Youth sports novel "DIVE! , a TV anime adaptation in July 2017!　The main character, Tomoki Sakai, will be played by Hiroki Kaji.

The novel "DIVE! TV anime adaptation of the novel "DIVE!

The novel "DIVE!!!" (Kadokawa Bunko) is a novel by Eto Mori, known for "Colorful," which has also been made into an anime. It is an adolescent sports work based on the "diving competition" of swimming, and the main character, Sakai Chiki, and his team's goal of competing in the Olympics has become a topic of conversation. It has also been made into a live-action movie and a comic book, which also gained popularity.

The anime adaptation was announced at the "Fuji TV Noitamina Project Presentation 2017" held on December 15, 2016. At the event, it was announced that Hiroki Kaji would play the role of the main character, Tomoki Sakai, and a teaser PV narrated by Kaji was also released.

The staff includes Kaoru Suzuki, director of "Battery," Doko Waita of "SHOW BY ROCK! and Yasudasuzuhito of "Yozakura Shijyutsu" fame will be in charge of character planning.
Broadcasting will begin in July 2017 on Fuji Television Network's "Noitamina" and other channels. The official website is here ( # ).

Comments from the original author, Eto Mori, and other staff and cast members have also arrived.
The comments are as follows.

Comments
Eto Mori
Only 1.4 seconds. Diving is a momentary competition. I am really looking forward to seeing how you will show us the dreams of the boys who bet on that moment, their enthusiasm, and the trials and tribulations that lead up to it, on the new stage of animation.

Director: Kaoru Suzuki
─ What are your impressions of the original story "DIVE! Please tell us about your impressions and the appeal of "DIVE!
I was pulled in from the very first scene and read it in one sitting right up to the end. It was very interesting and gave me a great feeling of exhilaration after reading it! That is my honest impression.

──What were the most important, difficult, or conscious aspects of the anime adaptation?
Tomoki, Yoichi, and Splash. I wanted to create a dynamic and beautiful image of the fresh and dazzling youth of these teenage boys, combined with the sparkling surface of the water, which is another essential part of the swimming competition.
I would also like to passionately depict the drama of each of the three as they struggle to grasp what diving means to them, overcome their struggles, and grow as diving athletes.

─ ─ Do you have a message for those who are looking forward to the broadcast?
I am very honored to be involved in the anime adaptation of this work.
The entire staff will do our best to make this a wonderful work that will be enjoyed by both fans of the original work and those who are familiar with this work from the anime!

Series Composition: Doko Waita
─ What did you think of the original work "DIVE! Please tell us about your impressions and the appeal of "DIVE!
What do you think of the main characters' respective feelings toward the sport of diving? I was also attracted by the detailed and fresh depiction of how their feelings change in the face of the ultimate goal for athletes, the Olympics. My favorite line was, "There is no other way but to dive in. No ordinary friends, no ordinary family, no special woman, no travel memories, no hobbies, nothing. Other than diving, I had nothing. It was a line that really struck a chord with me.

─ ─ What were the important, difficult, or conscious aspects of the anime adaptation?
As I mentioned before, I wanted to depict the boys' emotions and behavior in an appealing way as much as possible, which I feel is the charm of the work.
The difficulty is, after all, that I was completely ignorant of the rules of the sport of diving and the excellence of its performance, so I would like to work on the scenario while learning a lot. I would like to learn a lot while working on the scenario. How to portray "a mere 1.4 seconds in the air..." in a cool way is also an issue for me.

─ Do you have a message for those who are looking forward to the broadcast?
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are just around the corner. This is a sports film suitable for that time of the year. I hope you will all watch the main characters in front of your TV sets, crying and laughing along with them.

Character Planning/Yasudasuhito
─ What are your impressions of the original story "DIVE! Please tell us about your impressions and the appeal of "DIVE!
Actually, I was going to decline the project at first because of my schedule, but the moment I finished reading the original work, I felt strongly that I wanted to draw it! I really love the last scene. I really love the last scene, so I can't wait to see it in the anime.

──What were the most important, difficult, or conscious aspects of the anime adaptation?
Since there are no illustrations to begin with and the visual images vary widely from one reader to the next, it is a trial-and-error process to find the right balance between keeping the greatest common denominator and deciding where the most important parts are to be overwritten. I am trying to keep the original work as important as possible, and I am trying to convey the splendor of the original work in the visual aspect of the work.

─ ─ Do you have a message for those who are looking forward to the broadcast?
What is your message to those who are looking forward to the broadcast of the film? The reason why we accepted the project even with such a crazy schedule is because the original work was just wonderful. Whether you start with the anime or the original, I hope you will enjoy both in the end.

Tomoki Sakai / Yuki Kaji
─ How do you feel about the decision to appear in "DIVE! Please tell us how you feel now that you have been chosen to appear in "DIVE!
I don't know much about the sport of diving at this point, but I have always thought it was a cool sport, even though it looks difficult, whenever I saw it on TV. I am very happy to be able to be involved in the original "DIVE! I am very happy to be able to be involved in the original "DIVE! I look forward to working with you.

─ ─ This is a work about pursuing your own unique moment, what is the one moment that you cherish?
When I am acting!

─ ─ Do you have a message for those who are looking forward to the broadcast?
I hope I can help express the charm of the sport of diving as depicted in the original work in the form of an anime. I would be more than happy if this work could trigger your interest in the sport of diving. Please look forward to its broadcast.