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Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion Z Anime Reveals Theme Song in Video

The staff for the anime for Takara Tomy's Shinkalion toy line revealed a promotional video and theme song for the new Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion Z television anime. BOYS AND MEN perform the theme song "New Challenger."

The anime will have a special early screening of the first episode online on March 26 at 7:25 p.m. JST. Details on how to view the episode will be announced on the anime's official website and Twitter account as soon as they are decided.

The anime will premiere on April 9 at 7:25 a.m. JST.

The cast includes:

• Minami Tsuda as Shin Arata, the first protagonist, and self-proclaimed "one who takes on mysteries of the world"
• Akari Kitō as Abuto Usui, the second protagonist, a genius grade schooler, and gifted mechanic
• Jun Fukuyama as SMAT, Abuto's mysterious robot mascot
• Yuka Terasaki as Hanabi Ōmagari, the driver of Shinkalion Z E6 Komaru and Shinkalion Z E6 Nex
• Michiko Kaiden as Taiju Togakushi, the driver of Shinkalion Z E7 Kagayaki and Shinkalion Z E7 Azusa
• Kanon Takao as Ayu Arata, Shin's older sister
• Marina Inoue as Akeno Myōjō, a mysterious woman who is a cameraman
• Takahiro Fujiwara as Goichi Shima, the maintenance leader of the Yokogawa branch of the Shinkansen Ultra Evolution Institute

The new anime's story is set a few years after the original anime, with the Shinkansen Ultra Evolution Institute developing the new "Shinkalion Z" robot, as well as the "Zailiner" combining support robot to combat new threats, with new children with high compatibility rates being chosen once again to pilot the transforming robots.

Kentaro Yamaguchi (Beyblade Burst God) is directing the anime at OLM, while the previous series' director Takahiro Ikezoe returns as chief director, and is also in charge of the series scripts alongside Masanao Akahoshi (Future Card Buddyfight). Yuka Aono returns as character designer. Masafumi Mima returns as sound director. Norihito Sumitomo (Dragon Ball Super) is composing the music. Shogakukan Music & Digital Entertainment is handling the CG animation.

The first Shinkalion anime premiered in January 2018, and ended in June 2019. The franchise also had an anime film titled Gekijō-ban Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion: Mirai Kara Shinsoku no ALFA-X (Shinkansen-Transforming Robot Shinkalion the Movie: The Mythically Fast ALFA-X That Came From Future), which opened in Japan in December 2019.

Source: Press release