The upcoming television adaptation of Yukino Sonoyama's coming-of-age fashion manga Bless has expanded its roster. The production committee revealed a new character promotional video confirming that voice actor Kōki Uchiyama will play Akiharu Nakano. Scheduled for a broadcast premiere in January 2027, the title will anchor Fuji TV's signature Noitamina programming block.
The series is currently in production at animation studio A-1 Pictures under the direction of Shōtarō Kitamura, hot off his critically praised directorial run on Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!. He is supported by assistant director Takayuki Kikuchi, script supervisor Fukurou Kamiza, and lead character designer Honoka Yokoyama, who also serves as chief animation director alongside industry veterans Tetsuya Kawakami and Reina Iwasaki. Renowned composer Ryō Yoshimata is scoring the soundtrack, bringing emotive musical depth to the high-stakes world of runway styling and cosmetic artistry.
Ensemble Cast & Production
Uchiyama joins an ensemble headlined by Tomohiro Ōno as aspiring fashion designer Aia Udagawa and Chiyuki Miura as his muse and model partner Jun Sumisaki. The supporting lineup brings together notable industry talent:
- Nobuhiko Okamoto as Ginga Yoyogi
- Yoshino Aoyama as Oroka Sumeragi
- Momoka Terasawa as Shitataka Sumeragi
- Kentarō Kumagai as MM
- Yoshiki Nakajima as Joe Osaki
- Kōki Uchiyama as Akiharu Nakano
First serialized by Kodansha in 2022 before shifting to Monthly Shonen Sirius, Sonoyama's manga has surpassed 1.25 million copies in circulation. Kodansha USA Publishing handles the English release, following two high school outsiders who forge an unlikely alliance to dismantle industry conventions through grit, makeup technique, and runway ambition. The property is also receiving a worldwide live-action adaptation set to debut on Amazon Prime Video in spring 2027.
