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Crunchyroll, Adult Swim's Fena: Pirate Princess Original Anime Reveals Trailer, Art, Cast, Staff, Summer Launch
posted on by Alex Mateo
Crunchyroll and Adult Swim revealed on Wednesday the main cast, staff, trailer, art, and summer launch for the new "Crunchyroll Originals" anime Fena: Pirate Princess. The Crunchyroll and Adult Swim co-production will air with an English dub on Adult Swim's Toonami block, and it will stream simultaneously in Japanese with English subtitles on Crunchyroll this summer.
The Japanese cast includes:
Ryōta Suzuki as Yukimaru, the introverted, katana-wielding bodyguard of the Houtman family. He is extremely protective of Fena.
Takahiro Sakurai as Shitan, the handsome, elite warrior who can kill with his bow and arrow—or his looks. Though on the surface he seems aloof, he greatly values his friends.
Aoi Yūki as Karin, who was raised by a family of blacksmiths. Karin geeks out over technology like her rifle, which she uses to great effect in battle.
Gen Sato as Enju, Kaede's elder twin. They both use a spear and wakizashi in battle, they're both friendly and mischievous, but Enju feels he's more dependable than his younger brother.
Ryota Ohsaka as Kaede, Enju's younger twin. Kaede feels he's more manly than his elder brother.
Jun Oosuka as Tsubaki, the oldest and most mature member of the group, he manages everyone's wild energy. He's also the cook, but when he fights, he uses a short ninja sword.
Shintarō Tanaka as Makaba, a mountain of a boy prefers fighting in close quarters with brass knuckles. When he's not fighting, he's kind-hearted and mild-mannered.
Manabu Muraji as Salman, an older knight who was once called “Salman the Onslaught” for being so deadly with a spear. He's known Fena since she was a girl as he served the Houtman family for some time.
Hiroaki Hirata as Otto, another older knight who served the Houtman family and possessed an intimidating nickname in his younger days—"Otto the Blitz" for his quick swordplay
Kazuto Nakazawa (B: The Beginning, Blood+, Parasite Dolls) is directing the series at Production I.G, and he is also credited with the original story. Asako Kuboyama is writing the screenplay. Yuki Kajiura (Demon Slayer, Sword Art Online, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works) is composing the music, and FlyingDog is producing the music.
The companies unveiled production art:
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Fena: Pirate Princess is currently streaming for 2021 Annecy International Animated Film Festival attendees. The series was selected as a Work in Progress series with a panel featuring director Kazuto Nakazawa and producer Rui Kuroki from studio Production I.G
Crunchyroll describes the series:
Fena: Pirate Princess is a 12 episode original anime series that tells the tale of a young orphan girl, Fena Houtman. Fena has been raised on an Island where there is no hope of becoming anything more than chattel, to be used and discarded by soldiers of the British Empire. But Fena is more than just another powerless orphan. When her mysterious past comes knocking, Fena will break the chains of her oppressors. Her goal: forge a new identity, free of bondage, and search for a place where she can truly belong and find out the true mysteries behind a keyword “Eden.” It is the story of a lifetime adventure she and her crew of misfits and unlikely allies will have, in pursuit of her goals!
Production I.G producer Rui Kuroki announced at the Production I.G. USA panel at Anime Expo Lite in July 2020 that Production I.G is working on an anime series in collaboration with Adult Swim. Kuroki stated that the work is "something Production I.G has never done before.”
Crunchyroll previously stated it has co-produced more than 60 series since 2015, including The Rising of The Shield Hero, A Place Further Than the Universe, and The Junji Ito "Collection". Recent "Crunchyroll Originals" anime include Gibiate, Tower of God, The God of High School, Noblesse, TONIKAWA: Over The Moon For You, So I'm a Spider, So What?, and EX-ARM.
Crunchyroll announced the "Crunchyroll Originals" line in 2015 with Hiroyuki Takahashi's HYPERSONIC music club webcomic as the first installment. Crunchyroll serialized the original webcomic PARK Harajuku: Crisis Team!, which inspired the Urahara anime.
Update: Added Japanese visual. Source: Comic Natalie
Update 2: The anime will premiere in Japan in October. Source: Fena: Pirate Princess anime's Twitter account
Source: Press release, email correspondence
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