Production of TV animation "Onihei" is decided!　Shotaro Ikenami's popular historical novel "Onihei Hankacho" will be adapted into an anime with unique expressions!

TV anime "Onihei" has been announced.

Based on Shotaro Ikenami's historical novel series "Onihei Hankacho" (Bungeishunju), which has sold a total of 27 million copies. Set in Edo (present-day Tokyo), the series depicts Heizo Hasegawa, the "Hitsuke Touzoku Aaratamekata," or "Firebrand Thief Reformer," as he brings the villains to justice, and has gained popularity among a wide range of people. The work has been widely adapted into live-action dramas and manga, but this is the first time it has been made into an anime. The producer is Masao Maruyama, producer of "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" and "Summer Wars," director and character designer Shigeyuki Miya, director of "BUZZER BEATER" and "Lupin III: GREEN vs. RED," production by TMS Entertainment, and animation production by Studio M2.

Presented this time is a visual of the main character, Heizo Hasegawa. The "Onihei" has been given a modern, tall, stylish appearance, and his activities are sure to attract attention.

＜Comment from Masao Maruyama
In the half century that I have been involved in animation, I have only encountered a few titles that could be called period dramas, such as "Samu toichi catcher's tale" by Rintaro and Morimi Murano, "The Tree of Sunlight" written by Osamu Tezuka with Gisaburo Sugii, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri's masterpiece "Zubei Ninpoucho" (......5). That's just about it.
This time, however, a once-in-a-decade opportunity has come our way to do a full-fledged period drama in animation. It is "Onihei Hankacho.The trouble is, I am an Ikenami fan and an Onihei fan at heart. To be honest, I am under a lot of pressure. Is it really us?However, I could not pass up this once-in-ten-years or once-in-twenty-years opportunity. We could take on the challenge of creating an entertainment that is different from live-action films and is unique to anime.

First of all, Onihei, at first I tried to make him as an old man, but as an animated character, I tried to emphasize his youthfulness a little. Of course, I also tried to give him a relaxed and relaxed atmosphere, in the style of the original work. The character design by Shigeyuki Miya, who is also the director, was the perfect choice.The city of Edo is realistic yet artistic and beautiful, and the music is a jazz atmosphere by Kohei Tanaka and Ryu Kawamura, the best bassist in Japan!
How far can we go in creating an appealing anime that does not merely trace the original story, without compromising the original work? This is the game.
A high quality, orthodox period drama with a touch of quirkiness that can only be achieved in a period drama.A modern and stylish sense of style, while keeping a solid historical background in mind. Of course, it is dynamic! And of course, the showmanship of the unprecedented.We aim to create a beautiful and unique world by sublimating opposites.

We, who have been fascinated by the charm of Onihei, should look straight at the world of Shotaro Ikenami, who pursued the subtleties of human feelings while strictly pursuing the evil. We hope that we can continue to pursue the world of Shotaro Ikenami, who pursued evil with severity and tenderness, and most of all, we hope that we can produce a period drama "Onihei" that can be enjoyed by everyone and that it can only be done now.