Ikoku Nikki Anime's 2nd Video Reveals More Cast, January 4 Debut

Sayaka Ōhara joins cast as Asa's late mother, Makio's older sister Minori

The staff for the television anime of Tomoko Yamashita's Ikoku Nikki (Journal with witch, or literally Diary of a Strange Land) manga revealed on Tuesday the second full promotional video, second key visual, another cast member, and January 4 premiere for the anime. The video previews the characters' voices and the opening theme song "Sonare" by singer-songwriter TOMOO.

Sayaka Ōhara joins the anime's cast as Minori, Asa's late mother and Makio's older sister:

The anime will premiere on January 4 on BS Asahi at 11:00 p.m. JST (9:00 a.m. EST), then on Tokyo MX at 24:00 JST, and on ABC TV at 24:40 JST (effectively, January 5 at 12:00 a.m. and 12:40 a.m. JST respectively). The anime will also stream on Amazon Prime Video and on other streaming services in Japan.

The anime will star: 

• Miyuki Sawashiro as Makio Kōdai

• Fūko Mori as Asa Takumi

• Junichi Suwabe as Shingo Kasamachi

• Sumire Morohoshi as Emiri Nara

• Eriko Matsui as Nana Daigo

• Takashi Kondō as Kazunari Tōno

Miyuki Oshiro (episode director for Durarara!!×2 Ketsu, Natsume Yūjin-Chō Go, To Your Eternity) is directing the anime at Shuka. Kohei Kiyasu (Run with the Wind, My Home Hero) is in charge of composition and writing the scripts, Kenji Hayama (Princess Jellyfish, Tiger & Bunny) is designing the characters, and kensuke ushio (Chainsaw Man, A Silent Voice, Heavenly Delusion) is composing the music. Pop duo Bialystocks will perform the ending theme song "Kotozute" (Hearsay).

Additional staff members include:

• Sub-Character Designer: Toshie Kawamura

• Prop Setting: Miyako Kanō

• Costume Setting: Kaede Aizawa

• Art: Eriko Takahashi

• Color Design: Miho Tanaka

• Director of Photography: Tomo Namiki

• Editing: Kazuhiko Seki

• Sound Director: Takahiro Ōmori

Yamashita (The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window, Don't Cry Girl, Mo'some Sting) launched the manga in June 2017 in Shodensha's Feel Young magazine, and ended it in June 2023. The manga's 11th and final compiled book volume shipped in August 2023. The manga was nominated for the 28th Annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize earlier this year. The manga also ranked at #5 on the women's list of the 2024 edition of Kono Manga ga Sugoi!, topped Da Vinci's 23rd annual "Book of the Year" list for manga in December 2023, and was nominated for the 13th Manga Taisho awards in 2020.

Sources: Ikoku Nikki anime's X/Twitter account, Comic Natalie