Interest

Bullbuster Robot Anime Posts Live-Action Video Before Premiere

Kadokawa's official YouTube channel began streaming a live-action "Bullbuster -Keep You Safe-" video on Saturday to promote the upcoming television anime of the Bullbuster franchise.

The video is a collaboration with the city of Kitakyushu. After an emergency breaks out in the city, the Bullbuster gets into gear to protect the people living there. Every shot in the video is filmed on location.

Kadokawa also announced that the anime series is inspiring an online radio show launching on April 8. Yūki Takada, who voices the character Miyuki Shirogane, will host the show.

In the anime's story, a young engineer named Tetsurō Okino who has developed the new robot Bullbuster is transferred to Hato Industries, a company that exterminates harmful animals. There, the company and its president Kōji Tajima are up against a mysterious lifeform named "Kyojū." As a small business that is always finding itself short on money, Hato must always account for every expense such as fuel and pilot labor. And of course, missed shots are not tolerated. The company is always stuck between their ideals of Kyōju extermination and the reality of the economy.

Film director Hiroyuki Nakao and P.I.C.S. are credited with the planning and original work. Manga creator Eisaku Kubonouchi (Carole & Tuesday original character design) drafted the original character designs. Hiroyasu Aoki (Hero Mask director) is directing the anime and is in charge of the series scripts at NUT. Takahisa Katagiri (animation director for FLCL Progressive, Hero Mask) is adapting Kubonuouchi's designs for animation, and is also the chief animation director. Junji Okubo (Overlord monster design) is the mechanical designer.

The anime will premiere in 2023.

The franchise started out as a concept book released at the Comic Market (Comiket) and COMITIA events. The book centers on the concept of, "This is an economically legitimate robot hero story." Staff members on the project include Nakao, Kubonouchi, science-fiction writer Yūya Takashima, and Okubo.

Kadokawa has published two novels in the franchise. Nakao is credited with the original work, and Seiji Ebihara penned the novels.

Press Release

---

Disclosure: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, is the majority owner of Anime News Network, LLC. One or more of the companies mentioned in this article are part of the Kadokawa Group of Companies.