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Kana Furunaka Takes Over Maria Magadalene Dietrich Role in Luminous Witches Franchise

Kadokawa revealed during a livestreamed stage presentation for the Renmei Kūgun Kōkū Mahō Ongakutai Luminous Witches (Allied Air Force Magical Idols Luminous Witches) television anime series at the AnimeJapan 2021 event on Saturday that the franchise has cast Kana Furunaka as Maria Magadalene Dietrich.

The anime had previously cast Momo Hanae in that role.

The anime will premiere this year. The story 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.

The anime stars:

• Sayaka Tsuzuki as Eleonore Giovanna Gassion (third from left in image above)
• Ami Aimoto as Lyudmila Andreyevna Rouslanova (fourth from left)
• Mai Narumi as Virginia Robertson (fifth from left)
• Minako Hosogawa as Inori Shibuya (fourth from right)
• Ryō Mamiya as Aira Payvikki Linnamar (third from right)
• Kyō Tachibana as Joanna Elizabeth Stafford (far left)
• Miu Kotosaka as Sylvie Cariello (second from left)
• Kana Furunaka as Maria Magadalene Dietrich (second from right)
• Misaki Yūki as Manaia Matawhaura Hato (far right)

Humikane Shimada drew the character designs for the 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) is directing the anime and handling the series composition. Shinya Murakami is credited for the "Witches series literature." Kadokawa is producing the music. SHAFT is animating the series.

The anime staff also includes:

• Assistant Director: Kana Harufuji
• Animation Character Design: Kazuya Shiotsuki
• Familiar Design: Mina Ōtaka
• Art: Studio Pablo
• Color Design: Jin Hibino
• Director of Photography: Rei Egami
• Editing: Rie Matsubara
• Sound Director: Yukio Nagasaki
• Music Producer: Gō Wakabayashi
• Project Leader/Producer: Takashi Tachizaki
• Producer: Mitsutoshi Kubota
• Animation Producer: Kōichi Yasuda

The anime's main cast formed an idol unit in 2019, and the first CD single, "Flying Skyhigh," shipped in May 2020. The third single shipped on March 24.

Sources: Luminous Witches anime's website, Comic Natalie