The official Twitter account for Egao no Daika ( The Price of Smiles ), Tatsunoko Productions' (Speed Racer, Gatchaman, Time Bokan, Infini-T Force) 55th anniversary anime project, began streaming a 15-second ad on Monday for the show. The text in the ad reads, "This is the story of two girls: one who saves the world with her smile, and one who can only protect herself with her smile."

The anime will premiere on the WOWOW, Tokyo MX, and YTV channels in January, and it will have 12 30-minute episodes.

The show stars:

Yumiri Hanamori as Yūki Soleil, a princess of a kingdom which has lasted eons. The girl is innocent, naive, expressive, and often laughing, crying, or getting angry.



Saori Hayami as Stella Shining, a girl who is always smiling when she deals with people. She also has a reserved side, and is an excellent soldier.



Tatsunoko describes the story:

On a planet far from Earth, there is a kingdom full of smiling faces. Princess Yūki is 12 years old, and about to enter a sensitive age in a person's life. Everyday, she cries, laughs, and sometimes, her heart throbs with excitement. All the while, she lives merrily in the royal palace.

Filling her days with color are her loyal vassals: her tutor Reira, Izana who assists in political affairs, the leader of the chivalry Harold … and then, there is her childhood friend and aide Joshua.

"Yūki! If you have spirit and guts, you can do anything!"

"…No, not this again! Joshua, be nobler!"

Stella is 17 years old and a capable, reserved soldier. However, she is always smiling ... for smiling is essential to living.

This is a story of two girls born on distant planets.

Toshimasa Suzuki (Lagrange - The Flower of Rin-ne, Fafner: Heaven and Earth) is directing at Tatsunoko Productions, and Shinichi Inotsume (Hayate the Combat Butler, PERSONA 5 the Animation) is in charge of the series scripts. NOB-C (Musasino!, Urawa no Usagi-chan) is credited with the original character designs, as well as the original story concept with Hikaru Yuasa. Naoto Nakamura (Miss Monochrome assistant character design, High School Fleet) is designing the characters for animation.

Kazuya Tanaka is directing the sound, and Tsubasa Itō is composing the music. Chiho feat. majiko are performing the opening theme song "Egao no Kanata" (Beyond the Smiles) and the artist kimi no orphée is performing the ending theme song "Kono Sekai ni Hanataba" (A Bouquet For This World).

Source: The Price of Smiles anime's Twitter account, Happinet Pictures' YouTube channel