certain Scientific Railgun, Haganai) is serving as the character designer and chief animation director. Takaaki Suzuki (Girls und Panzer, Strike Witches, Upotte!! military history adviser) is credited with the original work for the series. Graphinica is credited for the show's CG graphics, photography, and editing.

Voice actress group TrySail is performing the opening theme song "High Free Spirits." Luna Haruna is performing the show's ending theme song "Ripple Effect."

The series will premiere on April 9 at midnight on BS11 and Tokyo MX. The series will also air on Tochigi TV, Gunma TV, Sun TV, KBS Kyoto, TV Aichi, TV Hokkaido, and TVQ Kyushu Broadcasting.