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Backflip!! Rhythmic Gymnastics Anime Film's Teaser Reveals Story, Returning Cast & Staff, July Debut

The official website for the upcoming Backflip!! (Bakuten!!) anime film based on the original television anime revealed the film's new teaser video and key visual. The teaser confirms the film's story premise and most of the returning cast and staff, and it also announces that the film will open this July.

The film will depict the "Ao High" boys' rhythmic gymnastics team's final challenge at the inter-high tournament.

The returning cast members include:

• Shimba Tsuchiya as Shōtarō Futaba
• Kaito Ishikawa as Ryōya Misato
• Daisuke Ono as Masamune Shichigahama
• Takashi Kondō as Keisuke Tsukidate
• Hiro Shimono as Nagayoshi Onagawa
• Hiroshi Kamiya as Kōtarō Watari
• Ayumu Murase as Mashiro Tsukiyuki
• Katsuyuki Konishi as Tōru Takase
• Kenichi Suzumura as Yōjirō Mutsu
• Tomokazu Sugita as Hideo Ōminato
• Sōma Saitō as Kyōichi Ryūgamori
• Daiki Yamashita as Shunsuke Azuma
• Ayane Sakura as Asawo Kurikoma
• Takahiro Sakurai as Shūsaku Shida
• Reina Ueda as Ayumi Futaba
• Kenichirō Matsuda as Shūji Mabuchi

The staff members include:

• Original Creator: Yotsugi Enpitsu
• Director: Toshimasa Kuroyanagi
• Rhythmic Gymnastics Practice Director: Fumiaki Kouta
• Script: Toshizo Nemoto
• Original Character Design: Robico
• Character Design/Chief Animation Director: Yuka Shibata
• Prop Design/Chief Animation Director: Aya Nakanishi
• Color Key Artist: Emi Chiba
• Art Setting: Mamio Ogawa
• Art Director: Yuka Hirama, Hiromasa Ogura
• 3D CG: Buemon
• CGI Director: Shūji Shinoda
• Director of Photography: Takahiro Hondai, Ryō Itō
• Editing: Daisuke Hiraki
• Sound Director: Yukio Nagasaki
• Music: Yuki Hayashi
• Rhythmic Gymnastics Uniform Design: Sasaki Sports
• Supervision: Aomori Yamada High School Boys Rhythmic Gymnastics Team
• Animation Production: ZEXCS
• Chief Producer: Yukiko Takase
• Producer: Akitoshi Mori, Noriko Iwasaki, Kiyoshi Shintaku

The Backflip!! original television anime premiered on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block on April 8. Crunchyroll is streamed the anime as it aired in Japan. The 12th and final episode aired on June 18.

The anime, which is set in Miyagi Prefecture, is one of three anime projects part of the larger "Zutto Ōen Project 2011 + 10..." initiative aimed at promoting Miyagi, Iwate, and Fukushima (the other two anime projects are Misaki no Mayoiga and Hula Fulla Dance). The "Zutto Ōen Project 2011 + 10..." is in remembrance of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami 10 years ago.

The anime is set in Miyagi Prefecture's Iwanuma City, and centers on a high school rhythmic gymnastics team. The anime follows Shōtarō Futaba, who is fascinated by gymnastics after seeing it in his third year of middle school, and joins the rhythmic gymnastics team of his new high school Sōshūkan High School, nicknamed "Ao High." He makes a friend with his schoolmate Ryōya Misato, who earned fame as a gymnast during middle school.

Toshimasa Kuroyanagi (The Great Passage, Omoi, Omoware, Furi, Furare) directed the anime at ZEXCS. Toshizo Nemoto (Log Horizon season 2, Macross Delta, Last Hope) was in charge of series composition and scripts. My Little Monster manga creator Robico drew the original character designs, while Yūki Shibata (Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season, Magical Sisters Yoyo & Nene, After the Rain) drew the character designs for animation, and was also the chief animation director. Fumiaki Kouta was the animation director for the rhythmic gymnastics. Yuki Hayashi composed the music. The band Centimillimental perform the opening theme song "Seishun no Enbu" (The Dance of Youth), and wacci perform the ending theme song "Anata ga Iru" (You Are Here).

Kei Sakuraba drew a manga adaptation, which premiered in Kodansha's Dessert magazine in January 2021. The manga ended on September 24.

Sources: Backflip!! film's website, Mantan Web