MAPPA's Zenshu anime announces January 2025 release date, theme songs, and more with main trailer

On Friday, December 6, 2024, Crunchyroll shared the main trailer for the original Zenshu anime, produced by MAPPA, at the company's CCXP event in Brazil. According to the main promotional video, the series is set to premiere on January 5, 2025. The short clip also highlights the anime's opening and ending theme songs and their artists.

Under the production of MAPPA, Zenshu is an original television anime. The series was green-lit by the studio on March 22, 2024, with a teaser promotional video and visual. The announcement also came with details regarding the show's main cast and staff. The series provides a teaser into the world of an animator.

MAPPA's Zenshu anime confirms January 5, 2025, release date with the main trailer

On December 6, 2024, Crunchyroll's CCXP industry panel in Brazil saw the official staff unveil the main promotional video for MAPPA's upcoming Zenshu anime. According to the short clip, the series will air its episodes every Sunday at 11:45 pm JST, starting January 5, 2025, on TV Tokyo and its affiliated networks.

Japanese audiences can also watch the anime every Saturday at 12:59 am JST on BS TV Tokyo, from January 11, 2025, and every Wednesday at 11:30 pm JST on AT-X, from January 8, 2025. Crunchyroll will stream MAPPA's Zenshu anime worldwide, excluding Japan.

The latest Zenshu anime trailer shows the main character, Natsuko Hirose, collapsing at the animation studio she works in. Shortly after that, she is reincarnated into the world of an anime she worked in, called The Haunted Story. The short clip highlights Natsuko, who was hailed as a genius animator, unable to draw storyboards anymore.

Moreover, the trailer reveals and previews the show's opening theme song, Zen, performed by BAND-MAID. On the other hand, Sou has sung the anime's ending theme, Tada, Kimo no Mama de.

The official staff has also unveiled a new key visual for the series. The illustration shows Natsuko Hirose clutching a ruler and pencils, and staring ahead. Besides Natsuko, the visual features Luke Braveheart and Unio from her anime.

Cast and staff for MAPPA's Zenshu anime

Natsuko and Luke Braveheart (Image via MAPPA)

MAPPA's new original anime stars Anna Nagase as Natsuko Hirose, Kazuki Ura as Luke Braveheart, Minori Suzuki as Memmeln, Rie Kugimiya as Unio, Romi Park as Justice, and Akio Suyama as QJ. The other cast includes Kentaro Tone as Chingozman, Manaka Iwami as Destiny Heartwarming, Katsuhisa Hoki as Captain, Sayaka Ohara as Admiral, and Masashi Yamane as Ganga.

Mitsue Yamazaki, Kimiko Ueno, and MAPPA are credited with the original narrative. Yamazaki-san directs the series, with Ueno Kimiko handling the scripts. Sumie Noro is credited as the assistant director, while Yoshiteru Tsujino designs the character and environment concept art.

Kayoko Ishikawa, the chief animation director, adapts those designs for animation. Besides Kayoko Ishikawa, the staff features Shuuji Takahara, Etsuko Sumimoto, and Kazuko Hayakawa as chief animation directors. Yukari Hashimoto handles the music composition.

Natsuko Hirose works as an animator (Image via MAPPA)

MAPPA's Zenshu anime follows Natsuko Hirose, who begins her career as an animator after graduating from high school. As a prodigious talent, she quickly flourishes and becomes a director in no time. Natsuko's first anime gets critical acclamation, and she is dubbed as a "genius director."

However, everything changes when she takes on a new project, a romance comedy movie themed around love. Since she hasn't experienced love, Natsuko can't create proper storyboards. As such, the anime focuses on Natsuko's struggles as an animator.