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Ikebukuro West Gate Park Mystery Anime Previewed in English-Subtitled Video
posted on by Egan Loo
The official website for the television anime of Ira Ishida's Ikebukuro West Gate Park novel series began streaming the first English-subtitled promotional video on Friday. Kentarō Kumagai narrates the end of the video as his character Makoto.
The mystery novel series is set in Tokyo's Ikebukuro ward, in the eponymous Ikebukuro Nishiguchi Kōen (known by locals as "Ikebukuro West Gate Park," the place's English name). The story centers on Makoto Majima, the son of a local fruit vendor, and known as the "Troubleshooter of Ikebukuro." He helps everyone from his friends to local street toughs in solving various incidents.
The anime's premiere has been delayed to October due to the effects of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the production. The anime was previously scheduled to premiere in July.
The anime's cast includes Kentarō Kumagai as Makoto, Kouki Uchiyama as Takashi, and Reiō Tsuchida as Kyōichi.
Tomoaki Koshida (The Helpful Fox Senko-san, Zoku Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru.) is directing the anime at Doga Kobo. Fumihiko Shimo (Fairy Tail, Infinite Stratos) is in charge of series composition. Junichirō Taniguchi (Prison School, Tada Never Falls in Love) is designing the characters.
Ishida published the 15th Ikebukuro West Gate Park novel volume on September 12. The series inspired a popular live-action television series in 2000, as well as a live-action special titled Ikebukuro West Gate Park Soup no Kai in 2003. Sena Aritou serialized a manga adaptation in Akita Shoten's Young Champion magazine from 2001 to 2004, and it received four volumes. Masashi Asaki also drew the IWGP: Denshi no Hoshi manga, and Shō Kitagawa also drew another manga adaptation in 2015. Digital Manga Publishing released all four volumes of Aritou's manga in English.
Sources: Ikebukuro West Gate Park anime's website, Comic Natalie
