News

Funimation Streams Skate-Leading Stars Anime 2 Weeks Before Japan

Funimation announced on Wednesday that it will stream J.C. Staff's original television anime Skate-Leading Stars two weeks before its premiere in Japan. Funimation will stream the series in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland; on AnimeLab in Australia and New Zealand; and on Wakanim in France, Germany, and Scandinavia. The anime will premiere on Tokyo MX in Japan on January 10, and on BS11 and MBS on January 12.

Funimation describes the anime:

The story follows high schooler Kensei Maeshima who is swept back into the world of skating when his rival (who also led him to quit figure skating in the first place) Reo Shinozaki announces he will be competing in the team sport of skate-leading.

When Maeshima meets Hayato Sasugai, a boy who knows all about Maeshima's time as a figure skater, he's convinced to join skate-leading and take on Shinozaki again!

The anime was originally scheduled for a July premiere, but was delayed due to the effects of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The anime stars:

• Yūma Uchida as Kensei Maeshima
• Makoto Furukawa as Hayato Sasugai
• Gen Sato as Tomoyuki Kubota
• Yuichiro Umehara as Izumi Himekawa
• Reo Tsuchida as Akimitsu Mochizuki
• Shōya Chiba as Sōta Jōnouchi
• Satoshi Hino as Jōtarō Terauchi
• Tomoaki Maeno as Itsuki Kiriyama
• Natsuki Hanae as Yukimitsu Mochizuki
• Hiroshi Kamiya as Reo Shinozaki
• Kaito Takeda as Toranosuke Kurayoshi
• Yūki Ono as Taiga Himuro
• Sōma Saitō as Noa Kuonji
• Hirofumi Nojima as Hajime Ishikawa
• Kenji Nojima as Susumu Ishikawa

Goro Taniguchi (Planetes, Code Geass, Maria the Virgin Witch) is the chief director, with J.C. Staff in charge of animation production. Yana Toboso (Black Butler) is the original character designer. Toshinori Fukushima (Tamayomi) is the director. Noboru Kimura (Gundam Build Divers, Amagami SS+) is writing and supervising the anime's scripts. Yōko Itō (Amanchu!) is designing the characters for animation, and is also the chief animation director. Osare Company is credited for the original clothing concept. TETSU from the Bugs Under Groove dance company is the performance director and is also in charge of choreography, with former competitive figure skater Hirokazu Kobayashi (Prince Ice World) also collaborating with choreography. Ryō Takahashi is composing the music. Takao Sakuma is performing the opening theme song "Chase the core." Shugo Nakamura is performing the ending theme song "Jump."

The anime is inspiring a manga adaptation by Chiaki Nagaoka (Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens Dai 2-Maku) and sumika Sumio.

Source: Funimation