TV anime "Mashiro no Otoko" to air in April, 2nd PV released! Additional character visuals performed by Hiroki Kaji and others are revealed!

The second PV, additional character visuals, and cast information for the TV anime "Mashiro no Otoko," which will be broadcast from April 2, 2021 (Friday), have been released.

Mashiro no Otoko" is a Tsugaru shamisen and coming-of-age story serialized by Marishige Ragawa in "Monthly Shonen Magazine" (Kodansha). The main character, Sawamura Yuki, who moved to Tokyo from Aomori, meets a Tsugaru shamisen lovers' group and grows up in the story.

⇒The latest 27th volume is scheduled to be released on March 17, 2021! Character visuals and casts of the members of Tsugaru Shamisen Lovers' Association were revealed!

⇒Click here for the list of Spring 2021 Anime!

The second PV depicting Snow, who came to Tokyo alone from Aomori, meets the Tsugaru Shamisen Lovers' Association and grows up in search of her own unique sound has been released. The characters who appear in Tsugaru Shamisen Koshien are also noteworthy.

Additional character visuals and cast members were also revealed.
Shogoro Sawamura is played by Tomohisa Aso, Takaomi Kaji by Yuki Kaji, Ushio Arakawa by Fukutsugu Ochiai, Sakura Yamano by Yumena Taniguchi, Keiko Koyabu by Tomoha Takayanagi, Hiroshi Otawara by Masaya Kimura, and Taketo by Tetsuya Kakihara. Comments from each cast member have also arrived.

In addition, the show will air on AT-X every Thursday from April 8 at 21:30.

Second PV

The second PV depicts Snow, who came to Tokyo alone from Aomori, meeting the Tsugaru shamisen lovers' association and growing up in search of her own unique sound!
The characters who appear in Tsugaru Shamisen Koshien are also noteworthy.

Character Introductions & Cast Comments

*Honorifics omitted. Original text at

■Matsugorou Sawamura CV: Tomohisa Aso

Grandfather of Yuki and master of the shamisen. Just before he passed away, he told Snow, who was imitating him, "Don't play the shamisen after I die. He spent 30 years of his life perfecting the improvisation "Haru Dawn," which Snow had longed to play.

＜Tomohisa Aso (Shogoro Sawamura) comments

───Could you tell us your impression of this film?
The snow is adolescent, properly.
Everyone is alive, properly.

It is very pleasant.
Very pleasant.
Very funny.

─ ─ Could you tell us about your impression of the character you play and your enthusiasm for the role?
I see... ・・・・・・
What is Shougoro to Snow...
What was Shougoro like for each of the characters...
How did you see everyone?
　　　　How do you see him?
He's not a man of many words. ・・・・・・・

Good morning. Is it Shougoro? That's perfect. Hehehe."

Oh no! The microphone is right in front of me!

■Takaomi Kaji ( Takaomi Kaji) CV: Hiroki Kaji

A shamisen player who leads the Osaka Prefecture representative team "Billiken-san. He is popular among women because of his appearance, but his performance is steady and careful, and his flawless playing has an appeal that attracts people.

＜Comment from Hiroki Kaji (playing Takaomi Kaji)

─ ─ Could you tell us your impression of this work?
I believe that the personality and essence of the performer is expressed in the performance of music. You can always catch a glimpse of the "personality" that encompasses both strength and weakness. I feel that this work is a warm story that depicts not only the charm of the traditional Japanese performing arts, but also the growth and interaction of the human heart through the Tsugaru Shamisen, a musical instrument.

─ What is your impression of the character you play and how do you feel about the role?
I am very happy to play the role of "Kaji," which I did not expect! (Kaji is a talented shamisen player, but at the same time he is a normal, young boy in the best sense of the word. The Kansai dialect was a hurdle, but I carefully played the role while being aware of the softness that he possesses.

Arakawa Ushio (CV: Fukutsugu Ochiai)

He is a third-year student who belongs to the Toho Gakuin Japanese Instrument Club in Fukuoka Prefecture. He likes to stand out in the center of the stage. He attracts audiences with his wildly original performances and powerful playing.

＜Ochiai Fukutsugu (playing the role of Arakawa Shio) commented: ─ ─ What is your impression of this film?

─ ─ Could you tell us your impression of this work?
I liked the original work of Mashiro no Otoko and had been reading it for a long time.
I was wondering if it would ever be made into an anime, and then it was! I am very happy! It was the work that led me to know the shamisen deeply, so I hope that more people will learn about the shamisen through the anime.

───Can you give us an impression of the character you play and your enthusiasm for the role?
Ushio is a very powerful shamisen player. As a performer, I am very happy to meet him because he is powerful and single-minded about the shamisen.
I still remember the powerful shamisen tone that Ushio played in the rehearsal VTR, which really inspired me when I was playing the role!

YAMANO Sakura CV: TANIGUCHI Yumena

A first-year junior high school student. She is the only daughter of Toraji Yamano, the landlord of the boarding house and owner of "Tanukuchi Shokudo" (Tanukuchi Restaurant) where Snow has just moved in. She is a caring person, and has had a crush on Yuki ever since she heard her play.

＜Comments from Yumena Taniguchi (Yamano Sakura)

───Could you tell us your impression of this work?
The main character, Yuki, is incredibly sensitive and emotional, and it really grabbed me when I was reading the story.
But the world of sound is complicated and difficult... (laughs).
I was looking forward to seeing how I could express such a world as an actor.

─ ─ Could you tell us about your impression of the character you play and your enthusiasm for the role?
My first impression of Sakura was that she was a reserved and quiet girl. I thought she was reserved and quiet.
But as I started to play her, I found that she was the complete opposite of that impression. She was very clear, honest, cute, and a "mother to all" (laugh).
(laughs) I would be happy if everyone could see how hard she works and how pure she is in her support for Yuki!

Keiko Koyabu CV: Tomoha Takayanagi

A female teacher who is the advisor of Tsugaru Shamisen lovers' group. She became an advisor because Seiryu Kamiki, who left the shamisen to the school, was a handsome man, and she has no knowledge of the shamisen at all.

＜Comment from Tomoha Takayanagi (Keiko Koyabu)

─ ─ Could you tell us about your impression of this film?
I felt that this is a work in which each character's feelings and growth are beautifully and delicately portrayed, with the Tsugaru shamisen as the main character. Even though I was reading the book without any sound, I felt as if the sound of the Tsugaru shamisen was naturally echoing in my head, and I could feel the atmosphere of the story in my skin.

─ ─ Could you tell us about your impression of the character you play and your enthusiasm for the role?
If I were one of Mr. Koyabu's students, I would go to him during recess to chat with him as if we were friends. On the other hand, she also has a side of a teacher who watches over her students, and I think she is a person overflowing with love in every aspect of her role.

Hiroshi Ohtawara CV: Masaya Kimura

Owner of the Japanese instrument store "Suzune. After repairing Seiryu Kamiki's shamisen, he takes on the role of instructing the members of the Tsugaru Shamisen Enthusiasts' Association.

＜Masaya Kimura (played by Hiroshi Ohtawara) comments

─ ─ What is your impression of this work?
Music" in manga can only be imagined. How did you feel when Nodame, NANA, Keion, etc. were made into anime?
I am sure that the anime Mashiro no Otoko will have an impact beyond those.
Do you know the power and impact of Tsugaru shamisen?
The Tsugaru shamisen is the star of Mashiro no Oto. Please experience its sound.
Jonkara-bushi has the soul of Japan. When I drink sake at a folk bar and think of the snow in Tsugaru, even I, a Fukuoka person, cry a lot!

─ ─ Could you tell us about your impression of the character you play and your enthusiasm for the role?
I'm very honored to be given such a great role for my debut as a voice actor.
I'm not as good as Hiroshi Ohtawara, but I am also a big fan of the Tsugaru shamisen.
I go to a lot of folk bars, and I even sing bad folk songs in front of customers, shamelessly or not.
So I am a "big bale" in heart and soul.
I would be very happy if young people are interested in Tsugaru shamisen after seeing Mashiro-no-oto.
I will support them as much as I support Ohtawara.

Tetsuya Kakihara, CV: Taketo

Vocal of the indie band "Pink Punk Gadget. He is Tateki Yuna's boyfriend. He is proud of his band's popularity and has a bad taste in women.

＜Tetsuya Kakihara (Takeru Taketo) comments

─ ─ Could you tell us your impression of this work and the character you play?
My name is Tetsuya Kakihara, and I play the role of Taketo. I am very honored to be cast in Marishige Ragawa's "Mashiro no Otoko".
Personally, I was allowed to stretch out and freely rampage, which made it a very enjoyable work. Laughs

The actor playing the role was also drawn into the unprecedented story woven by Tsugaru shamisen and Aomori dialect.

Please look forward to future spin-offs of Taketo Story!

Work information
TV animation "Mashiro no Otoko" (The Sound of Mashiro)
＜Broadcasting and distribution information
Broadcasting will begin on April 2, 2021 from 2:25 AM on MBS/TBS/BS-TBS "Anime-ism" slot!
TBS: Every Friday night from April 2 at 2:25 a.m.
MBS: Every Friday night from April 2 at 2:25 p.m.
BS-TBS: Every Friday night from April 2 at 3:00 p.m.

AT-X: Every Thursday from April 8 (Thu.) at 9:30 p.m.
Repeats: Every (Mon.) 9:30 / Every (Wed.) 15:30
Broadcast dates and times are subject to change.
Exclusive distribution on Amazon PrimeVideo

＜Introduction
My sound..."
Sawamura Shogoro is a legendary Tsugaru shamisen player. Sawamura Shogoro is a young boy whose grandfather, Sawamura Yuki, has been unable to play the shamisen since his grandfather's death. ......
Having lost his "favorite sound," Snow moves to Tokyo without any means.
A woman working at a cabaret club, Tateki Yuna, helps him out and he ends up performing the Tsugaru shamisen as the starter for a live show.
Snow plays the shamisen, putting her various encounters and feelings on the tone of the instrument.
Continuously searching for her own sound, her own feelings...

<Staff> <Staff> <Staff> <Staff> <Staff
Original Story: Marishige Ragawa (serialized in Kodansha's "Monthly Shonen Magazine")
Director : Hiroaki Akagi
Series Composition : Kato Kanichi
Character Design : Jiro Majima
Art Director: Tomomi Sugimoto
Color Designer: Kayoko Emina
Director of Photography: Shigemitsu Hamao
CG Director: Masafumi Uchiyama
Editing: Fumi Hida
Sound Director: Noriyoshi Onuma
Music: Yuki Sekine, Akinori Handa
Tsugaru Shamisen Supervisor: Yoshida Brothers
Animation Production: Shin-Ei Animation

Opening Theme Song: BURNOUT SYNDROMES "BLIZZARD" & "Silver World
Ending Theme Song: Miliyah Kato "Until This Dream Awakens feat.

<Cast
SAWAMURA Yuki: SHIMAZAKI Nobunaga
Wakana Sawamura: Yoshimasa Hosoya
Umeko Sawamura: Takako Honda
Sawamura Shogoro: Tomohisa Aso
Akari Maeda: Yume Miyamoto
Yui Yamazato: Reina Kondo
Kaito Yaguchi: Nobuhiko Okamoto
Nagamori Rai: Tatsuo Suzuki
Seiryu Kamiki: Yuichiro Umehara
Soichi Tanuma: Yu Hatanaka
Mai Tanuma: Mikami Eori
Takaomi Kaji: Hiroki Kaji
Arakawa Ushio: Fukushi Ochiai
YAMANO Sakura: TANIGUCHI Yumena
Keiko Koyabu: Tomoha Takayanagi
Hiroshi Ohtawara: Masaya Kimura
Tachiki Yuna: Rikako Aida
Taketo: Tetsuya Kakihara

Original story information
■Comics "Mashiro no Otoko
Serialized in Kodansha's "Monthly Shonen Magazine
Written by Marishige Ragawa

Volumes 1-26 are now on sale.
The latest 27th volume will be released on March 17 (Wed.)

⇒ The first episode is now available for reading!

(C) Marishige Ragawa, Kodansha / Mashiro no Otoko Production Committee