TOKYO, Oct. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The anime Kagurabachi, based on a next-generation flagship title from Weekly Shonen Jump, has announced that Yuichi Nakamura has been cast as Soshiro Azami. Alongside this announcement, a new character visual, trailer and comments from Nakamura have also been unveiled.
Kagurabachi (Original Author: Takeru Hokazono), currently serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump, has surpassed a cumulative circulation of 4.5 million copies (including digital editions). A stellar team of creators has been assembled for the project. Production will be handled by CyberAgent group company animation studio, Cypic (Umamusume: Cinderella Gray, The Summer Hikaru Died), the anime boasts an all-star staff, including Director Tetsuya Takeuchi (Action Animation Director on Sword Art Online II, Battle Scene Storyboards/Episode Director/Animation Director on Heavenly Delusion) and Character Designer Keigo Sasaki (Blue Exorcist, The Seven Deadly Sins). The protagonist, Chihiro Rokuhira, is voiced by Taihi Kimura, winner of the Best New Actor award at the 2025 Seiyu Awards.
Yuichi Nakamura Cast as Soshiro Azami!
Yuichi Nakamura will play Soshiro Azami, a sorcerer affiliated with the Kamunabi. To commemorate the announcement, comments from Nakamura were also shared.
Full Comments from Yuichi Nakamura:
Q. What are your impressions of the character you voice, and what did you keep in mind while voicing them?
Although there are still relatively few characters, I paid close attention to how he balances with the others.
This should really pay off when a lot more characters start appearing later on...!
I approached the role viewing him as someone who is serious, yet carries a bit of a dry demeanor.
Q. How did you feel when you were cast, and what are your thoughts on the anime?
I read the manga when I auditioned for the role, and I felt like it really embodied the recent "spirit of Jump." I couldn't wait to see what would happen next, so I ended up reading every volume that had been released!
I'm incredibly excited to see all those memorable scenes brought to life in the anime.
Q. What were your thoughts when you first read the manga?
Although it starts off with a dark atmosphere, the protagonist's convictions and goals are clearly defined, making it really fun to read.
The action may be what catches people's attention first, but the worldbuilding, artistic sensibility, and unfolding story are equally captivating.
Q. What is Azami's greatest charm?
He strikes me as a realist who serves as a contrast to the romanticist Shiba.
He's compassionate, yet there's something interesting about how he stays slightly detached.
I think he's a character whose appeal will become increasingly apparent as the story progresses.
Q. How would you describe the appeal of the series in one phrase?
"Incandescent!"
Soshiro Azami Character Visual & Trailer Unveiled!
Soshiro Azami Character Introduction
A sorcerer affiliated with the Kamunabi. One of the few people who knows of Chihiro's existence, which had been kept secret. Possessing extraordinary physical strength that allows him to overwhelm his opponents with devastating blows, he stands out as one of the Kamunabi's most formidable members.
Soshiro Azami Character Trailer:
English: https://youtu.be/O7A5d4obyyo
Japanese: https://youtu.be/x3Y3UaoGW4I
About KAGURABACHI
View Teaser Trailer:
English: https://youtu.be/pC39732i1bA / Japanese: https://youtu.be/Ppmbg4IoL3g
Broadcasting and Streaming information
April 2027
Crunchyroll, MUSE, and SMG HOLDINGS, among others
Introduction
A single stroke opens a new era, cutting a path from Japan to the world—
Weekly Shonen Jump's Neo-Japanese Sword Action series begins here!
From day one, the Kagurabachi manga has captivated fans, weaving a blood-soaked tale of revenge through breathtaking sword-fight sequences.
And now, known for its uncompromising quality, animation studio Cypic brings the story to life with jaw-dropping visuals!
Story
Flames of resolve, kindled by hatred.
Chihiro Rokuhira is a boy who aspires to become a swordsmith, and took daily training under his father Kunishige, a renowned swordsmith. Their days, once filled with laughter, are brutally torn apart by an attack from the mysterious sorcerer organization, the Hishaku.
What is stolen from them are the six Enchanted Blades—swords of immense power capable of shaping the fate of the nation—and the gentle, warm life they once shared.
From that day on, everything changed. In a world engulfed in darkness, Chihiro takes up Enten, the seventh Enchanted Blade left behind by his father, and sets out on a blood-soaked path of revenge.
Staff
Original Work: "Kagurabachi" by Takeru Hokazono (Serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump)
Director: Tetsuya Takeuchi
Character Design: Keigo Sasaki
Production: Cypic
Production Committee Leads: Shochiku & CyberAgent
Cast
Chihiro Rokuhira: Taihi Kimura
Kunishige Rokuhira: Tomokazu Seki
Togo Shiba: Katsuyuki Konishi
Soshiro Azami: Yuichi Nakamura
Hinao: Miku Ito
Char Kyonagi: Miyari Nemoto
Official Links
Original Work
Cumulative circulation has surpassed 4.5 million copies (including digital editions)!
Title: Kagurabachi
Author: Takeru Hokazono
Previously Published: Available online on MANGA Plus by SHUEISHA and published in print and digitally by Viz Media (English Version).
Copyright Notices
*When featuring the cover art for Kagurabachi Volume 1 or the original illustration by Takeru Hokazono, please ensure the following copyright notice is included.
©Takeru Hokazono/SHUEISHA
*When featuring anime image assets, please ensure the following copyright notice is included.
©Takeru Hokazono/SHUEISHA,Project Kagurabachi
*Copyrights must be indicated when posting or using the images/materials
*Single space is needed between "Takeru" and "Hokazono," and between "Project" and "Kagurabachi."
*No space needed after "/(slash)" and ",(comma)."
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Bei den Vereinigten Bühnen Wien (VBW) steht ein markanter Wechsel an der Spitze an: Mit 1. Dezember übernimmt die deutsch-österreichische Kulturmanagerin Andrea Pier die Geschäftsführung des städtischen Theaterkonzerns von Franz Patay. Der 65-Jährige hatte die VBW seit 2016 geleitet und war insgesamt zehn Jahre in geschäftsführender Verantwortung. Unter seinem Kommando mussten die Häuser – Raimund Theater, Ronacher und das Musiktheater an der Wien – heuer Einsparungen von fünf Millionen Euro verkraften, womit das Jahresbudget auf 51 Millionen Euro sank. Der Führungswechsel erfolgt damit in einer Phase, die von Budgetdruck und Konsolidierungszwängen geprägt ist.
Mit Pier steht erstmals offiziell eine Frau dauerhaft an der Spitze der Vereinigten Bühnen Wien; ein nur kurzes Interregnum von Lia Metchev-Herbst im Jahr 2016 ausgenommen. Die 1969 in Bielefeld geborene Managerin setzte sich in einem von der externen Personalberatung Christoph la Garde organisierten Auswahlverfahren gegen 18 Mitbewerberinnen und Mitbewerber durch. Die Hearing-Kommission – unter anderem mit der VBW-Aufsichtsratsvorsitzenden Elisabeth Freismuth, der Direktorin des Jüdischen Museums Wien, Barbara Staudinger, sowie Wien-Holding-Geschäftsführerin Karin Ramser – entschied sich einstimmig für Pier und hob insbesondere ihre Doppelkompetenz im öffentlichen Kultursektor und in der Privatwirtschaft hervor.
Pier war in den vergangenen fünf Jahren als Managing Director maßgeblich für das Projekt Kulturhauptstadt Chemnitz 2025 verantwortlich und zuvor zwei Jahrzehnte in unterschiedlichen leitenden Funktionen beim Musical- und Theaterkonzern Stage Entertainment tätig. Dort leitete sie unter anderem das traditionsreiche Theater des Westens in Berlin und verantwortete das Tourgeschäft. Mit Blick auf die Sparvorgaben in Wien verweist sie auf ihre Erfahrung im privatwirtschaftlichen Umfeld: Entscheidend sei, „die richtigen Weichen zu stellen, um weiterhin die künstlerische Exzellenz hochzuhalten“. An der internen Budgetverteilung zwischen Oper und Musical sieht sie derzeit keinen Änderungsbedarf und kündigt an, vorerst auf Kontinuität zu setzen.
Trotz zusätzlicher Konkurrenz durch das im Bau befindliche private „Theater im Prater“ zeigt sich Pier gelassen. Wichtiger als strukturelle Eingriffe sei für sie ein klarer künstlerischer Kurs, den sie mit „großem Tatendrang“ ab Dezember in Wien verfolgen will. Für die Stadt markiert ihre Bestellung auch eine personelle Weichenstellung: Vizebürgermeisterin Barbara Novak und Kulturstadträtin Veronica Kaup-Hasler, die Pier im Ronacher gemeinsam mit Wien-Holding-Chefin Ramser präsentierten, betonten die Bedeutung ihrer langjährigen Musical- und Managementerfahrung für die künftige Positionierung der Vereinigten Bühnen Wien im internationalen Wettbewerb.
