Takako Shimura’s Scenes from Awajima TV Anime Set to Air in April 2026, Produced by MADHOUSE

Takako Shimura’s manga Scenes from Awajima (JP: 淡島百景, Awajima Hyakkei) is set to receive a TV anime adaptation, scheduled to air on Fuji TV starting April 2026. Alongside the announcement, the main visual and the second promotional video were unveiled, and it was revealed that the opening theme song will be “blue hour” by HanaHope.

A Story of Youth and Conflict at Awajima Opera School

Scenes from Awajima is set at Awajima Opera School, an academy where young girls gather with dreams of standing on stage. The story portrays their youth and inner conflicts, weaving together shifting perspectives as the relationships between characters intersect and gradually form a larger narrative. The original manga was honored with the Excellence Award at the Japan Media Arts Festival.

The anime adaptation will be produced by MADHOUSE, known for works such as Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. The series will be directed by Morio Asaka, recognized for Chihayafuru, with character designs by Kunihiko Hamada. Series composition is handled by Yasuhiro Nakanishi, art direction by Hideki Nakamura, color design by Harue Ohno, cinematography by Junko Sakai, and music composed by Takahiro Obata.

HanaHope Shares Her Vision Behind the Opening Theme

The opening theme song “blue hour” is performed by singer songwriter HanaHope, born in 2006. She first gained attention after appearing at a tribute concert celebrating the 40th anniversary of Yellow Magic Orchestra at the age of 13. In 2023, she performed the theme song for the Fate Grand Order Memorial Movie and later made her major debut under Sony Music.

Regarding the song, HanaHope commented, “The faint voice of the heart always guides us toward the next stage. Even places that feel out of reach now, I believe we will arrive at someday. I wrote ‘blue hour’ with those feelings in mind.” She also explained that the phrase “blue hour” represents “the moment just before sunrise, when muted blue and purple hues blend together before the light breaks through,” reflecting a concept closely aligned with the world of the series.

Second PV

The second promotional video centers on elite student Emi Okabe, voiced by Natsumi Fujiwara, and Katsurako Ibuki, voiced by Ayumi Tsunematsu, who both admired and envied Emi. The PV depicts Katsurako as a teacher, haunted by the “sin” she committed during her student days. The audio for “blue hour” is also previewed for the first time within the video.