For the first time in TV animation history! TV anime based on the popular music reading play "MARS RED" will be broadcast in 2021! The "MARS RED Project" has also been announced!

The popular music reading play "MARS RED" was written, scripted, and directed by playwright Fumio Fujisawa, who is known as a leading creator of music reading plays and has released numerous original works to the world, and the main visual is by popular manga artist Karanoke. It has been announced that this musical reading play will be adapted into an anime in 2021.

This is the first time in the history of TV animation that an original reading play has been adapted into an anime. At the same time, the "MARS RED Project" was also announced, which aims not only for an anime adaptation but also for a variety of media mixes.

Prior to the anime adaptation, a comic book adaptation has already been published and serialized in Monthly Comic Garden (published by MagGarden) since November 2019, written by Fumio Fujisawa (original story) and Smoke Karanasan (manga). The anime will continue to make use of Mr. Karasane's original character designs, and Yukari Takeuchi (character designer for "Norn + Nonet" and animation director for each episode of "Demon Slayer") will be in charge of character design.

The series composition and screenplay will be written by Junichi Fujisaki, well-known for his work on "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" and "BLOOD+" as director, series composition, director, and screenplay. Music is by Toshiyuki Muranaka, who has worked with Fujisawa on music readings for many years. The sound director is the original author, Mr. Fujisawa himself.

The anime is set in the Taisho Era (1912-1926). The anime will take place in the Taisho era, in a world where the Japanese government has secretly deployed an anti-vampire agency, the "Sixteenth Special Mission Unit," known as the Zero Agency.

The anime adaptation and comic book version are the only works currently being developed, but the "MARS RED Project" is scheduled to be developed in various media in the future. With the announcement of the anime adaptation, the MARS RED Project has started recruiting members for its fan club, "The 16th Special Forces Unit". Application (newsletter registration) is free of charge, and a membership card and number will be given. Various privileges are also available, and the earlier you enlist, the more preferential you will be treated, so be sure to check it out as soon as possible.

This will be the first ever anime adaptation of a popular music reading play, and we can't wait to see how the project and other aspects of it develop.

Finally, we have received comments from the staff involved in the project.

Comments
(*Honorifics omitted, original text is in Japanese only)

Original story and sound director: Fumio Fujisawa
My original work, MARS RED, has been made into an anime and is now going to take off in Japan and around the world.
This work, which began life as a musical reading, has now been adapted into a manga and anime with pictures by Mr. Karasumo, marking the beginning of a new media mix.
I also became the sound director, and Toshiyuki Muranaka, a close friend of mine, composed the music!　Thank you for everything!

Character draft: Karanoke
Congratulations on the anime adaptation!
Among the Fujisawa reading plays, MARS RED has a particularly large number of settings and character relationships, and I've always wanted to see them move in an anime, so I'm really looking forward to it now.
I am truly happy to be a part of this world that is being created by various people working together as one.
Please watch it!

■Series Composition/Screenplay : Junichi Fujisaki
When I was initially approached to participate in this work, I thought that a reading play is something that paints a picture in the audience's head through words. That is why I tried to "draw" the script rather than "write" it. Together with Bunou, I have created a new stage with a fascinating world and characters. Please look forward to it.

Music: Toshiyuki Muranaka
Congratulations on the decision to make it into an anime!　I've been working with Mr. Fujisawa on many readings and finally we've come this far... I put a lot of love and effort into each and every story. lol
MARS RED music is so cool, isn't it? I want people to say that!　I want to be praised! lol I'll do my best...!

■Animation Production: Katsuji Morishita, President of SIGNAL.MD
It has been several years since I first got acquainted with Fumio Fujisawa, and we talked about the possibility of animating a reading play based on one of his works. We hope that you will warmly support this first attempt in the animation industry.

Production Information
TV animation "MARS RED
＜Synopsis
The year is Taisho 12, and the creatures appear in the night of Tokyo.
They are called vampires, who sip the living blood of humans under the cover of darkness, and have been hiding in this world since ancient times. The 16th Special Forces Group, known as the "Zero Agency," was established within the Army to control them.
Lieutenant General Nakajima created this unit to counter the information warfare of the rapidly modernizing powers, but at present, the Zero Agency's mission is to deal with the vampire incidents that lurk in the darkness of Tokyo. The person in charge of this task is--,
Colonel Yoshinobu Maeda, the strongest mankind has ever known.
Hidetaro Kurisu, one of the most powerful vampires in Japan and a newcomer to the force.
Tokuichi Yamagami, an intelligent unranked man.
Swa, who has been a vampire since the old days of Edo.
Takeuchi, a mad scientist who rejoices in a brain that never ages.
--These are the members of the Zero Organization's executive team.
The number of vampires continues to increase. The shadowy figure behind the scenes and the existence of the mysterious artificial blood, Ascra.
The one who stares coldly at this situation is the S-class vampire Deflotto, who looks like a child even though he is over 300 years old.
Weak one, thy name is Vampire.
The Zero Agency now runs through the night of Taisho Romance.

＜Staff
Original Story : Fumio Fujisawa
Director : Kohei Hatano
Series Composition/Screenplay : Junichi Fujisaki ("Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" Screenplay, "BLOOD+" Director, Series Composition, Direction, Screenplay)
Character Planning：Karanoke ("Cloudy with a Laugh", "Laughing in Purgatory")
Character Design：Yukari Takeuchi ("Norn + Nonet" character design, "Demon Slayer" episode and animation director)
Sound Director：Fumio Fujisawa
Music : Toshiyuki Muranaka
Animation Production: SIGNAL.

Comic Information
■"MARS RED".
Serialized from the December issue of "Monthly Comic Garden" (published by MagGarden) in November 2019.

[Project Fan Club
■"The 16th Special Forces Squad"
Granted a membership number and a membership card. Enlistment is free of charge.
Apply from the official anime website or the official project website. The earlier you enlist, the more privileges you will receive.

(C)Fumio Fujisawa / SIGNAL.MD / MARS RED Production Committee