Netflix will stream an anime adaptation of Dandelion, the debut one-shot manga by Hideaki Sorachi, creator of the long-running series Gintama, beginning in April. The announcement, made Friday, confirmed a project teased the previous day on the X (formerly Twitter) account “dandelion_0914,” which clarified the reveal was not related to a new manga serialization.
The seven-episode series will feature Chikahiro Kobayashi as Tetsuo Tanba and Megumi Han as Misaki Kurogane, two members of the Japan Angel Federation Sendoff Department. The department’s role is to guide spirits unable to move on to the afterlife due to unresolved regrets.
Daisuke Mataga will direct the anime at Studio NAZ, having previously served as chief animation director for Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos and Grimoire of Zero. Yōsuke Suzuki, known for his operate on A Gentle Noble’s Vacation Recommendation, is overseeing the series scripts, with character designs by Ai Asari (Sabikui Bisco). The musical score will be composed by Yūki Hayashi, whose credits include Haikyu!! and My Hero Academia.
Dandelion originally appeared in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 2002. It was later included as part of the first volume of Gintama, which ran from 2003 until 2019 and has sold over 55 million copies. The Gintama franchise includes 367 television anime episodes, three anime films, original video anime projects, event anime, and live-action adaptations.
The production staff also includes assistant director Atsushi Ikariya, art director Ryūsuke Shiino, color designer Emiko Okada, 3DCG director Kunihiko Mita, director of photography Tsubasa Takagi, editor Yoshiaki Kimura, sound director Kisuke Koizumi, and animation producer Yasuo Suda.
Sorachi, commenting on the adaptation, expressed surprise that Netflix had revisited his early work, stating, “I usually avoid rereading my debut work because it’s embarrassing, but somehow Netflix has dug it up and expanded it into an anime.”
Director Mataga added, “Dandelion is truly interesting both as a comedy and as a drama, and I’m very happy to take on the challenge of adapting it into anime.”
The most recent installment in the Gintama universe, Shin-Gekijōban Gintama: Yoshiwara Daienjō (Gintama New Film Version: Yoshiwara in Flames), a compilation film covering episodes 139-146 of the anime with newly animated scenes, opened in Japan on February 13.
