Madhouse's Sonny Boy Sci-Fi Anime Posts New Video, Visual

The official website for director Shingo Natsume (One-Punch Man, ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept., Space Dandy) and Madhouse's original science-fiction survival television anime Sonny Boy posted more updates on Thursday. The updates include a new 60-second promotional video and key visual.

The website also confirmed that the first episode will stream for free on Saturday at 8:00 p.m., although the stream is specifically restricted to Japan only.

The science-fiction ensemble drama centers around 36 boys and girls. On August 16, midway through a seemingly endless summer vacation, middle school third-year student Nagara, the mysterious transfer student Nozomi, and their classmates are suddenly transported from their tranquil daily lives to a school adrift in an alternate dimension.

The anime stars:

Aoi Ichikawa as Nagara, the protagonist

Saori Ōnishi as Nozomi, a transfer student who just returned to Japan from Berlin

Aoi Yūki as Mizuho, a classmate who is always surrounded by the three cats who were dear to her grandmother

Chiaki Kobayashi as Asakaze, a rebellious classmate who hates being ordered around

Natsume conceived the story and is directing and writing the anime at Madhouse. Norifumi Kugai (ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept.) is handling the anime characters designs based on the original designs by manga artist and illustrator Hisashi Euguchi (Perfect Blue, Roujin Z, Eiji, Stop! Hibari-kun, Mujin Wakusei Survive).

Studio Pablo's Mari Fujino (Dororo) is directing the art, and Ken Hashimoto is the color key artist. Akane Fushihara is serving as the compositing director of photography, and Kashiko Kimura is editing. Shōji Hata is directing the sound.

Ging Nang BOYZ rock band vocalist and guitarist Kazunobu Mineta wrote the theme song "Shōnen Shōjo" (Boys and Girls) specifically for the anime. The anime's website announced the tracks on the two-volume soundtrack which includes the musical artists Sunset Rollercoaster (top center in the image below), VIDEOTAPEMUSIC (center), The Natsuyasumi Band (center right), mitsume (top right), Ogawa ＆ Tokoro (top left), Mid-Air Thief, Kaneyorimasaru (center left), toe (bottom left), and Conisch (bottom right) are contributing songs made exclusively for this anime. Conisch in particular is working on the piano background music. Anime director Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Macross Plus, Kids on the Slope, Space Dandy, Carole & Tuesday) is serving as the anime's musical advisor.

The series will premiere on July 15 at 24:30 (effectively, July 16 at 12:30 a.m.) on the Tokyo MX and KBS Kyoto channels. It will also run on Sun TV, BS Asahi, and RAB Aomori Broadcasting Corporation. Funimation will stream the anime.

Sources: Sonny Boy anime's website, Comic Natalie