New ‘Touken Ranbu Kai: Kyoden’ prequel releasing in Japan in August – Here’s what we know so far

Heshikiri Hasebe in just-ended Touken Ranbu Kai: Kyoden Moyuru Honnouji

New Touken Ranbu anime on its way

While the action fantasy anime Touken Ranbu Kai: Kyoden Moyuru Honnouji may have aired its final episode earlier today, that isn’t it for the Touken Ranbu franchise.

Not after the official website for the anime just announced a prequel anime called Touken Ranbu Kai: Douden Chikashi Habera Umonora is going to be screened in Japanese theaters in August.

Like the Touken Ranbu Kai: Kyoden Moyuru Honnouji anime series, it will be based on the stage plays.

Alongside the announcement, we also got a Touken Ranbu Kai: Douden Chikashi Habera Umonora teaser trailer (watch below), and a key visual (below) featuring two of the swords from Touken Ranbu Kai: Kyoden.

Those swords, of course, are Kunihiro blade Yamanbagiri Kunihiro, a sword who worries about being a replica of the real Yamanbagiri, and so feels like he isn’t as worthy as some of the others.

And Heshikiri Hasebe, a uchigatana who is loyal to his new master and angry with Oda Nobunaga, his old master, after he was given away to someone who wasn’t even one of the master’s retainer.

First Touken Ranbu Kai: Douden Chikashi Habera Umonora key visual

These two swords will be the main characters in the upcoming Touken Ranbu Kai: Douden Chikashi Habera Umonora anime, although the new story will focus on Hasebe.

Staff on new Touken Ranbu Kai: Kyoden prequel

Director Kazuya Ichikawa (Bakugan) is back to do the same admirable job he did with Touken Ranbu Kai: Kyoden, as is Touken Ranbu Kai: Kyoden‘s scriptwriter Kenichi Suemitsu. He will also be in charge of character designs again.

Takada Mari is back as art director, and Domerica is again in charge of anime production.

The same voice actors will also be reprising their roles.

Kenichi Suemitsu had a comment about his work on the new production saying:

I will be depicting the time when Heshikiri Hasebe was the Attendant Sword. There are parts of this story that I wanted to depict on stage, but due to various circumstances, I was unable to. So I have decided to present them here…

The story introduces the circumstances of how the role of Attendant Sword changed from Yamanbagiri Kunihiro, the first attendant, to Heshikiri Hasebe, from Heshikiri Hasebe to Mikazuki Munechika, and from Mikazuki Munechika back to Yamabagiri Kunihiro.

The new anime will be screened in Japanese movie theaters for just three weeks in August, with no word yet as to when/if it will be released in the west.

Fingers crossed, though, it will be another Crunchyroll release.

We will keep you updated here on Anime Powered as soon as we find out.

 

About Steve Reynolds

If Dragon Ball was your first love, we might just have something in common. Throw in Sailor Moon, Akira, Pokemon and Revolutionary Girl Utena, and you and I could be good friends. Problem is, I rarely leave my house as there's that manga collection I need to catch up on.