Natsumi Kobayashi

Hirayasumi is an upcoming TV anime based on the manga by Keigo Shinzo. The manga has run in Shogakukan's Weekly Big Comic Spirits magazine since April 2021 and had 10 books by April 2026. In 2026 it won the 71st Shogakukan Manga Award in the general category, one of the biggest manga prizes in Japan. The story was also made into a live-action drama on NHK in late 2025. The anime is made by Production +h., the studio behind The Orbital Children and Dead Dead Demons Dededede Destruction. Kei Suezawa is the director and also handles the scripts, and Kaori Sawada writes the music. It is set to begin on NHK General TV in January 2027, and Viz Media helps produce it and holds the license. The story takes place in Asagaya, a quiet part of Tokyo with small shops and old houses. The main character is Hiroto Ikuta, a 29-year-old man who works a part-time job at a fishing pond. He has no steady career, no partner, and no big life plan. Most people would worry about that. Hiroto does not. He is friendly and relaxed, and he enjoys simple, everyday things like good food, walks, and time with friends. Hiroto becomes friends with an elderly woman in his neighborhood named Hanae Wada. Their bond is an unusual one: a young man and an old lady who spend time together, share meals, and talk about life. When Hanae leaves her house to Hiroto, his quiet life changes. The home comes with memories and feelings he has to face. Soon, his 18-year-old cousin, Natsumi Kobayashi, moves in with him. She has come to Tokyo to study art, and she dreams of drawing manga. Natsumi is often worried and unsure of herself, which is the opposite of Hiroto's easy style. Living together, the two learn from each other. This is a slice-of-life story. That means it shows normal daily life instead of big battles or adventures. It is also called iyashikei, a Japanese word for stories that feel calm and healing. But the show is not only light. It also looks at real problems adults face, such as money worries, loneliness, loss, and not knowing where your life is going. The people around Hiroto each have their own troubles, and the story gives them room too. The series also touches on LGBTQ+ themes as part of its cast's lives. The main voice cast was revealed in September 2026. Yuma Uchida, known for Megumi Fushiguro in Jujutsu Kaisen and Ash Lynx in Banana Fish, plays Hiroto. Mayu Takahashi plays Natsumi, and Rikako Aikawa plays Hanae. For viewers who want a warm, funny, and thoughtful show about taking life at your own pace and finding joy in small moments, Hirayasumi looks like one of the most promising titles of early 2027.