Trigger has been a major name in the world of anime for years, with the studio made up of former high-profile Gainax talent being responsible for massive hits like Kill la Kill, Inferno Cop, Little Witch Academia, and, most recently, their theatrical film debut Promare. After putting out a wide-sweeping and incredibly successful movie, Trigger is heading back to the world of TV animation with their upcoming series BNA: Brand New Animal. Previously, the show was set to premiere first on Japanese television before later hitting Netflix. Plans have changed, though, and now the furry action-adventure is set to hit Netflix streaming first, with an early March 21st premiere.
Announced on the official website for BNA: Brand New Animal, the new broadcast plan is for the show to premiere first on Netflix on March 21st. This Netflix premiere will consist of the first six episodes, although it isn’t clear if they’ll be available worldwide or only on Netflix Japan. Afterward, the series will come to Japanese television via Fuji TV’s “+Ultra” broadcast block on April 8th. It will also air on Kansai TV, Tokai TV, TV Nishinippon Corporation, Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting Co., Ltd., and BS Fuji.
News of the updated broadcasting schedule was also accompanied by an updated cast list, revealing the following new actors and characters for the series:
- Kenji Nomura as Kōichi Ishizaki.
- Hiroshi Naka as Yūji Tachiki, a dog-human and detective for Anima City Police.
- Hiroshi Yanaka as Jem Horner, a chicken-human and head of the Animal-Human Consumers’ Co-operative group.
- Kimiko Saitō as Melissa Horner, a wombat-human and vice-president of the Animal-Human Consumers’ Co-operative group.
- Youhei Tadano as Giuliano Flip, a dolphin-human and boss of the mafia family that controls Anima City.
- Houchu Ohtsuka as Prime Minister Shiramizu of Japan.
They join the rest of the main cast, which includes:
- Yoshimasa Hosoya as Shirou Ogami, a wolf-human and misanthrope who comes to look after Michiru after a certain development leaves him no choice.
- Maria Naganawa as Nazuna Hiwatashi, a beautiful girl who is friends with Michiru and yearns to be an idol.
- Kaito Ishikawa as Alan Sylvasta, the young CEO of the Sylvasta drug manufacturer, and member of a distinguished family.
- Gara Takashima as Barbaray Rose, a naked mole-rat-human and the mayor of Anima City.
- Michiyo Murase as Mary Itami, who looks like a weasel but insists that she is a mink.
BNA: Brand New Animal is being directed by Yoh Yoshinari, who previously directed Little Witch Academia at Studio Trigger. Scripts for the series, meanwhile, are being written by Gurren Lagann and Kill la Kill scriptwriter Kazuki Nakashima. Genice Chan is contributing concept art to the series, while Yusuke Yoshigaki (Space Patrol Luluco, Ninja Slayer From Animation) is the character designer for the show. Naoki Takeda is the chief animation director, while Masanobu Nomura is the art director and Yukiko Kakita is the color key artist. The compositing director of photography is Nozomi Shitara, and editing is being handled by Kentarou Tsubone. Mabanua, the composer previously responsible for music from Kids on the Slope and Megalobox, is composing music for the series.