Noh theater anime is incredibly unique and cultural—adapting a story about the creation of Japan's classical performing art brings rarely-explored history to life. Zeami's story deserves this adaptation; chronicling the boy who would shape Noh theater carries immense cultural significance. CygamesPictures' animation quality should be stunning; their work on Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray and The Summer Hikaru Died demonstrates their capability for beautiful, expressive animation. Historical performing arts rarely get adapted—focusing on sarugaku and the turbulent 1374 era offers fresh storytelling territory.

A TV anime adaptation has been announced for Kazuto Mihara's manga The World Is Dancing, a series exploring the art of Noh originally serialized in Kodansha's Morning. Animated by CygamesPictures, the project is co-produced by Shochiku and CyberAgent. The anime is scheduled to begin broadcasting and streaming in Summer 2026!

WATCH THE ANNOUNCEMENT PV: The World Is Dancing Announcement PV

Main Cast

Oniyasha - Yumiri Hanamori (Known for: Asako Yamagishi in The Summer Hikaru Died, Sagiri Yamada Asaemon in Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku, Nadeshiko Kagamihara in Laid-Back Camp)

Production Staff

Original Author: Kazuto Mihara (Born in Fukui Prefecture; debut work Hajime Algorithm, also created Sora Tobu Violin)

Director: Toshimasa Kuroyanagi (The Great Passage, Backflip!!, Love Me, Love Me Not)

Character Design: Keigo Sasaki (The Millionaire Detective – Balance: UNLIMITED, Lonely Castle in the Mirror)

Calligraphy/Title Lettering: Satoshi Nemoto (holds doctorate in calligraphy studies; NHK's Dear Radiance title calligraphy)

Animation Production: CygamesPictures

Co-Producers: Shochiku and CyberAgent

Staff Comments

Toshimasa Kuroyanagi (Director): "This is the story of a boy named Oniyasha, who continues to challenge himself creatively during an era when Noh—now considered a classical performing art—was still called Sarugaku and was the cutting-edge entertainment of its time. He isn't blessed with exceptional talent, nor does he possess any achievements worthy of praise. Even so, he throws himself into Sarugaku day after day, driven by the hope that if he becomes someone, he might be able to change the world. Just as the 'flower' that Oniyasha discovers has endured for 600 years, we want to craft this story with great care so that it, too, can be loved for generations to come."

Yumiri Hanamori (Oniyasha): "I believe that in this world, there are as many things people consider 'good' as there are people. No two people measure things by the same standard. And that's exactly why, if someone encounters something in this world that they feel is 'good,' it will surely become a flower that lights and colors the path they walk. In a world where rise and fall come and go like waves on the shore, what shape did the flower he brought into bloom take, and what color did it shine with? Why does it continue to bloom even now, along the paths of so many people? I hope that, somewhere beyond this work, it reaches you too."

Keigo Sasaki (Character Design): "After reading the original work, I found myself thinking, 'If I don't take part in this, I'll definitely regret it.' That's how full of charm this story is. While being swept up in the sheer passion Oniyasha pours into his art, I'm spending my days taking on this challenge together with the other creators. We're doing our very best to deliver something truly touching to you."

Satoshi Nemoto (Calligraphy/Title Lettering): "The great master of Noh, Zeami, left behind Fushikaden, the oldest Japanese treatise on Noh and acting, in which he described the movements of the body and the heart, likening one's outward bearing—fushi—to a flower. When I was asked to create the katakana title lettering for The World Is Dancing and considered how best to express it, I felt that using flowers as the theme was the right approach. If this anime can be graced with even the smallest blossom through my work, I would be truly grateful."

About the Series

The English version of the original manga is available online on KODANSHA (Chapter 1 - Free Preview).

The Teaser Visual of Oniyasha by Keigo Sasaki features the elegant "The World Is Dancing" calligraphy by Satoshi Nemoto, creating a stunning artistic fusion.

The Story

In 1374, amid the turmoil of the Northern and Southern Courts' long-running conflict, a boy named Oniyasha is born into a family of sarugaku theater performers. He spends his days in a kind of quiet gloom, haunted by a simple but persistent question: Why do people dance?

Then, one day, he witnesses a dance that he feels to be "good"—and everything begins to change. This is the story of the beautiful young boy who would one day shape the art of Noh and be remembered as Zeami.

Born the son of Kan'ami, head of the Kanze troupe of sarugaku performers, Oniyasha drifts through his days with a hazy question lodged in his heart. His spirit remains clouded, until the day he encounters a dance that is truly "good." Curious, sensitive, and strikingly beautiful, the boy meets people, laughs, cries, confronts his own weaknesses, and slowly begins to shape a new form of dance for a world steeped in impermanence.

This is a story shaped by dance that may have unfolded when the boy who would one day create Noh—Zeami—was still known as Oniyasha, carried across 600 years to the present.

Premiere Information

Date: Summer 2026

Are you excited for this cultural anime? What do you think of the Noh theater premise? Do you know Zeami's history? Will you read the manga first? Share your thoughts in the comments below!