by The upcoming TV anime Breath, based on the manga by Yukino Sonoyama, has announced Yoshiki Nakajima as the voice of Joe Osaki. Along with the casting announcement, the production team has released a new character promotional video featuring Joe’s voice for the first time.
Scheduled to premiere in January 2027 on Fuji TV’s Noitamina programming block, Breath is a coming-of-age story about young people who rediscover their ambitions and learn to express themselves through makeup. Animation production is being handled by A-1 Pictures, the studio known for several popular anime series.
Yoshiki Nakajima Joins the Cast as Joe Osaki
Joe Osaki is a member of Mirror, a makeup school where aspiring artists practise their skills and develop their professional connections. He is a sociable young man who helps organise opportunities for makeup practice and brings people together within the school.
Although Joe has a bright and outgoing personality, his character also explores the different ways people use makeup to express themselves. His role adds another perspective to the anime’s central themes of confidence, identity, and self-expression.
The newly released Joe Osaki character PV features scenes from the anime and introduces Nakajima’s performance. The video gives viewers an early look at Joe’s personality and provides a first taste of how the character will sound in the finished series.
Joe’s character profile also lists his birthday as October 26, his height as 176 centimetres, and his blood type as B.
Yoshiki Nakajima Shares His Thoughts on Makeup and Joe’s Character
Nakajima explained that he has often had the opportunity to work with professional hair and makeup artists. These experiences have helped him appreciate how even a small change in makeup can transform someone’s appearance and how they feel about themselves.
In his comment, the voice actor described makeup as a form of armour, a mask, and a weapon. However, he also emphasised that makeup is ultimately about freedom: it can allow people to express themselves and discover a different side of their identity.
Nakajima noted that Joe, too, layers makeup over his naturally cheerful personality. However, he suggested that this does not mean Joe’s outward personality is simply a burden or a restriction.
The actor also expressed his hope that viewers would experience the same sense of surprise and excitement he felt when he first read Sonoyama’s original manga.
His comments reflect one of the major ideas behind Breath: makeup is more than a way to change someone’s appearance. It can also become a tool for communicating feelings, overcoming insecurity, and presenting a side of oneself that might otherwise remain hidden.
What Is the Story of the Breath Anime About?
Breath follows Aia Udagawa, a former model who once dreamed of becoming a makeup artist. Afraid of being rejected or criticised by others, Aia eventually gives up on that ambition.
Her life begins to change when she meets Jun Sumizaki, a classmate who dreams of becoming a model but struggles to show his true self. Jun is tall and has freckles, features he tries to hide by slouching and keeping a low profile at school.
The two are selected to participate in a school festival contest. Initially, Jun is expected to handle styling, clothing, and makeup while Aia takes the role of the model. However, Jun suggests switching their roles, giving Aia the opportunity to work on makeup and allowing Jun to step forward as a model.
As they prepare for the contest, Aia begins to recognise Jun’s hidden appeal. She wants to use her makeup skills to bring out the qualities he usually conceals from others. This experience encourages Aia to confront her abandoned dream and reconsider what she wants from her future.
The story follows the pair as they face their insecurities, discover their strengths, and take their first steps towards the futures they want.
How Makeup Connects the Characters
One of the most distinctive aspects of Breath is its focus on makeup as a form of personal expression. Rather than treating it simply as a beauty technique, the story explores how makeup can influence confidence, identity, and the way people see themselves.
For Aia, makeup represents a dream she abandoned because she feared other people’s opinions. Working with Jun gives her a chance to reconnect with that passion.
For Jun, becoming a model means learning to move beyond the features and habits he uses to hide himself. With Aia’s help, he can begin to see his own appearance from a different perspective.
Joe Osaki’s character adds another dimension to this theme. As someone sociable and involved in the makeup school’s activities, he understands the importance of building connections and creating opportunities to practise. His own relationship with makeup suggests that even an apparently cheerful personality may have layers that other people do not immediately recognise.
Through these characters, Breath aims to present a coming-of-age story about finding the courage to express oneself, even when doing so feels uncomfortable.
Breath Anime: Release Date, Studio, and Production Staff
The Breath TV anime is scheduled to begin broadcasting in January 2027 on Fuji TV’s Noitamina block. The currently announced Japanese broadcast slot is Friday at 11:30 p.m. JST.
A-1 Pictures is responsible for animation production, with a creative team working across character design, costumes, art direction, sound, and music to bring the manga’s world to the screen.
Main production staff
- Original work: Yukino Sonoyama, Breath (Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Sirius)
- Director: Shotaro Kitamura
- Assistant Director: Takayuki Kikuchi (A-1 Pictures)
- Series Composition and Screenplay: Fukurou Kamiza
- Character Design: Honoka Yokoyama
- Chief Animation Directors: Honoka Yokoyama, Tetsuya Kawakami (A-1 Pictures), and Reina Iwasaki
- Costume Design: Akane Takeda (A-1 Pictures)
- Prop Design: Takayuki Kito
- Main Animators: Yuichiro Iida, Marina Kobayashi, and Mirai Harashima (A-1 Pictures)
- Hair and Makeup Supervisor: Katsuyoshi Kojima (tron)
- Graphic Illustration: Kashimaki
- Color Design: Mana Kitahigashi (A-1 Pictures)
- Art Director: Risa Wakabayashi (A-1 Pictures)
- Art Setting: Yoshiyuki Taira (A-1 Pictures)
- CG Director: Yuki Kuribayashi
- Director of Photography: Hideki Eto (EXPLOSION)
- Editing: Kiyoshi Hirose
- Music: Ryo Yoshimata
- Sound Director: Kohei Yoshida
- Sound Effects: Takuya Hasegawa
- Animation Production: A-1 Pictures
The involvement of a dedicated hair and makeup supervisor is particularly relevant to a series that places makeup at the centre of its storytelling. The production team’s combination of character, costume, and visual design roles will help shape the anime’s presentation of fashion and self-expression.
Breath Anime Voice Cast
The announced voice cast includes:
- Aia Udagawa: Tomoyuki Ohno
- Jun Sumizaki: Chiyuki Miura
- Ginga Yoyogi: Nobuhiko Okamoto
- Oroka Sumeragi: Yoshino Aoyama
- Shitataka Sumeragi: Momoka Terasawa
- MM: Kentaro Kumagai
- Joe Osaki: Yoshiki Nakajima
Nakajima’s casting adds another established voice actor to the ensemble as the series gradually introduces its characters through individual promotional videos.
Breath Anime to Hold a Special Event at Animate Girls Festival 2026
A special stage event for Breath has also been announced for Animate Girls Festival 2026 (AGF2026), which will take place in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.
The event is scheduled for November 7, 2026, from 4:20 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. JST at the Sunshine City Fountain Plaza, on the B1 level of Alpa.
The announced participants include:
- Tomoyuki Ohno, voice of Aia Udagawa
- Yoshiki Nakajima, voice of Joe Osaki
- Katsuyoshi Kojima, the anime’s hair and makeup supervisor
- The artist performing the anime’s ending theme
The programme, titled the Breath Special Showcase, will include a makeup show connected to the ending-theme artist. The event is also expected to reveal the identity of the artist performing the ending song, giving fans another important update ahead of the anime’s January 2027 premiere.
Further information about the series is expected as the broadcast approaches.
Why Breath Is One to Watch in Winter 2027
With its focus on makeup, fashion, confidence, and personal growth, Breath offers a different angle on the familiar coming-of-age anime genre. Its story is not only about pursuing a career or achieving a goal; it is also about learning to accept oneself and finding the courage to be seen by others.
Aia’s return to her abandoned dream and Jun’s struggle to show his true self form the emotional centre of the series. Joe Osaki’s addition to the cast broadens that exploration by introducing another aspiring makeup artist with his own approach to self-expression.
The anime’s realistic makeup details, dedicated production team, and character-focused promotional videos have already helped establish its visual identity. With A-1 Pictures handling the animation, viewers can look forward to seeing how the studio translates Sonoyama’s manga into a colourful and expressive television series.
Yoshiki Nakajima’s casting as Joe Osaki is the latest development for the Breath anime, which is scheduled to premiere in January 2027. The newly released character PV gives fans their first look at Joe in motion and introduces Nakajima’s interpretation of the aspiring makeup artist.
As the series approaches its broadcast, the upcoming Animate Girls Festival 2026 stage event should provide further details, including the announcement of the ending-theme artist.
For fans of character-driven anime about dreams, identity, and self-discovery, Breath is shaping up to be a promising addition to the Winter 2027 anime lineup.
