by The upcoming TV anime BLESS has announced another major cast member ahead of its January 2027 premiere. Popular voice actor Nobuhiko Okamoto will voice Ginga Yoyogi, a talented young makeup artist who joins the story’s growing cast of characters.
Alongside the casting announcement, the anime’s official website and social media accounts released a new character promotional video featuring Ginga Yoyogi. The PV gives fans their first opportunity to hear Okamoto’s performance as the character and offers a closer look at Ginga’s personality and role in the series.
Based on the manga by Yukino Sonoyama, BLESS is a coming-of-age story centered on makeup, modeling, self-expression, and the courage to pursue a dream. The anime is scheduled to begin broadcasting in January 2027 on Fuji TV’s Noitamina programming block, with the nationwide broadcast scheduled for Fridays at 11:30 p.m. JST.
The addition of Okamoto gives the anime another recognizable voice, while Ginga’s introduction expands the story beyond its two central characters, Aia Udagawa and Jun Sumisaki.
Nobuhiko Okamoto Voices Ginga Yoyogi
The newly announced character is Ginga Yoyogi, voiced by Nobuhiko Okamoto.
According to the official character profile, Ginga is a promising young makeup artist who moved from Saga Prefecture to Tokyo to build his career. He is known for having a strong way of speaking, but underneath that tough exterior, he is described as serious and eager to learn.
That combination gives Ginga a personality that should fit naturally into BLESS, a story where characters are constantly learning, challenging themselves,s and trying to discover how they want to express themselves.
Ginga is not simply presented as another character interested in fashion. He has already begun building a professional career as a makeup artist, giving him experience that contrasts with the dreams and uncertainties of the younger characters.
His arrival should therefore add another perspective to the anime’s central theme of pursuing creative ambitions.
Ginga Yoyogi — Character Profile
- Name: Ginga Yoyogi
- Japanese: 代々木ギンガ
- Voice actor: Nobuhiko Okamoto
- Birthday: February 14
- Height: 173 cm
- Blood type: A
- Occupation: Young makeup artist
- Background: Moved from Saga to Tokyo to pursue his career
- Personality: Strong-spoken, serious, and hardworking
The character PV allows viewers to get their first impression of how Okamoto will bring these qualities to life.
Nobuhiko Okamoto Shares His Thoughts on Ginga
Following the casting announcement, Nobuhiko Okamoto shared a comment about joining the anime.
Okamoto said that BLESS was particularly interesting to him as someone who expresses himself through art, while also describing the project as an encouraging experience.
At the same time, he explained that he believes the anime presents a significant challenge because of the way it handles beauty and art.
According to Okamoto, concepts such as beauty and artistic expression naturally involve different values and interpretations from person to person. He therefore found it interesting that an animated work has to present a certain sense of what is considered beautiful within its own world.
He also said that he is looking forward to seeing how the anime visually expresses its ideas of beauty and that, in his performance as Ginga, he wants to properly communicate why and how the things Ginga sees are beautiful.
His comment gives some insight into the approach he is taking toward the role.
Rather than treating Ginga simply as another supporting character, Okamoto appears particularly interested in the relationship between the character’s profession and the anime’s broader exploration of beauty and self-expression.
What Is BLESS About?
For viewers discovering the series for the first time, BLESS is a coming-of-age manga created by Yukino Sonoyama and serialized in Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Sirius.
The story follows two young people who have dreams but struggle to openly pursue them.
One of them is Aia Udagawa, a former model who dreams of becoming a makeup artist.
The other is Jun Sumisaki, a student who dreams of becoming a model but lacks the confidence to take the first step toward that goal.
Although the two have different ambitions, they share an important problem: both have been hiding what they really want because they are afraid of how other people will react.
Their lives begin to change after they are selected to participate in a school festival contest.
Through makeup, modeling, and their growing partnership, Aia and Jun begin moving toward the dreams they had previously been afraid to pursue.
The result is a story about young people discovering their own identities while learning to express themselves through creativity.
Makeup Is at the Heart of the Story
One of the most distinctive features of BLESS is its focus on makeup.
In many school-based anime, sports, music,c or traditional performing arts provide the main creative setting. BLESS instead places makeup and modeling at the center of its characters’ development.
For Aia, makeup is not merely a hobby.
It is the creative field in which he wants to build his future.
For Jun, modeling represents another form of self-expression. However, his uncertainty prevents him from immediately pursuing that dream.
Their relationship allows the story to explore how makeup can change more than someone’s appearance.
It can also influence confidence, identity, ty and the way a person sees themselves.
That makes the subject especially appropriate for a coming-of-age story.
Aia Udagawa and Jun Sumisaki Are the Main Duo
The anime’s two central characters were introduced when the project was first announced.
Aia Udagawa is voiced by Tomohiro Ono, while Jun Sumisaki is voiced by Chiyuki Miura.
Aia once worked as a model and has experience in the fashion world. However, his real ambition is to become a makeup artist.
Instead of confidently pursuing that dream, he has become hesitant because he worries about being rejected or criticized by people around him.
Jun, meanwhile, has the appearance and potential to become a model but is reluctant to step into the spotlight.
The two characters therefore complement each other.
Aia has a strong interest in makeup but lacks confidence in pursuing his dream, while Jun has an interest in modeling but struggles to express himself.
Their partnership becomes the starting point for both characters to move forward.
The School Festival Contest Changes Their Lives
The major turning point in the story comes when Aia and Jun are selected to participate in a school festival contest.
The contest allows them to combine their talents.
Aia can use his makeup skills, while Jun can step forward as a model.
For both characters, the event represents more than simply winning a school competition.
It becomes a chance to confront the fears that have prevented them from following their dreams.
The anime’s teaser material has already shown Aia working on Jun’s makeup and Jun appearing in a dramatically different look.
These scenes demonstrate how the series intends to make makeup an important visual part of its storytelling rather than treating it as a background detail.
Ginga Adds a Professional Perspective
The introduction of Ginga Yoyogi is particularly interesting because he is already working professionally as a makeup artist.
While Aia is still trying to find the courage to pursue his own dream, Ginga has already taken the step of moving to Tokyo and building a career.
That difference could allow the anime to explore another side of the makeup industry.
Ginga’s character profile describes him as a young makeup artist who moved from Saga to Tokyo to establish himself professionally. Although his manner can be strong, he is also serious about his work and eager to learn.
This combination of confidence and dedication could make him an important character for Aia.
Rather than simply being an experienced professional, Ginga may represent what it looks like when someone commits themselves fully to a creative career.
Why Ginga’s Character PV Matters
Character PVs are commonly used in anime promotion to introduce individual characters before a series premieres.
For BLESS, Ginga’s PV is especially useful because the anime revolves around professions that depend heavily on personality, visual expression, and communication.
The new video introduces Ginga visually while also allowing viewers to hear Nobuhiko Okamoto’s interpretation of the character for the first time.
This gives fans a better idea of the tone of Ginga’s dialogue and personality before the anime begins.
The PV also expands the promotional material released earlier for Aia and Jun.
The official website previously released character PVs for both central characters, with their respective voice actors providing their character voices.
Together, the three PVs introduce the central cast and establish the anime’s focus on makeup, modeling,g and personal expression.
BLESS Will Premiere in January 2027
The TV anime is scheduled to begin in January 2027.
It will air nationwide on the Fuji TV network’s Noitamina programming block, with the broadcast scheduled for Friday nights at 11:30 p.m. JST.
The Noitamina block has been home to many anime aimed at a broad audience, making it an appropriate platform for a character-driven coming-of-age story like BLESS.
As of the latest announcement, the anime has not been given a specific January premiere date.
Therefore, viewers should wait for the official announcement before assuming a particular episode-one broadcast date.
A-1 Pictures Is Handling the Animation
The animation is being produced by A-1 Pictures, a major Japanese animation studio known for numerous popular anime projects.
The studio’s official works page confirms BLESS as a January 2027 TV anime and lists the principal production staff.
The staff includes:
- Original work: Yukino Sonoyama’s BLESS
- Director: Shotaro Kitamura
- Assistant Director: Takayuki Kikuchi
- Series Composition and Screenplay: Fukuro Kamiza
- Character Design: Honoka Yokoyama
- Chief Animation Directors: Honoka Yokoyama, Tetsuya Kawakami, Reina Iwasaki
- Costume Design: Akane Takeda
- Prop Design: Takayuki Kito
- Main Animators: Yuichiro Iida, Marina Kobayashi, Mirai Harashima
- Hair and Makeup Supervisor: Katsuyoshi Kojima
- Graphic Illustration: Kashimaki
- Color Design: Mana Kitahigashi
- Art Director: Risa Wakabayashi
- Art Setting: Yoshiyuki Taira
- CG Director: Yuki Kuribayashi
- Director of Photography: Hideki Eto
- Editing: Kiyoshi Hirose
- Music: Ryo Yoshimata
- Sound Director: Kohei Yoshida
- Sound Effects: Takuya Hasegawa
- Animation Production: A-1 Pictures
The production team includes specialists responsible for character animation, costume design, hair and makeup supervision, graphic illustration, and visual effects.
Those roles are particularly relevant to BLESS because appearance and fashion are central to the story.
The Anime Has a Strong Visual Focus
The production staff’s structure also highlights how important visual presentation is likely to be.
The series has a dedicated hair and makeup supervisor, costume designer, and graphic illustrator in addition to its standard animation staff.
That is unusual enough to stand out in the production credits.
It also reflects the subject matter.
A story about makeup and modeling needs to make details such as hairstyles, cosmetics, clothing,g and facial expressions convincing.
For viewers, this means the visual quality of the makeup scenes will be an important part of the adaptation.
The production team has already emphasized this aspect through the teaser visual and character PVs.
The Manga Has Already Built a Strong Following
The anime adaptation is based on Yukino Sonoyama’s manga, which has already attracted a substantial readership.
The series has surpassed 1.25 million copies in cumulative circulation, according to the official anime announcement. It was also recognized in the 2024 National Bookstore Employees’ Recommended Comics selection.
The manga’s popularity is one reason the anime adaptation has generated interest before its premiere.
The eighth volume was released in March 2026, according to earlier reports on the anime announcement.
For new viewers, this means BLESS is not an entirely unknown property. It already has an established readership familiar with Aia, Jun, and the series’ approach to makeup and self-expression.
A Story About Finding the Courage to Be Yourself
At its core, BLESS is not simply a makeup story.
It is about finding the courage to pursue something that matters to you.
Aia and Jun both have ambitions, but they initially struggle to admit what they want.
That makes their journey relatable even to viewers who have never worked in fashion or makeup.
Many people understand the feeling of being afraid to show their interests because they worry about criticism.
The series takes that familiar emotion and places it in the world of makeup and modeling.
Through their experiences, Aia and Jun begin learning that personal expression does not necessarily mean fitting into someone else’s expectations.
That theme also connects closely with Okamoto’s comments about beauty having different meanings for different people.
What to Expect From Ginga Yoyogi
Ginga’s introduction adds another layer to that theme.
As a professional makeup artist, he has already chosen a creative career and moved to Tokyo to pursue it.
However, his strong personality suggests that he will not simply serve as a gentle mentor.
His official profile describes him as someone who speaks strongly while also being serious and hardworking.
That combination could create interesting interactions with Aia and Jun.
The anime has not yet revealed every detail about Ginga’s role in the story, so it is too early to say exactly how his relationship with the main characters will develop.
What is clear is that he expands the series’ world beyond the school setting and adds a character with professional makeup experience.
The upcoming BLESS anime has added another important piece to its cast with Nobuhiko Okamoto as Ginga Yoyogi.
The new character PV introduces Ginga as a talented young makeup artist who moved from Saga to Tokyo to build his career. Although he speaks strongly, he is also described as serious and hardworking.
Okamoto’s comments suggest that he is particularly interested in the anime’s treatment of beauty and artistic expression, and he hopes to communicate Ginga’s understanding of what makes something beautiful through his voice performance.
Meanwhile, the anime’s main story follows Aia Udagawa and Jun Sumisaki, two young people who have dreams but struggle to take the first step toward them. A school festival contest eventually allows them to pursue those ambitions through makeup and modeling.
With A-1 Pictures handling animation and a staff that includes dedicated specialists for costume design, hair and makeup, graphic illustration, and visual presentation, BLESS is shaping up to be a visually distinctive addition to the January 2027 anime season.
The anime will premiere nationwide on Fuji TV’s Noitamina block in January 2027, with the current broadcast schedule set for Fridays at 11:30 p.m. JST.
For fans of the original manga, the adaptation offers the chance to see Aia, Jun and Ginga’s world brought to life with animation and voice performances. For newcomers, BLESS could provide an accessible introduction to a coming-of-age story where makeup, modeling, creativity,y and self-confidence are all part of the journey.
