With the pre-broadcast preview set in Japan, the marketing machine is moving forward in plugging and promoting the anime adaptation of Io Sakisaka’s manga Ao Haru Ride. The latest piece largely plays off of the new full length promo we saw last week that distills down a few key areas into the fifteen second spot with an emphasis on mood and character design, which is does surprisingly well.
With nearly five million copies in print and a live action movie as well, there’s plenty to anticipate for this series this year. Production I.G. will be handling the animation chores for the series with Ai Yoshimura directing. They’ll be working off of scripts by Tomoko Konparu who has familiarity with this genre having worked on Kimi ni Todoke. In addition to the production side, it was revealed that Ai Kayano will be playing Yuri Makita, Mikako Komatsu will be playing Shuko Murao and Kenn will be taking on the role of Aya Kominato.
North American fans are getting a taste of Io Sakisaka’s work with Strobe Edge from Viz Media these days. Ao Haru Ride began back in 2011 and is getting close to releasing the tenth volume of the manga later this year, which will include a drama CD that will utilize the same cast as the anime. The property has done very well since beginning 2011 as it’s sold over 4.42 million copies since getting underway.
The series stars Maaya Uchida as Futaba Yoshioka, Yuuki Kaji as Ko Mabuchi, Ai Kayano as Yuri Makita, Mikako Komatsu as Shuko Murao, Kenn as Aya Kominato and Daisuke Hirakawa as Yoichi Tanaka.
Plot concept: Yoshioka Futaba has a few reasons why she wants to “reset” her image & life as a new high school student. Because she’s cute, she was ostracized by her female friends in junior high, and because of a misunderstanding, she couldn’t get her feeling across to the one boy she has ever liked, Tanaka-kun.
Now in high school, she is determined to be as unladylike as possible so that her friends won’t be jealous of her. While living her life this way contentedly, she meets Tanaka-kun again, but he now goes under the name of Mabuchi Kou. He tells her that he felt the same way as she did when they were younger, but now things can never be the same again. Will Futaba be able to continue her love that never even started from three years ago?
