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Idol Witches TV Anime Project Revealed for 2021
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
The staff of the Strike Witches anime announced the new Ongakutai Witches (Idol Witches, temporary title) television anime project at the franchise's 10th anniversary event on Sunday. The anime will premiere in 2021.
The anime centers on a unique squadron of "Witches who don't fight." Instead, the squadron sing and perform music to protect the smiles of those who have been driven out of their hometowns by the Neuroi.
Humikane Shimada drew the character designs for the three main new Witches. Shimada and Projekt World Witches are credited with the original work. Shouji Saeki (episode director and scriptwriter for Strike Witches and Strike Witches 2) directing the anime and handling the series composition. Shinya Murakami is credited for the "Witches series literature." Kadokawa is producing the music.
The cast for the new witches includes: (Cast and character name spellings aren't confirmed, from left to right in image above)
- Ami Aimoto as Lyudmila Andreyevna Rouslanova
- Mai Narumi as Virginia Robertson
- Minako Hosogawa as Inori Shibuya
An idol group based on the new franchise will debut in 2019.
The franchise's story centers on an alien invasion by beings known as the Neuroi. The only way to damage and ultimately defeat them lies in Witches, girls who possess magical powers and are capable of wielding Striker Units that enhances their abilities and allow them to maneuver in the air. The characters in the franchise are often based on real-life aerial aces from various nationalities.
The series is based on illustrator Humikane Shimada's mecha-girl illustrations, and Shimada is credited as the original creator and character designer for the franchise. The mixed-media franchise began with a manga in 2005, and a light novel series in 2006, both of which focus on different characters from the eventual Strike Witches anime. The anime premiered in 2008, and it spawned a sequel, a film, and OVA series. The franchise also spawned the Brave Witches anime in October 2016, as well as numerous spinoff manga, novels, and games.
The new Strike Witches: Road to Berlin TV anime will premiere in 2020.
Source: World Witches franchise's official website
