The official website for the Hai-Furi television anime series announced on Tuesday that Shiina Natsukawa will lead the voice cast as the heroine Akeno Misaki. Natsukawa is a member of the group TrySail, which is performing the opening theme song. She will appear at the April 2 preview screening of the anime's first episode.

Akeno is a foward-looking, big-hearted girl. She enjoys canoeing, curry, and pudding, but not raw oysters. Her best school subject is Japanese, and her worst is math. She is 152 centimeters (about 5 feet) tall, and she was born on July 20 (astrological sign Cancer) in Nagano Prefecture with blood type B.

The website will reveal a new voice cast member every day this month.

The anime's site describes the story:

"In the sea we live, the sea we protect, and by the sea we go ... Blue Mermaids!" Japan, 100 years after plate subductions caused many other countries to be submerged. To save the remaining countries, the coastal cities that had been built up were launched into the seas, and the seaborne routes between them expanded. With this expansion, a need for personnel that could safeguard the seas arose. Women began to seek employment in this new industry, and soon, the "Blue Mermaids," those who keep the sea safe, began to be a source of admiration for many. The childhood friends Akeno Misaki and Moeka China sought to become Blue Mermaids themselves, and together with others who shared their dream, they enrolled in Yokosuka's Marine High School.





Text: We're gonna be Blue Mermaids no matter what!

Text: Akeno "Mike-chan" Misaki

Text: China "Moka-chan" Moeka

Text: Kōko "Koko-chan" Nosa

Text: Mashiro "Shiro-chan" Munetani

Text: Mei "Mei-chan" Irizaki

Text: Rin "Rin-chan" Shiretoko

Text: Shima "Tama-chan" Tateishi

Text: Maritime Safety Maintenance Bureau's Yokosuka Girls' Marine School

Text: 21st Class Entrance Ceremony

Text: Hai-Furi

Text: Starts airing in April 2016 on BS11, Tokyo MX, and other stations!



The site also revealed the following characters:



Moeka China



Mashiro Munetani



Hiromi Kuroki



Maron Yanagiwara



Mikan Irako



Homare Kinesaki



Akane Kinesaki



Hime Wazumi



Momo Aoki



Ritsuko Matsunaga



Kayoko Himeji



Hikari Ogasawara



Michiru Takeda



Junko Heki



Rin Shiretoko



Tsugumi Yagi



Megumi Uda



Shima Tateishi



Mei Irizaki



Kōko Nosa



Kaede Marikōji



Machiko Noma



Yuu Nobuta ( Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 , Blade & Soul episode director) is directing the series at Production IMS. Reiko Yoshida (Non Non Biyori, K-ON!, Yowamushi Pedal) is handling series composition, and Atto ( Non Non Biyori ) is drawing more than 30 original character designs for the series. Naoto Nakamura ( A Certain Scientific Railgun , Haganai ) is serving as the character designer and chief animation director. Takaaki Suzuki (Girls und Panzer, Strike Witches, Upotte!! military history adviser) is credited with the original work for the series. Graphinica is credited for the show's CG graphics, photography, and editing.

The rest of the staff includes:

Color Design: Hitomi Ikeda ( Gurren Lagann , Strike Witches , High School DxD )

, , ) Backgrounds: Headworks ( K-ON! , Hyōka , Love Live! The School Idol Movie )

Voice actress group TrySail is performing the opening theme song "High Free Spirits." Luna Haruna is performing the show's ending theme song "Ripple Effect."

The series will premiere on April 9 at midnight on BS11 and Tokyo MX. The series will also air on Tochigi TV, Gunma TV, Sun TV, KBS Kyoto, TV Aichi, TV Hokkaido, and TVQ Kyushu Broadcasting.

Source: Moca News