There’s something special about taking historic, real-life figures and turning them into horny anime characters. That simple concept is the fundamental backbone behind one of the world’s most financially successful franchises, the long-running Fate series. It’s a model aped by countless other games and series as well, from the horny video game girl versions of real-life warships in Azur Lane to the handsome hunky versions of famous swords in Touken Ranbu. There’s another online browser game utilizing the formula of “real thing + make it an anime boy = $$$,” and that’s Bungo to Alchemist. If you haven’t experienced it yet, you’ll have another way soon, as the game is getting an anime adaptation on April 3rd.
The official website for Bungo to Alchemist: Shinpan no Haguruma (Literary Greats and Alchemists: The Gears of Judgment) shared a blog update recently that confirmed the April 3rd premiere of the anime, which adapts the DMM Games developed PC browser game of the same name. The blog update also shared three new cast members, who will be reprising their roles from the game:
- Yuuki Tai as Haruo Satō
- Nobuhiko Okamoto as Junichirō Tanizaki
- Kouji Takahashi as Tatsuo Hori
They’re joined by Junichi Suwabe, who voices real-life novelist Ryunosuke Akutagawa. In the world of Bungo to Alchemist, players control special librarians who must join forces with the reborn versions of literary figures in order to battle together against supernatural forces attempting to corrode the world of literature. The game launched back in November of 2016, with a smartphone app launching for iOS and Android a year later in June.
The anime adaptation is set to premiere on TV Tokyo on April 3rd at the strangely specific time of 25:23 (technically meaning the show premieres on April 4th at 1:23 a.m.), before broadcasting later that night on TV Osaka and TV Aichi. The show will then debut on AT-X on April 4th at 11:00 p.m. Plans for streaming and overseas localization have yet to be confirmed.
Bungo to Alchemist: Shinpan no Haguruma is being produced at OLM, with Toshinori Watanabe of Tokyo Ghoul:re and MIX fame set to direct it. Jiro Ishii, who previously worked on Under the Dog and 428: Shibuya Scramble, is credited with crafting the world setting of the anime, as well as the original game. Jun Kumagai, who previously contributed writing to Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū and Hamatora, is set to write and supervise the scripts for the series. Atsuko Nakajima is serving as character designer and chief animation director, having previously worked on Ranma ½, Tokyo Ghoul:re, and Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom. Hideki Sakamoto (also known as NoixyCroak), the composer from the original game, is returning to compose for the anime alongside sound director Yasunori Ebina. Yoshina Nanjo will be performing the ending theme song for the anime, titled “Yabu no Naka no Synthesis.”
