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HIDIVE Streams Shikizakura Anime's English Dub

HIDIVE announced on Friday that it will begin streaming an English dub for Chukyo TV and Sublimation's original "near-future science-fiction battle action" anime Shikizakura on November 6 at 12:30 p.m. EDT in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, Central America, and Scandinavian countries. The company began streaming an English clip on its official Facebook page.

The English cast includes:

• Bryson Baugus as Kakeru
• Brittney Karbowski as Young Kakeru
• Courtland Johnson as Ibara
• Melissa Molano as Oka
• Clint Bickham as Kippei/Young Kippei
• Alyssa Marek as Kaede
• Cat Thomas as Haruko
• Jeremy Gee as Ryo
• Christie Guidry as Benio
• Genevieve Simmons as Hazuki
• Elissa Cuellar as Tobe
• Cara Nguyen as Miya

Additional voices include John Swasey, Kyle Colby Jones, Genevieve Simmons, Christie Guidry, Cara Nguyen, Crystal Ruiz, Natalie Jones, and Shannon D. Reed.

Patrick Marrero is the audio engineer, and Brent Marshall is the mix engineer. Ian Fagen is the translator. Marta Bechtol and Shannon D. Reed are writing the English script.

The anime premiered on October 9 on Chukyo TV. Hulu will also stream each episode in Japan the day after broadcast, followed by other services four days later. HIDIVE is streaming the anime as it airs in Japan.

The first episode of the anime debuted on the Anime Expo Lite online event on July 4. Anime Expo describes the anime:

In the place of Shikizakura (cherry trees), where autumn leaves and cherry blossoms are flourishing and where the human world intersects with the demon world, a ritual to save the human world is about to begin…

Kakeru Miwa, a high school student, gets involved in a battle between powered suits and oni that emerge from the demon world to prey on Onis manifest themselves in this world by possessing humans. Only “Yoroi,” powered suit that is a fusion of ancient secrets and cutting-edge technology, can protect people from onis. Kakeru puts on a Yoroi by chance and becomes a semi-official member of a team that fights against onis.

Determined to become a hero, Kakeru battles Onis to protect Ouka Myojin, the shrine maiden destined to save the world. In the season of Shikizakura, in midst of autumn leaves and a flurry of cherry petals, Ouka performs a dance as a shrine maiden. At the place where the past and the future, this world and the alien world, people's thoughts and hopes all meet, a tale of heroic action-adventure begins!

The anime is set in the Tōkai region, and most of the series' main staff members are based in the area. Shin'ya Sugai (Walking Meat) is directing the anime at Sublimation (Love Live! Sunshine!!, Ghost in the Shell Arise, Yamato 2202 CG animation), with Tomoyasu Nishimura (Maria the Virgin Witch, Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit) as producer. Both Sugai and Nishimura are board members of Sublimation. Ryōga Inoue (K&K Design) is credited for character designs, and Manabu Nakatake (Sket Dance) is designing those characters for animation. Takumi Saitō is credited as both composer and sound director.

Asuka performs the opening theme song "Believe Myself," and May'n performs the anime's ending theme song "Shikizakura."

Source: HIDIVE