Blue Box Anime Set for Half-Year Continuous Broadcast
The television anime adaptation of Blue Box (Ao no Hako), based on Kōji Miura's popular manga, is set to air for two consecutive seasons starting in October 2024. This announcement was made at a special event on Sunday.
The anime will begin airing on Japanese television on October 3 at 11:56 p.m. It will be broadcast on TBS and 28 other affiliated networks. For international viewers, Netflix will stream the anime starting on October 4. While Netflix’s release will follow the TV debut, the streaming service will offer the first two episodes right away. After each episode is aired on television, it will also be available on more than 25 streaming platforms in Japan. Netflix will continue releasing episodes weekly, but the exact release dates may vary depending on the country.
The Blue Box anime features a talented voice cast. Shōya Chiba plays the lead role of Taiki Inomata, while Reina Ueda voices the basketball player Chinatsu Kano. Other main characters include Hina Chono (voiced by Akari Kitō), Kyo Kasahara (voiced by Chiaki Kobayashi), and Kengo Haryū (voiced by Yūma Uchida). The anime also includes Shōgo Sakata as Ryōsuke Nishida, Anna Nagase as Nagisa Funami, and Asaki Yuikawa as Niina Shimazaki.
Production and Story Overview
The show is directed by Yūichirō Yano, known for his work on Moyashimon and Lupin the Third: Part 5. The series scripts are overseen by Yūko Kakihara, who has worked on anime like Buddy Daddies, Cells at Work!, and Chihayafuru. Character designs are handled by Miho Tanino, who has worked on Tower of God and Blue Thermal. The animation is being produced by Telecom Animation Film, and UNLIMITED PRODUCE by TMS is responsible for the overall planning and production of the series.
The opening theme song "Same Blue" will be performed by Official HiGE DANdism, while Eve will sing the ending theme song "Teenage Blue." Both artists are known for their contributions to other popular anime soundtracks.
The Blue Box story follows Taiki Inomata, a member of his school’s boys' badminton team. He has a crush on Chinatsu Kano, a basketball player who trains alongside him in the gym every morning. One day, their relationship takes an unexpected turn, and this begins their story of love, sports, and youth.
Blue Box started as a one-shot manga in Weekly Shonen Jump in 2020 before becoming a serialized series in April 2021. The manga has been very successful, with over 5 million copies in circulation. The 17th volume is set to be released on October 4.