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Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko Original Video Anime Casts Maki Kawase

The official website for Katana Maidens – Tomoshibi (Toji no Miko: Kizamishi Issen no Tomoshibi), the original video anime of the Toji no Miko: Kizamishi Issen no Tomoshibi smartphone game, announced a new cast member on Friday. Maki Kawase plays the new character Hirona Nitta:

The website also posted at 23-minute compilation that recaps the first half of the earlier Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko television anime.

The returning cast members from the game (and Katana Maidens: Mini Toji for most of them) include:

• Himika Akaneya as Mihono Asakura
• Kaori Ishihara as Chie Setouchi
• Hiromi Igarashi as Kofuki Shichinosato
• Akane Fujita as Kiyoka Musumi
• Manami Numakura as Miruya Kitora
• Sumire Uesaka as Yui Yamashiro

Tomohiro Kamitani (Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko episode animation director) is directing the original video anime at project No.9, and Aoi Akashiro (Katana Maidens: Mini Toji) is in charge of the series scripts. Daisuke Niitsuma (Lupin the Third: Jigen's Gravestone design collaborator, The Heroic Legend of Arslan conceptual designer) is designing the characters.

The two-volume original video anime will have a 2020 "advance premiere" via broadcast and streaming. Crunchyroll describes it as a Crunchyroll co-production.

In the franchise's story, since ancient times, shrine maidens who wield swords have been exorcising "aradama," strange monsters that threaten the human world. These young women who wear school uniforms and a sword are called "Toji," and they serve as an official unit within the police force as a "special religious service police squad." The government authorizes the Toji to wear swords and serve as government officials, and the government has set up five schools throughout the country for the girls to attend.

The girls live ordinary school lives, while occasionally performing their duties, wielding their swords and using various powers to fight and protect the people. In the spring, the five schools send their best Toji to compete in a tournament. As the tournament comes closer, all of the representatives rigorously train themselves in order to get stronger and improve their skills.

Studio Gokumi's earlier 24-episode television anime project premiered in January 2018. Crunchyroll streamed the series as it aired in Japan, and Funimation streamed an English dub. The franchise also inspired the Mini Toji short anime, which premiered on January 5, 2019. Crunchyroll also streamed this anime as well.

The Toji no Miko: Kizamishi Issen no Tomoshibi smartphone game launched for iOS and Android devices in Japan in March 2018.

Sakae Saitō launched a manga adaptation in Kadokawa's Shōnen Ace magazine in October 2017, and ended it on March 26, 2019.

Sources: Toji no Miko: Kizamishi Issen no Tomoshibi anime's website, Comic Natalie