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Anime Spotlight - Hand Shakers

by ANN Staff,
On air starting January 10, 2017

Key Staff

Director: Shingo Suzuki
(Coppelion, K: Missing Kings)
Director: Hiromitsu Kanazawa
(Coppelion, K series director)






Introduction

GoHands is the studio that takes the world by storm, with overwhelming production methods shown in the K anime and the Mardock Scramble movie. Their new original animation project is finally starting.
Its name: Hand Shakers.

With Shingo Suzuki and Hiromitsu Kanazawa as directors and welcoming Takayuki Uchida as the character designer, the doors to a new age of animation are opened.
Set in the city of Osaka, what exactly is the "fight" that's on the line in the fight between the Hand Shakers?
Experience an unprecedented world!

*Hand Shakers
A term referring to two warriors given a revelation from God who fight with their hands joined together, with one of the fighters using something created from deep within the psyche of his or her partner as their weapon. They only have one objective: to win against God and have their wish granted.

It is said that one can gain the right to challenge god by continuously winning in battle against other Hand Shakers. In order to gain this opportunity, the Hand Shakers fight night and day against each other.

*Nimrod
The general term for weapons created within the depths of a Hand Shakers' psyche, Each varies greatly in shape and ability. Within the battleground, Ziggurat, Hand Shakers employ their Nimrods to fight decisive battles with their personal powers.

*Ziggurat
The parallel universe that opposing Hand Shakers are transported to when they each join hands with their partner.
There are traces of the real world there, but no other humans aside from the Hand Shakers exist in this world. A battle within a Ziggurat continues until one pair loses the will to fight or when a combatant suffers a mortal blow that leads to pseudo-death, at which point their right to be Hand Shakers is taken from them and they are returned to the real world (the combatant does not lose their life in the real world). Meanwhile, the winner is sent to the Ziggurat when they encounter their next opponent.

In addition, because many Hand Shakers fear repercussions in the real world (ambushes, harm to friends and family, etc.) by putting their identity as a combatant out in the open, many tend to hide their status as a Hand Shaker and use a code name.

Story

Hand Shakers are those who fight each other using a weapon "Nimrod," which is born from the deep psyche of two people holding hands.

Numerous Hand Shakers compete with each other in order to have an audience with "God," defeat Him and fulfill their own "wishes."
What awaits the Hand Shakers?

- In osaka
Tazuna, a high school student who is good at fiddling around with machines, receives a request to repair something and visits a university laboratory, where he meets a girl named Koyori who is sleeping quietly on a bed. When Tazuna touches Koyori's fingertip, as if guided by something unknown, he hears some voice coming from somewhere...

"Those of you who have overcome many battles and difficulties, who have had a revelation, and who intend to have an audience with Me to challenge me are 'Hand Shakers.'"

Tazuna is bewildered when a totally different world called "Ziggurat" spreads out before him. At that moment, Tazuna and Koyori are attacked by an unknown assailant.

Numerous Hand Shakers who struggle to have an audience with God stand in the way of Tazuna and Koyori in order to grant each of their "wishes."

Protect with your own Hands!

Characters

Tazuna Takatsuki
(Voice: Soma Saito)

"It's just that what I should do and what I want to do are 'meshing together' now."

Code Name: Single=Gear
Age: 16
Height: 161cm
Birthday: July 16

A high school boy adept at fiddling with machines who runs around each time he receives a repair request. He has above average concentration abilities, but because of this, he tends to forget what's around him. As a result of holding Koyori's hand when she was sleeping in the laboratory, he becomes a Hand Shaker. Koyori will die if he lets go of her hand. She reminds him of his younger sister who passed away.

Koyori Akutagawa
Voice: Sumire Morohoshi

"..."

Code Name: ???
Age: 15
Height: 150cm
Birthday: March 20

The girl who had been continuously sleeping in the laboratory. She woke up as a result of holding hands with Tazuna, and becomes his partner as Hand Shakers. She is expressionless and never says anything. She will lose her vitality and die if she is not holding hands with Tazuna at all times, including when they are asleep. In addition, their defeat as Hand Shakers also means death in real life for her...

Nimrod : Single=Gear

An all-purpose Nimrod in the shape of a gear. It is a versatile weapon that can layer on top of itself infinitely to make a sword, a gauntlet that can be equipped to an arm, a chakram projectile, can even be a shield if set up like a wall. The drawback is that it doesn't have any one prominent power.

   
Riri Hojo
Voice: Ai Kayano

"It's all right. Masaru, you have your big sister, okay?"

Code Name: Fortune=Card
Age: 16
Height: 162cm
Birthday: June 13

A gentle, but reliable honor student. She's the student council president of the high school Tazuna attends. Her specialty is tarot card readings, and often uses her fortune telling to advise those around her. She's Masaru's elder sister.

Masaru Hojo
Voice: Ayumu Murase

"This is your dead end."

Code Name: Emperor=Card
Age: 12
Height: 149cm
Birthday: June 14

Riri's little brother. He's so intelligent, calm, and mature that it is hard to believe he is 12. He is often exasperated by his elder sister's actions, but diligently looks after her. He is so good at card games that he is always #1 in the Kinki area. When he is playing card games, you can see a side of him different than usual.

   
Chizuru Mitsudera
Voice: Sumire Uesaka

"We're the best boss and subordinate pair. Well, in that case... we should be able to change anything."

Code Name: Dagger=Shadow
Age: 25
Height: 146cm
Birthday: February 10

A girl who's often mistaken for a middle school student with her small body, but she is actually a working adult. Contrary to her looks, she is very competent at her job. She's also a hard worker with a good personality, making it hard to find faults with her. She often makes rebuttals at her subordinate, Hayate.

Hayate Azuma
Voice: Kaito Ishikawa

"I'll follow you anywhere, Senpai!"

Code Name: Blade=Shadow
Age: 22
Height: 190cm
Birthday: May 1

Chizuru's easygoing subordinate and a fairly new employee. He is extremely tall, and people often mistake him for being Chizuru's boss. Every time that happens, he ends up getting scolded by her. He is a hard worker and excels at backing up Chizuru.

   
Kodama Awaza
Voice: Mikako Komatsu

"You were defeated because I was too strong. That's all. Got that engraved into your soul?"

Code Name: Sing=Sword
Age: 18
Height: 158cm
Birthday: January 1

A top-tier Hand Shaker who fights alongside Hibiki. She's a bright, strong-willed, and confident girl who usually performs as a pop idol. Her characteristics include her pigtails and her habit of uttering proverbs when anything happens.

Hibiki Moriyama
Voice: Tomokazu Sugita

"Ahhh! Kodama, I expected nothing less from you! That is so deep!"

Code Name: Sonic=Sword
Age: 30
Height: 165cm
Birthday: March 3

A Hand Shaker that fights together with Kodama. Previously a businessman, he quit his company to support her. He currently works as her manager. He is always impressed by Kodama's words and actions and glorifies her.

   
Break=Chain
Voice: Jun Fukuyama

"Prepare to be hunted, you piece of-!"

Code Name: Break=Chain
Age: 18
Height: 173cm
Birthday: October 27

A Hand Shaker that fights together with Bind=Chain to make his wish come true. He controls Bind with his power.

Bind=Chain
Voice: Yoko Hikasa

"Yes, I'm coming..."

Code Name: Bind=Chain
Age: 18
Height: 161cm
Birthday: November 8

A Hand Shaker that fights together with Break=Chain to make her wish come true. She is dependent on Break.

   
Nagamasa Makihara
Voice: Showtaro Morikubo

"Ahaha! That's what I'm talking about! Optimism, positivity! That's my philosophy in life! I love believing that all humans are really good at heart!"

Age: 31
Height: 185cm
Birthday: August 11

An university associate professor at the school Tazuna attends. He's the first researcher to study Hand Shakers. Always hyper, he has a tendency to leave others in the dust when he starts to talk. His life philosophy is "be positive." His favorite food is shumai dumplings.

Musubu Takatsuki
Voice: Sora Amamiya

"Big Brother... Don't let go of my hand..."

Birthday: September 20

Tazuna's little sister who passed away. She loved her brother and was very attached to him.

Tazuna's Father
Voice: Shintaro Asanuma

"Geez, Honey. Yourre so..."

The pillar of the Takatsuki family who warmly looks after Tazuna and Koyori's growth. He is extremely skilled at concentrating, so he doesn't return to reality for a while once he starts reading the newspaper. Tazuna's mother often pulls pranks on him when he's in his concentration mode.

Tazuna's Mother
Voice: Satomi Sato

"Hehe... Oh, Sweetheart..."

A kind, calm, and understanding mother. She supports Tazuna and Koyori from the sidelines. She can be a bit mischiveous, playing pranks on Tazuna's father when he starts to concentrate. She's a beautiful middle-aged woman who looks a lot younger than her actual age.

Tomoki Tachibana
Voice: Yusuke Kobayashi

"Your obsession with machines is amazing. I'll count on you again if I need repairs again."

Birthday: December 20

Tazuna's sociable, slick schoolmate. He often notices subtle things about people.

Cast

Tazuma
Soma Saito
Koyori
Sumire Morohoshi
Makihara
Showtaro Morikubo
Riri
Ai Kayano
Masaru
Ayumu Murase
Chizuru
Sumire Uesaka
Hayate
Kaito Ishikawa
Kodama
Mikako Komatsu
Hibiki
Tomokazu Sugita
Break
Jun Fukuyama
Bind
Yoko Hikasa
Musubu
Sora Amamiya
Tazuna's Father
Shintaro Asanuma
Tazuna's Mother
Satomi Sato
Tomoki
Yusuke Kobayashi
Voice of God
Daisuke Namikawa

Staff

Original Plan
GoHands
Original Work
GoHands × Frontier Works × KADOKAWA
Director
Shingo Suzuki & Hiromitsu Kanazawa
Series Composition
Hiromitsu Kanazawa
Character Designer
Takayuki Uchida
Animation Producer
Takanori Kikuchi
Music
KADOKAWA / GOON TRAX
Animation Production
GoHands

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