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Luminous Witches Anime Casts Kyō Tachibana

The official website for the Renmei Kūgun Kōkū Mahō Ongakutai Luminous Witches (Allied Air Force Magical Idols Luminous Witches) television anime revealed on Thursday that Kyō Tachibana will play Joanna Elizabeth Stafford. The website also revealed a visual of all nine cast members in costume.

Kyō Tachibana as Joanna Elizabeth Stafford, 12 years old. Her familiar is a prairie dog, and she sings vocals. She is a native of New York City in Liberion, and has the nickname "Jo." When she awakened as a Witch, she decided to enlist in the Liberion Navy in order to provide for eight younger brothers in the place of her parents, who were sickly. She is a talented artist, and designed the unit emblem and the Witches' personal insignias. At 12 years old, she is the youngest among the Witches, but treats at least half of them like younger sisters.

The previously revealed cast includes:

• Sayaka Tsuzuki as Eleonore Giovanna Gassion (third from left in image below)
• Ami Aimoto as Lyudmila Andreyevna Rouslanova (fourth from left)
• Mai Narumi as Virginia Robertson (fifth from left)
• Minako Hosogawa as Inori Shibuya (fourth from right)
• Ryō Mamiya as Aira Payvikki Linnamar (third from right)
• Momo Hanae as Maria Magadalene Dietrich (second from right)
• Misaki Yūki as Manaia Matawhaura Hato (far right)
• Miu Kotosaka as Sylvie Cariello (second from left)

The anime will premiere in 2021. The story centers on a unique squadron of "witches who don't fight." Instead, the squadron sing and perform music to protect the smiles of those who have been driven out of their hometowns by the Neuroi.

Humikane Shimada drew the character designs for the new Witches. Shimada and Projekt World Witches are credited with the original work. Shouji Saeki (episode director and scriptwriter for Strike Witches and Strike Witches 2) directing the anime and handling the series composition. Shinya Murakami is credited for the "Witches series literature." Kadokawa is producing the music.

An idol group based on the new project debuted last year. The group's first single CD, "Flying Skyhigh," will ship on May 27.

The overall franchise's story centers on an alien invasion by beings known as the Neuroi. The only way to damage and ultimately defeat them lies in Witches, girls who possess magical powers and are capable of wielding Striker Units that enhance their abilities and allow them to maneuver in the air. The characters in the franchise are often based on real-life aerial aces from various nationalities.

The series is based on illustrator Humikane Shimada's mecha-girl illustrations, and Shimada is credited as the original creator and character designer for the franchise. The mixed-media franchise began with a manga in 2005, and a light novel series in 2006, both of which focus on different characters from the eventual Strike Witches anime. The anime premiered in 2008, and it spawned a sequel, a film, and an OVA series. The franchise also spawned the Brave Witches anime in October 2016, as well as numerous spinoff manga, novels, and games.

The new Strike Witches: 501st JOINT FIGHTER WING Take Off! (Strike Witches 501 Butai Hasshinshimasu!) TV and online anime series premiered on April 9, and a 30-minute film opened in Japan on October 4. The Strike Witches: Road to Berlin TV anime will premiere in 2020.

Sources: Luminous Witches anime's website, MoCa News