Sanda, the upcoming TV anime where Santa Claus is buff and deemed as a threat in near-future Japan, has received a main trailer and main visual. Aside from the general preview overview and introductions to some key characters, like a Santa-hunting “ace,” expect to see a muscular, naked Santa throwing punches and some stylized moments that break from the anime’s general aesthetic to deliver more of an impact.
The trailer and visual were accompanied by theme song announcements and some new cast reveals. They are:
• Opening song: yama‘s “Adultic Children” (featured in the trailer)
• Ending song: Soshi Sakiyama‘s “Diary”
• Toshihiko Seki as Hifumi Oshibu, the youth-obsessed principal of protagonist Sanda’s school who is 92 but looks younger due to cosmetic surgery. Detests adults and is very protective of children.
• Hiroaki Hirata as Saburo Yagiuda, ace of a specialist Santa-hunting unit.
Sanda is set to premiere on October 3 JST. It is based on the manga by Paru Itagaki, which began serialization in Akita Shoten’s Weekly Shonen Champion in 2021 and released its 16th and final volume on October 2024. Titan Books will release the series in English starting this September, and describes the premise as:
In a near-future Japan, Christmas has faded into myth, and the birth rate has dropped so dramatically that children are now the most precious commodity. Society has artificially extended adolescence to preserve their youth, and traditional holidays, like Christmas, are a mere legend of the past.
Volume 1 of Sanda introduces Sanda Kazushige, a middle-school student who unexpectedly becomes entangled in a strange and dangerous mystery. When his classmate, Fuyumura Shiori, accuses him of carrying a curse that could help find her missing friend, Ono Ichie, Sanda’s life takes a dramatic turn. Together, they embark on an incredible adventure to unravel the truth behind Ichie’s disappearance and uncover the hidden magic of Christmas itself.
As they delve deeper into the mystery, the duo faces external threats and internal challenges—questions about loyalty, courage, and the power of belief. Along the way, they confront the true meaning of friendship, trust, and the possibility of magic in a world that has all but forgotten it.
With a mix of supernatural elements, heartfelt moments, and a nostalgic quest to restore childhood wonder, Sanda Volume 1 kicks off a sixteen-volume saga blending mystery, adventure, and emotional depth. The series is also being adapted into an anime, so fans can dive further into the world of Sanda.
Tomohisa Shimoyama (Yurei Deco) is directing the anime at Science Saru.
Staff
• Director: Tomohisa Shimoyama (Yurei Deco)
• Series composer and scriptwriter: Kimiko Ueno (Ranma ½ remake series composer and co-scriptwriter)
• Character designer and chief animation director: Masamichi Ishiyama (Yurei Deco Episode 9, 10, and 12 sub-character designer)
• Animation production: Science SARU
Cast
• Ayumu Murase as Sanda
• Hiroki Tochi as Santa Claus
• Umeka Shoji as Shiori Fuyumura
• Anna Nagase as Ono
• Yuki Shin as Hitoshi Amaya
• Misato Matsuoka as Niko Kazao
Source: Sanda anime website
