The TV anime "#LookingForZombies," based on the manga by Katsuwo, known for works such as "Mitsuboshi Colors" and "Hitoribocchi no Marumaru Seikatsu," will begin airing on TV Asahi's anime block "IMAnimation" every Saturday at 11:30 PM starting in October. The series is a "zombie x youth comedy" set in a world where 90% of humanity has turned into zombies due to a mysterious infectious disease. The main cast includes Yuka Nukui as the protagonist Aki, Lynn as Aki's childhood friend Natsuki, Toshiya Miyata as Haru, Hibiki Yamamura as Yuu and Yuka Nukui as Sakura, whom Aki and his friends meet along the way.
The staff has also been announced, with Shinya Une serving as director, Kenichi Yamashita and Aki Itami handling series composition and scriptwriting, and Narumi Shimoji in charge of character design. Studio Comet will be producing the series.
A teaser visual has been released showing Aki and the other four characters with cheerful expressions on a rooftop against a backdrop of what appears to be a dilapidated Tokyo, along with a promotional video featuring the five characters.
Nemoto, who plays Aki, said, "When I read the original work, I thought that even though it's supposed to be a world of despair overrun with zombies, the characters in the story, especially Aki, live their days so vividly, making it a pop and refreshing work that gives us readers energy. I will be playing Aki, the most positive character in such a work! Aki's strength, and her somehow charming and reassuring personality. I'm looking forward to discovering more of Aki's charms that I haven't yet noticed through the voice recording. I will do my best to deliver an enjoyable work to everyone!!"
Lynn, who plays Natsuki, said, "Actually, I love zombie movies! I'm so happy to be able to appear in a zombie movie that I feel like I'm going to turn into a zombie! But I'll do my best not to! The group is working together towards a common goal in a harsh environment. I hope to portray their sense of teamwork. It's a heartwarming coming-of-age comedy that will make you think about family and friendship, so please enjoy it!"
Miyata, who plays Haru, said, "The original work is really interesting, and I think the exquisite balance between comedy and seriousness is the highlight. From the moment I recorded the audition, I went into it with the strong desire to get the part, so I'm really happy to be able to participate. There are many zombie works out there, but I think this is an idea that has never been seen before!!!! The fact that it's moving is the highlight, so I hope many people will watch it."
Yamamura, who plays Yuu, said, "I'm so happy to be appearing in a zombie anime for the first time in my voice acting career!? Recording hasn't started yet, so I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of zombie life Aki and the others will have in the anime. Yuu is a calm and collected person who can always make accurate judgments, but she's also a lovely girl with a cute side, like being terrible at sports and a little shy, so I'll do my best to convey all of Yuu's charms!"
Nukui, who plays Sakura, commented, "Sakura is an honest and adorable girl who loves Yuu very much. Contrary to her appearance, she is very...tough! She is a very interesting character. I am honored to be able to voice her. I will do my best in the voice recording so as not to be outdone by Sakura's toughness! In a world overrun with zombies, there are sad and difficult times. But despite that, the five of them are enjoying the present to the fullest! Even after defeating zombies, the food is delicious, it's fun to spend time with everyone, and the world is beautiful! Please look forward to this zombie-filled coming-of-age comedy!"
Director Une sent a message saying, "I'm working every day to bring to everyone the parts I like and the atmosphere I felt from the original work into an anime... which means it's not finished yet! It's tough! Highlights? I don't know! Katsuo-sensei's character is cute, the world view is interesting, the story has its own flavor in each episode, Aki is energetic, Natsuki is cute, Haru is muscular, I can't agree with Yu, Sakura is a big sister... I can't choose! I'm sorry. I'll do my best! This kind of writing could be edited endlessly by an AI, it's childish, and the words are driven by emotion, so I'm very sorry, but I hope you can enjoy the strange world with zombies along with Aki and the others without thinking too much about the details."
The series is a "zombie x youth comedy" serialized in "Comic Dengeki Daiohji" (KADOKAWA). Thirteen years after "The Red Day," when 90% of humanity turned into zombies due to a mysterious infectious disease, Aki, a girl born in a village isolated from the zombies, sets out into the zombie-infested outside world with her childhood friends Haru and Natsuki to find her father who left the village.
◇Staff (titles omitted)
Director: Shinya Une; Assistant Director: Kyohei Suzuki; Series Composition/Screenplay: Kenichi Yamashita, Aki Itami; Character Design: Narumi Shimoji; Music: Kenta Higashioji; Animation Production: Studio Comet
◇Cast (titles omitted)
Aki: Kyori Nemoto; Natsuki: Lynn; Haru: Toshiya Miyata; Yu: Hibiki Yamamura; Sakura: Yuka Nukui
