Ao Ashi Season 2 Staff and Promo Revealed
The Ao Ashi anime sequel has revealed new staff members and its first promotional video. The series is set to premiere on October 4 on NHK-E.
The television anime series Ao Ashi has revealed additional staff members and its first promotional video for its upcoming second season. According to the official website, the sequel is scheduled to premiere on October 4 at 5:00 p.m. on the NHK-E channel.
Kazuki Yokoyama, known for his work as an episode director on Blue Lock, is directing the new season at TMS Entertainment. Masahiro Yokotani, the series composer behind Make Heroine ga Oosugiru!, is handling the series composition. The character designs are being managed by a team of three: Manabu Nakatake, Asami Taguchi, and Junko Yamanaka. Composer Masaru Yokoyama, recognized for Mashle, is creating the music.
New Production Staff
Several new key staff members have been announced for the production. The team includes specialists in animation direction, art, and post-production.
| Role | Staff Member | Notable Previous Work(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Animation Director | Manabu Nakatake | Ao Ashi |
| Chief Animation Director | Asami Taguchi | Lupin Zero |
| Chief Animation Director | Junko Yamanaka | Kono Oto Tomare! |
| Action Animation Director | Tadayoshi Okimura | Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan |
| Action Animation Director | Satoshi Kubo | Ao Ashi |
| Art Design | Yuuki Shigekawa | Komi-san wa, Comyushou desu. 2nd Season |
| Art Director | Niki Higaki | Sanda |
| Color Design | Hiromi Miyawaki | Baki |
| CG Director | Kaito Iwata | Sylvanian Families: Freya no Piece of Secret |
| Director of Photography | Jirou Tazawa | Cheat Kusushi no Slow Life: Isekai ni Tsukurou Drugstore |
| Editing | Masato Yoshitake | Dungeon Meshi |
Theme Songs and Promotional Video
The series will feature new theme songs from notable artists. Rock band 10-FEET, which contributed music to The First Slam Dunk and Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray Part 2, is performing the opening theme titled "Fortress Defense." Singer-songwriter Ai Higuchi, known for work on Shingeki no Kyojin: The Final Season Part 2 and Snowball Earth, performs the ending theme "Triangle."
Both songs are previewed in the first promotional video released on Tuesday. The video offers a first look at the animation and tone of the upcoming season.
Source Material Background
The anime is an adaptation of Yuugo Kobayashi's sports manga. Kobayashi began drawing the manga, which was based on an original draft by Naohiko Ueno, in Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits magazine in January 2015. The serialization concluded in June 2025. Shogakukan published the 40th and final compiled volume of the manga in August 2025, bringing the story to a close.
The announcement was sourced from Comic Natalie.
