by “Ganglion,” based on the original work by Hisaya Shiraiwa and manga by Takashi Itsuki, is being made into a TV anime. It will be broadcast on TV Tokyo on October 3, followed by TV Osaka, AT-X, and BS Yoshimoto. The main visual and cast have also been announced.
Published by Yoshimoto Books in 2009, “Ganglion” is a work-related drama set in Tokyo in the early 2000s, featuring Isobe, a fighter for Ganglion Corporation, a company plotting world domination. Wearing only tights, Isobe takes on missions like the “Tokyo Cedar Pollen Operation” and the “Mount Fuji Explosion Operation,” but is easily defeated by the hero Hopeman, and he also endures his superiors’ unreasonableness every day… Shiraiwa and Itsuki have contributed comments and illustrations.
The protagonist, Isobe Kenji, will be played by Ueda Yoji, Colonel Shadow (real name Minoru Kageyama) by Tachiki Fumihiko, Hopeman by Sugita Tomokazu, Setsuko Isobe by Koga Aoi, Takashi Isobe by Aoyama Yoshino, Yumiko by Tono Hikaru, and the food stall owner by Itsuji Itao. Comments from each cast member have arrived.
The series will be directed by Ayumu Watanabe, with character design and animation director Shigeru Fujita, series composition by Tomoaki Shiono, and produced by studio maf. The main visual features a scene of Isobe, a combatant at Ganglion Corporation, exchanging business cards. The official website, Official X, has also been launched. Official X is running a giveaway campaign in which three people will be randomly selected to win an autographed illustration card by Ueda.
Comment from Hisaya Shiraiwa (original author): All characters are based on real people. This is what companies were like back in the day…although it may seem inappropriate from a modern perspective. These days, I find myself thinking, “The old days were fun.”
Comment from Takashi Itsuki (manga): It’s been about 20 years since this series began serialization. I’m thrilled that it’s now been adapted into an anime. This work, themed around the evil organization “Ganglion,” evokes a sense of nostalgia and melancholy. I hope many people will enjoy it.
Comment from Ueda Yoji (role of Isobe Kenji): I’m Ueda Yoji, playing the role of Isobe. On a personal note, this is my first lead role in an anime series. I’m trying my best, but not too hard. I have a laid-back attitude and a burning heart.
I’m looking forward to playing this life-sized man. It goes by so quickly, but I’m curious to know what happens next, and before I know it, I’m hooked. I hope you’ll enjoy this work!!
Comment from Tachiki Fumihiko (role of Colonel Shadow): The values of good and evil seem to be overturned, and I saw the preciousness and difficulty of living as individuals and as a group. Colonel Shadow is literally a shadowy middleman! This is the story of so many honest men who only see themselves, but at best, they see themselves. As someone who has played villains professionally, I was able to vividly portray the curly-haired man, whose pathos and comedic naivety are effectively conveyed in this role. Who am I really? I hope that the true me… lurking behind the mask… and the theme of this work will be conveyed to many people.
Comment from Sugita Tomokazu (role of Hopeman): Hopeman is the hero who thwarts Ganglion’s plot. There are some strangely realistic aspects to the character that make you wonder if someone is modeling him after, so please enjoy. During the recording, I tried to imagine how unwelcome Ganglion would be. Rather than having a righteous heart, I tried to build character while being conscious of their selfish psychology, which prioritized their own motivation. Justice is always in hope! Hope!!
Comment from Koga Aoi (role of Isobe Setsuko): I’m Koga Aoi, and I’ll be playing the role of Setsuko in “Ganglion.” I’m nervous, as I never expected to be working with Ueda-san and other senior comedians, especially in roles that involve aspects of wife and motherhood. Still, I want to portray the kind, warm, and wonderful Setsuko. Recording is progressing, and I’m working with people I don’t usually collaborate with. I’m impressed by the breadth of their talents and adaptability, even though they perform in front of an audience, and I feel like I have a lot to learn from this set. Please look forward to it! Thank you.
Comment from Aoyama Yoshino (role of Isobe Takashi): At first glance, this work seems like a hero story, but it depicts the commonalities of the villainous fighters that appear in those works, and I was surprised at how innovative the approach was. Takashi, whom I play, is the son of such a fighter, Isobe, and is a very innocent child who lives in a warm and loving home with his mother, Setsuko. It made me realize once again that every person has a life and a story. I hope everyone will take a moment to sympathize with the villains.
Comment from Tono Hikaru (role of Yumiko): I’m Tono Hikaru, who will be playing Yumiko. This work depicts the daily lives of villains with an indescribable melancholy. The worldview feels strangely realistic, and the addictive humor really hits home…! I hope it reaches all the adults working hard in society (lol)! I hope you’ll also pay attention to the dialogue between the rather quirky Yumiko and Hope-rin!
Comment from Itsuji Itao (Stall Owner): I voiced the owner of the oden stall that the main character, Isobe, stops by after work. Surrounded by such renowned voice actors, I was nervous, and before I knew it, it was over. While few people are familiar with the original work, it’s undoubtedly a hidden gem.
Comment from Ayumu Watanabe (Director): What is right? What is strength? Here are some hints to the answers. Just give it a read. A title whose meaning you can’t find by searching for its meaning. A tangle of logic and emotion. Many things are hard to compromise on. Even though you think the world is like this, you grow to love the part of yourself that resists it. Something that seemed possible, but didn’t? Something that existed but you’ve forgotten? Is there really no need to go out of your way to depict something so ordinary? “Ganglion” examines these mundane, inconspicuous, everyday aspects of life through a mask.
TV anime “Ganglion” Broadcast information TV Tokyo: Every Friday from 25:53 to 26:00 starting from Friday, October 3, 2025 TV Osaka: Every Tuesday from 21:55 to 22:00 beginning from Tuesday, October 7 AT-X: Every Friday from 20:30 to 20:45 starting from Friday, October 3 BS Yoshimoto: Every Saturday from 22:55 to 23:00 beginning from Saturday, October 4
Staff Original story: Hisaya Shiraiwa Manga: Takashi Itsuki (Yoshimoto Books) Planning: Yoshimoto Kogyo Screenplay: Harise Director: Watanabe Ayumu Assistant Director: Tanaka Ryosuke Character Design & Chief Animation Director: Fujita Shigeru Storyboards: Tanaka Ryosuke, Miyamoto Takuji, Miyaji Masayuki, Yamamoto Hiroshi, Yamamura Hinata, Ushijima Shinichiro, Sogamegumi, Abe Yujiro Series Composition: Shiono Tomoaki Color Design: Nakano Naomi Art Director: Nakamura Yoshihiro Director of Photography: Yokoyama Tomoya Animation Director: Arai Fuka CG Director: Mukai Takumi Editor: Hirose Kiyoshi Music: Asami Takeo Music Production: INSPION Sound Director: Koizumi Kisuke Sound Production: INSPION Edge Animation: Fukae Nobu Animation Production: studio maf Cooperation: Yoshimoto Broad Entertainment Production: Ganglion Production Committee
Cast: Kenji Isobe: Ueda Yoji, Colonel Shadow (real name Minoru Kageyama: Fumihiko Tachiki, Hopeman (HOPEMAN): Tomokazu Sugita, Setsuko Isobe: Aoi Koga, Takashi Isobe: Yoshino Aoyama, Yumiko: Hikaru Tono, Food stall owner: Itsuji Itao (c) Hisaya Shiraiwa, Takashi Itsuki / Ganglion Production Committee. Committee. The series is written by Shiono Tomoaki and produced by Studio Maf.
The main visual features a scene of Isobe, a fighter for Ganglion Corporation, exchanging business cards. The official website, Official X, has also been launched. Official X is running a giveaway campaign in which three people will win an autographed illustration card from Ueda. Comment from Shiraiwa Hisaya (original author): All characters are based on real people. This is what companies were like back in the day…although it may seem inappropriate from a modern perspective. These days, I find myself thinking, “The old days were fun.”
Comment from Itsuki Takashi (manga): It’s been about 20 years since this series began serialization. I’m thrilled that it’s now being adapted into an anime. This work, themed around the evil organization “Ganglion,” has a nostalgic and melancholic feel. I hope many people will enjoy it. Comment from Ueda Yoji (role of Isobe Kenji): I’m Ueda Yoji, who plays Isobe.
On a personal note, this is my first leading role in an anime series. He tries his best, but not too hard, and has a laid-back attitude, with a burning heart. I’m looking forward to playing this life-sized man. It went by so quickly, but I was curious to know what would happen next, and before I knew it, I was hooked. Please look forward to this film!! Comment from Fumihiko Tachiki (Colonel Shadow): The values of justice and evil seemed to be overturned, and I saw the preciousness and difficulty of living as individuals and as a group. Colonel Shadow is literally a shadowy, middle-management type!
In this story, many honest men only see themselves. As someone who has played villains professionally, I was able to vividly portray the curly-haired man, whose pathos and comedic naivety are evident. I hope that many people will understand the true self that lurks behind the mask and the theme of this work.
Comment from Tomokazu Sugita (Hopeman): Hopeman is the hero who thwarts Ganglion’s plot. Is there someone he’s modeled after? There’s also a strangely realistic side to the character that makes you feel like you’re being treated like a real person, so please enjoy. During recording, I tried to imagine how unpleasant Ganglion would be from that perspective. Rather than a righteous heart, I tried to build character while being conscious of the selfish psychology of prioritizing one’s own motivation.
Justice is always in hope! Hope!! Koga Aoi (Isobe Setsuko) Comment: I’m Koga Aoi, and I’ll be playing the role of Setsuko in “Ganglion.” I never expected to be playing the role of a wife and mother alongside Ueda-san and other senior comedians, so I’m nervous. Still, I want to portray the kind, warm, and wonderful Setsuko. Recording is progressing, and I’m working with people I don’t usually collaborate with. I’m impressed by the breadth of their talents and adaptability, even though they perform on stage in front of an audience, and I have a lot to learn from this set. Please look forward to it! Thank you. Comment from Aoyama Yoshino (role of Isobe Takashi): At first glance, this work seems like a hero story, but it depicts the commonalities of the villainous fighters that appear in those works, and I was surprised at how innovative the approach was. Takashi, whom I play, is the son of such a fighter, Isobe, and is a very innocent child who lives in a warm and loving home with his mother, Setsuko. It made me realize once again that every person has a life and a story. I hope everyone will take a moment to sympathize with the villains. Comment from Tono Hikaru (role of Yumiko): I’m Tono Hikaru, who will be playing Yumiko.
This work depicts the daily lives of villains with an indescribable melancholy. The worldview feels strangely realistic, and the addictive humor really hits home…! I hope it reaches all the adults working hard in society (lol)! I hope you’ll also pay attention to the dialogue between the rather quirky Yumiko and Hope-rin! Comment from Itsuji Itao (Stall Owner): I voiced the owner of the oden stall that the main character, Isobe, stops by after work. Surrounded by such renowned voice actors, I was nervous, and before I knew it, it was over.
While few people are familiar with the original work, it’s undoubtedly a hidden gem. Comment from Ayumu Watanabe (Director): What is right? What is strength? Here are some hints to the answers. Just give it a read – a title whose meaning you can’t find by searching for it.
A tangle of logic and emotion. Many things are hard to compromise on. Even though you think the world is like this, you grow to love the part of yourself that resists it. Something that seemed possible, but didn’t? Something that existed but you’ve forgotten? Is there really no need to go out of your way to depict something so ordinary? “Ganglion” examines these mundane, inconspicuous, everyday aspects of life through a mask.
TV anime “Ganglion” Broadcast information TV Tokyo: Every Friday from 25:53 to 26:00 starting from Friday, October 3, 2025 TV Osaka: Every Tuesday from 21:55 to 22:00 beginning from Tuesday, October 7 AT-X: Every Friday from 20:30 to 20:45 starting from Friday, October 3 BS Yoshimoto: Every Saturday from 22:55 to 23:00 beginning from Saturday, October 4
Staff Original story: Hisaya Shiraiwa Manga: Takashi Itsuki (Yoshimoto Books) Planning: Yoshimoto Kogyo Screenplay: Harise Director: Watanabe Ayumu Assistant Director: Tanaka Ryosuke Character Design & Chief Animation Director: Fujita Shigeru Storyboards: Tanaka Ryosuke, Miyamoto Takuji, Miyaji Masayuki, Yamamoto Hiroshi, Yamamura Hinata, Ushijima Shinichiro, Sogamegumi, Abe Yujiro Series Composition: Shiono Tomoaki Color Design: Nakano Naomi Art Director: Nakamura Yoshihiro Director of Photography: Yokoyama Tomoya Animation Director: Arai Fuka CG Director: Mukai Takumi Editor: Hirose Kiyoshi Music: Asami Takeo Music Production: INSPION Sound Director: Koizumi Kisuke Sound Production: INSPION Edge Animation: Fukae Nobu Animation Production: studio maf Cooperation: Yoshimoto Broad Entertainment Production: Ganglion Production Committee
Cast Kenji Isobe: Ueda Yoji Colonel Shadow (real name Minoru Kageyama: Fumihiko Tachiki Hopeman (HOPEMAN): Tomokazu Sugita Setsuko Isobe: Aoi Koga Takashi Isobe: Yoshino Aoyama Yumiko: Hikaru Tono Food stall owner: Itsuji Itao (c) Hisaya Shiraiwa, Takashi Itsuki / Ganglion Production Committee
