'Play It Cool, Guys' Anime Previews 2nd Half's New Character, Opening Song in Video

The television anime of Kokone Nata's Play It Cool, Guys (Cool Doji Danshi) manga posted a full promotional video and key visual for the second of its two cours (quarters of a year) on Tuesday. The video introduces a new character (and her cast member) and the opening theme song for the second part, which debuts on January 2.

Ayako Kawasumi plays Shirakawa, Motoharu's editor:

The songwriter and producer syudou performs the new opening theme song "Warau na!" (Don't Laugh!).

PICG — a unit composed of the four main protagonists, voiced by Chiaki Kobayashi, Kouki Uchiyama, Yuichiro Umehara, and Shōya Chiba — performs the ending theme song "Taisetsu" (Precious) for the second cours. Saeki YouthK is writing, composing, and arranging the song. The song's album launches on February 23.

The anime premiered on TV Tokyo on October 10. Crunchyroll is streaming the series as it airs in Japan.

Chiaki Kon (Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal: Season III, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal, The Way of the Househusband, Junjō Romantica) is directing the anime at Studio Pierrot. Makoto Uezu (Assassination Classroom, Yuki Yuna Is a Hero, Space Brothers) is overseeing the series scripts, and Airi Taguchi (key animation for Children of the Sea, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? second season) is serving as both character designer and chief animation director. Masato Nakayama (B-PROJECT, We Never Learn: BOKUBEN, You and Me.) is composing the music.

Yen Press is releasing the manga in English in full color, as it was originally released in Japan. The company describes the story:

Enter: a bunch of cool guys who look like they got that unapproachable swag. But let's be real—that's not the true them. They're just a bunch of dorks who've got the act down pat. So sit back, grab some popcorn and enjoy watching a bunch of goofy guys try to look cool all day every day. Play It Cool, Guys is a fun collection of stories featuring guys that are equal parts cool and equal parts adorably awkward.

Nata launched the manga in June 2019 on the Gangan pixiv website, where it is ongoing. The manga ranked #16th for the 2020 edition of Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! (This Manga Is Amazing!) guidebook for its female readers list. The manga also placed seventh in pixiv and Nippon Shuppan Hanbai, Inc's "Web Manga General Election" in 2019.

Source: Comic Natalie