Niina Hanamiya Joins The Elusive Samurai Season 2 as Mima

Niina Hanamiya has joined the second television anime season of Yūsei Matsui’s The Elusive Samurai (Nigejōzu no Wakagimi) as Mima. The staff announced her casting on Friday.

Season 2 premiered July 17 at 11:30 p.m. in Fuji TV’s Noitamina programming block and also airs on AT-X. Amazon Prime Video and other services stream it in Japan, while Crunchyroll streams episodes as they air.

The production staff includes:

• Yuta Yamazaki returns to direct at CloverWorks. His credits include assistant director on Wonder Egg Priority and series director on both Love Rice series.
• Yasushi Nishiya returns as character designer and adds the role of chief animation director. He was chief animation director on Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us and Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!
• Shinnosuke Ōta serves as animation director.
• GEMBI and Akiyuki Tateyama compose the music.

Kento Nakajima sings the opening theme, “Onigoto.” Bocchiboromaru performs the ending theme, “Romantic ga Hoshii nara” (If You Wish for Romance), alongside three guest vocalists from the idol group Hinatazaka46.

The first season premiered in July 2024. Crunchyroll streamed it during its broadcast and also offers an English dub.

Viz Media publishes the manga in print. Its first-volume synopsis follows Tokiyuki, who escapes after the traitor Ashikaga Takauji massacres his family. A few loyal retainers who survived the purge help him flee.

Among them is Suwa Yorishige, an ally of the Hojo clan and lord of Suwa Province. The somewhat eccentric Yorishige claims clairvoyance and predicts Tokiyuki will eventually rule Japan. For now, their immediate concern is getting out of enemy territory.

Matsui, whose other works include Majin Tantei Nōgami Neuro and Assassination Classroom, began the manga in Weekly Shonen Jump in January 2021. It concluded on February 16 and won at the 69th Shogakukan Manga Awards in 2024.

Viz Media and MANGA Plus released new chapters digitally in English at the same time they appeared in Japan.