by The time-slip romance Rainy Day Serenade (Namidaame to Serenade) is officially heading to television in April 2027! The upcoming anime has unveiled its first key visual, teaser promotional video, main cast, and production staff. Yume Miyamoto will voice high school student Hina Katagiri, while Takeo Otsuka will play Takaaki Hongo, the wealthy heir she encounters after travelling back to Japan’s Meiji era.
Directed by Takashi Kamei and animated by Tezuka Productions, the series adapts Haruka Kawachi’s romantic manga, which combines historical drama, mystery, emotional relationships, and time travel. Alongside the anime announcement, the production team has revealed a special original artwork exhibition, an author signing event, a talk show,w and a promotional giveaway for fans.
With its April 2027 premiere approaching, the new announcements offer the first detailed look at how this delicate story of love and fate will be brought to life.
Rainy Day Serenade Anime Reveals Its First Key Visual and Teaser PV
The first key visual introduces Hina and Takaaki standing together against a beautiful townscape from Japan’s Meiji period. Although the two characters belong to different periods of time, the artwork creates a mysterious connection between their worlds.
One of the most striking details is the water spreading across the ground beneath them. Its reflection shows a beautiful garden and the figures of young children, seemingly representing distant memories and events connected to the past. The imagery hints at the emotional relationship between the two protagonists and the mysteries surrounding their unexpected meeting.
The visual was illustrated by Nobuteru Yuki, who is also serving as the anime’s character designer. Its nostalgic atmosphere and carefully composed details reflect the romantic and historical elements of the original manga.
Alongside the key visual, the production team released the first teaser PV, offering viewers their initial glimpse of the anime’s actual animation. The preview features scenes inspired by Hina’s recurring childhood dreams, as well as the first character voices of Hina and Takaaki.
The teaser focuses on the mysterious garden, the memories that continue to appear in Hina’s dreams, and the moment her connection with Takaaki begins to unfold. Rather than revealing too much about the story, the video establishes the series’ emotional atmosphere and raises questions about the relationship between the two characters.
What Is Rainy Day Serenade About?
Rainy Day Serenade is a historical time-slip romance centred on Hina Katagiri, an energetic high school student who has experienced the same mysterious dream since childhood.
Whenever it rains, Hina repeatedly dreams about her younger self meeting a boy in an unfamiliar garden. Although the location feels strangely familiar, she cannot understand why she keeps seeing the same place or what the dream means.
One day, her mysterious dream becomes a reality when she unexpectedly travels back in time to 1907, the 40th year of the Meiji era.
There, Hina encounters Takaaki Hongo, a young man from a wealthy family. Takaaki mistakes her for his fiancée, Hinako, and takes her to what he believes is her home. However, Hina soon discovers something even more astonishing: another girl who looks exactly like her is already there.
The discovery makes it clear that Hina has not simply travelled to an unfamiliar location. She has arrived in a different time period, where someone with her appearance already exists and where the lives of several people are connected in ways she does not yet understand.
As Hina tries to understand her situation, her encounter with Takaaki begins to change the course of their lives. Their relationship develops against a background of misunderstandings, memories, hidden feelings,s and the differences between two eras.
The central mystery is not only how Hina travelled through time, but also why she repeatedly dreamed about the garden and the boy she meets there. These questions give the romance an additional layer of suspense.
For viewers who enjoy historical romance, emotional storytelling, ng and time-travel mysteries, the series offers an interesting combination of genres. Its central relationship is shaped by the challenges of living in different periods, making the story more complicated than an ordinary romance.
Main Cast: Yume Miyamoto and Takeo Otsuka
The anime has announced two leading voice actors who will bring its central characters to life.
Hina Katagiri – Yume Miyamoto
Hina is the energetic and straightforward high school protagonist. She has been experiencing a recurring dream since childhood, but its significance only becomes clear after she suddenly travels back to 1907.
Despite finding herself in an unfamiliar historical environment, Hina is determined to move forward and understand what has happened to her. Her curiosity, honesty, and willingness to face difficult situations are important parts of her character.
Voice actress Yume Miyamoto will portray Hina. Miyamoto has appeared in several popular anime productions, including SSSS. Gridman as Rikka Takarada and Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury as Nika Nanaura.
In her comment, Miyamoto expressed her happiness at playing Hina, describing the original story as a beautiful yet bittersweet world filled with emotions that remain unchanged across time. She also highlighted Hina’s determination to look ahead and move forward independently.
Miyamoto hopes to capture Hina’s straightforward personality and changing expressions while adding her own touch to the story. She also expressed the wish that viewers would be left with an emotional aftertaste similar to the feeling of looking at the sky after the rain.
Takaaki Hongo – Takeo Otsuka
Takaaki Hongo is the heir to the Hongo family and a wealthy young man associated with Hongo Trading. Although he comes from a privileged background, he carries complicated feelings and memories from his childhood.
He still holds on to the memory of a girl he met when he was young. His encounter with Hina, whom he initially mistakes for his fiancée Hinako, becomes an important turning point in the story.
Voice actor Takeo Otsuka will portray Takaaki. He is known internationally for roles such as Jinshi in The Apothecary Diaries and Aqua Hoshino in Oshi no Ko.
Otsuka explained that reading the original manga and preparing for the recording sessions brought out several different emotions, including frustration, warmth, sadness, nostalgia, and suspense.
He also praised the delicate writing and the feelings hidden beneath the characters’ words. Otsuka said he hopes to portray Takaaki while staying close to the character’s emotions and the subtle details that make the story special.
Main Staff and Animation Production
The production team has also revealed the first group of staff members responsible for adapting Haruka Kawachi’s manga.
Tezuka Productions will handle the animation. The studio has worked on several well-known anime titles, including Dororo, Kids on the Slope and The Fable.
Takashi Kamei, known for directing My Home Hero, will serve as the director. Yoko Yonaiyama, whose previous work includes A Sign of Affection and the television drama Hirayasumi, is responsible for series composition.
Nobuteru Yuki, recognised for his work on Space Battleship Yamato 2199 and Orange, will design the anime’s characters. Yuki also illustrated the newly released first key visual.
Original Manga by Haruka Kawachi: 11 Years of Serialization
The anime is based on the manga Namidaame to Serenade by Haruka Kawachi. The series was published in Kodansha’s josei manga magazine Kiss from 2014 to 2025, concluding its 11-year serialization with the magazine’s January 2026 issue.
The completed manga consists of 14 collected volumes.
The original work attracted attention for combining a historical setting with a time-travel mystery and a complicated romantic relationship. Instead of focusing only on the romance between its central characters, the manga also explores how memories, misunderstandings, and circumstances can connect people across different periods.
A spin-off project is also planned to begin in Kiss magazine, giving readers another opportunity to revisit the world created by Kawachi.
For international readers, Kodansha USA has licensed the manga in English under the title Rainy Day Serenade. Its English release is planned as two-in-one omnibus editions, with the first volume scheduled for January 2027.
This gives readers outside Japan a chance to explore the original story ahead of the television anime.
Rainy Day Serenade Original Artwork Exhibition Announced in Tokyo
To celebrate the television anime adaptation and the upcoming spin-off manga, an original artwork exhibition will be held at Aoyama Book Center Main Store in Tokyo.
The exhibition is scheduled to run from November 25 to December 8, 2026, and admission will be free.
Visitors will be able to see original manga manuscripts and illustrations personally selected by Haruka Kawachi. The exhibition will also feature reproductions of previously unseen setting materials, giving fans a closer look at the creative process behind the original work.
In addition to the manga artwork, the venue will display materials connected to the upcoming television anime. Special merchandise featuring an anime adaptation commemorative illustration drawn by Kawachi will also be available. Further merchandise details are expected to be announced separately.
One interesting feature is that some of the exhibition contents will change between the first and second halves of the event. Fans who have the opportunity to visit should check the official event information before planning their visit.
Original Artwork Exhibition Details
- Event: Rainy Day Serenade Original Artwork Exhibition
- Dates: November 25–December 8, 2026
- Opening Hours: Monday–Friday, 11:00 AM–9:30 PM; Saturday–Sunday, 10:00 AM–9:00 PM
- Final Day: Closing at 5:00 PM
- Venue: Gallery Space, Aoyama Book Center Main Store
- Address: Cosmos Aoyama B2F, 5-53-67 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan
- Admission: Free
Haruka Kawachi Signing Event and Special Talk Show
Another special event has been announced for December 6, 2026, at the same venue.
The programme will feature an autograph session with original manga creator Haruka Kawachi and a special talk show involving Kawachi and Yoko Yonaiyama, the anime’s series composition writer. Sosei Takagi from Tezuka Productions will also participate in the talk show.
The discussion is expected to cover the appeal of the original manga, stories from its production, and details about the television anime currently in development. Fans will also have an opportunity to hear behind-the-scenes insights that may not be shared elsewhere.
The talk show will take place from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM JST, with doors opening at 11:40 AM. The autograph session will be held after the talk.
The event has a limited capacity of 80 participants, and tickets will cost ¥2,035, including tax. Sales are scheduled to begin on November 14, 2026, at 12:00 PM JST, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Signing Event and Talk Show Details
- Date: December 6, 2026
- Talk Show: 12:00 PM–1:00 PM
- Doors Open: 11:40 AM
- Autograph Session: After the talk show
- Participants: Haruka Kawachi, Yoko Yonaiyama, and Sosei Takagi
- Venue: Large Classroom, Aoyama Book Center Main Store
- Capacity: 80 people
- Ticket Price: ¥2,035 (tax included)
- Ticket Sales Begin: November 14, 2026, at 12:00 PM JST
- Ticket Availability: First come, first served
Official X Campaign Offers Signed Anime Posters
Alongside the anime announcement, the production team has launched an official X account and revealed a commemorative giveaway.
Two winners will receive a B2-size first key visual poster signed by Yume Miyamoto and Takeo Otsuka, the voice actors playing Hina and Takaaki.
To enter, participants must follow the official Rainy Day Serenade anime X account, @anime_namidaame, and repost the designated campaign post.
The campaign runs from November 6 to November 20, 2026, with entries closing at 11:59 PM JST on the final day. Interested fans should check the official account for the full participation rules and any regional restrictions.
This giveaway is a special opportunity for fans to celebrate the anime’s first major promotional announcement and potentially receive a signed version of its debut key visual.
When Will the Rainy Day Serenade Anime Be Released?
The television anime is scheduled to begin broadcasting in April 2027.
The exact premiere date, Japanese television channels, international streaming services, and episode count have not yet been announced. Additional cast members and further production details are also expected to be revealed in future updates.
For now, the first key visual, teaser PV, and the announcement of the two leading voice actors provide the first substantial look at the upcoming adaptation.
With its historical setting, mysterious childhood dream, and emotional time-travel romance, Rainy Day Serenade is shaping up to be a notable spring 2027 anime release. Fans of the original manga and newcomers alike can look forward to discovering how Hina and Takaaki’s story unfolds on screen.
