4 entries to screen at Tokyo Anime Award Festival on March 22

The Association of Japanese Animations (AJA) updated with details on its Anime Mirai 2015 projects, including cast and story details.

"Aki no Kanade" (Aki's Music-Playing) follows Aki Miyagawa (played by Rina Satou), who moved to Tokyo to pursue her dream to be a taiko drummer, but had a hard time balancing her strict training regimen with her part-time job. Now, after 15 years, she's returning to coach others for a taiko festival. Kenji Hamada is also starring as Michio Yoshioka.

Youhei Suzuki (The "Hentai" Prince and the Stony Cat.) is directing the short at JC Staff and Yuji Matsukura (Witch Craft Works, Selector Infected Wixoss) is serving as the producer. Atsushi Fujishiro (The "Hentai" Prince and the Stony Cat., Golden Time) is serving as animation production producer, and Hidetake Takayama ( Yokohama Monogatari film) is composing the music.

"Happy ComeCome" (formerly titled "Robot Kaa-san," or Robot Mom) follows Hiroshi, who's tired of living alone so he orders a maid robot from a company called Happy Come Come, but ends up with the robot mom Yoshiko instead. Yoshiko acts more motherly than Hiroshi's real mother, and over time she is able to heal his heart.

The cast includes Naoko Watanabe, Shōtarō Moriya, Ichitarō Ai, and Megumi Aratake.

Yumiko Suda (Chibi Maruko-chan, Lady Georgie) is directing the series at SynergySP (Cross Game, Kirarin Revolution), and Kenichi Hayafune (Chibi Maruko-chan) is serving as the producer. Sonomi Aramaki (Ikuze! Gen-san) is serving as character designer and animation director, and Osamu Hayakawa is composing the music.

"Ongaku Shōjo" (Music Girl) begins when Eri, a girl who likes to stay indoors, meets a mysterious but enthusiastic transfer student named Haru. Eri used to love to sing and Haru loves Eri's singing. The story follows the two during one summer of their high school life as their love sometimes overlaps and sometimes passes by each other.

Manami Numakura will star as Haru and Asami Seto will star as Eri.

Ken'ichi Ishikura (Sakura Trick, Maria Holic) is directing short at Studio DEEN (Bakumatsu Rock, Fruits Basket, Rurouni Kenshin), and Norimitsu Urasaki (Sakura Trick, Sankarea: Undying Love) is producing the short. QP:flapper (MM!, Celestial Method, Girl Friend BETA) drew the original character designs, and Mashiro is adapting those character designs for animation and serving as animation director. Kana Yamada (Sakura Trick) is writing the script. Taishi is composing the music, Keiichi Nozaki (Excel Saga, L/R: Licensed by Royalty) is serving as music director, and Satoshi Motoyama (Little Busters!, Watamote) is serving as sound director.

"Kumi to Tulip" (Kumi and Tulip) follows Kumi, a little girl who lives in a world with sparkling metal skyscrapers, and where robots support everything. Kumi's playground is a garden by one of those skyscrapers with a man-made water fountain, artificial vegetation, and digital water and butterflies. Kumi meets an old man who visits the park every day to paint the artificial flowers. The old man tells Kumi of when he discovered a "breathing" tulip sprouting amidst the artificial flowers, and the two decide to watch over the tulip together as it grows.

Makoto Tezuka (Black Jack) is serving as chief director of the short at Tezuka Productions, and Fumihiro Yoshimura (Black Jack OAV, Boku no Son Goku) is directing. Yoshihiro Shimizu (Black Jack The Movie) is producing, and Mitsuaki Ooishi (Black Jack) is serving as animation production producer. Additionally, Akio Sugino (Ashita no Joe, Dear Brother, Space Adventure Cobra) designed the characters, Michinosuke Nakamura (Supernatural: The Anime Series, Hajime no Ippo Rising) is serving as animation director, and Takayuki Hattori ( Slayers films, Martian Successor Nadesico, live-action Nodame Cantabile and Space Brothers) is composing the music.

The four entries for this year's Anime Mirai will screen at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival on March 22 in SUN TOHO Cinemas in Nipponbashi. The entries will also air on Animax in April and will also air on MBS and YTV, although a date has not yet been set for the MBS and YTV airing.



