News

Dropout Idol Fruit Tart Anime Casts Yui Horie

The official website for the television anime of Sou Hamayumiba's Dropout Idol Fruit Tart (Ochikobore Fruit Tart) manga revealed an additional character and cast member on Friday. Yui Horie is voicing Oto Kogane.

The anime will premiere on October 12 on AT-X, Tokyo MX, and Sun TV; on October 13 on KBS Kyoto; and on October 14 BS-NTV. The anime was delayed from its original July premiere date due to the effects of the spread of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Funimation will stream the anime as it airs in Japan.

The previously announced cast includes:

Hiyori Nitta as Ino Sakura

Risa Kubota as Roko Sekino

Haruka Shiraishi as Hayu Nukui

Reina Kondo as Nina Maehara

Kyōka Moriya as Hemo Midori

Kaoru Sakura as Chiko Sekino, a Cream Anmitsu idol unit member

Yū Sasahara as Nua Nakamachi, a Cream Anmitsu idol unit member

Takako Tanaka as Rua Nakamachi, a Cream Anmitsu idol unit member

Yōko Hikasa also stars in the anime Hoho Kajino, Fruit Tart's manager. Rena Maeda and Yuiko Tatsumi are joining the cast as the Cream Anmitsu idol unit's manager Riri Higashi and Ino Sakura's classmate Tone Honmachi, respectively.

The manga's story begins when first-year high school student Ino Sakura heads to Tokyo to pursue becoming an idol. She teams up with fellow Nezumi Dorm residents — unpopular former child actor Roko, musician Hayu, and model Nina — to form the new idol unit Fruit Tart. These dropout idols get back on their feet and enter the world of show business to prevent their dorm from being demolished.

Keiichiro Kawaguchi (ISLAND, Million Doll, Please tell me! Galko-chan) is directing the series at feel. Kawaguchi is in charge of the series scripts with Tatsuya Takahashi (Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko, Ms. Koizumi loves ramen noodles). Sumie Kinoshita (Forest of Piano, Girlish Number) is designing the characters.

Additional staff members include:

• Main Animators: Motoaki Satou, Atsushi Yamamoto
• Art Director: Yoshimi Umino
• Art Design: Junko Nagasawa
• Background Art: Production ai
• Color Key Artist: Sari Tagawa
• Compositing Director of Photography: Fumi Nanba
• Editing: Rumi Maruyama
• Sound Director: Ryousuke Naya
• Sound Production: Studio Mausu
• Music: MONACA
• Music Production: Kadokawa

Hiyori Nitta, Risa Kubota, Haruka Shiraishi, Reina Kondo, and Kyōka Moriya are performing the opening and ending theme songs as their characters, under the in-story unit name "Fruit Tart." The opening theme song is titled "Kibō Darake no Everyday!" (Every Day is Filled With Hope), and the ending theme song is titled "Wonder!" The songs will ship on one CD single release on October 28.

The story debuted as a one-shot manga in the magazine in 2014. The manga then launched as a series in 2015. Houbunsha published the fourth compiled book volume in October.

Hamayumiba launched the earlier Hanayamata manga in Houbunsha's Manga Time Kirara Forward magazine in 2011 and ended it in 2018. The 10th and final compiled book volume shipped in April 2018. That manga inspired a television anime by Madhouse in 2014, and Crunchyroll streamed the series as it aired in Japan. Sentai Filmworks licensed the anime, and released it with an English dub on home video in 2016. The manga also inspired several smartphone apps, as well as a PlayStation Vita game in 2014.

Sources: Dropout Idol Fruit Tart anime's website, Comic Natalie