Image: Netflix
AMBot | 02/28/2026 | Reading Time: 2 Min.
The debut short story "Dandelion" by Hideaki Sorachi, the creator of the successful series Gintama, is being adapted into an anime series. The production is being handled by Studio NAZ under the direction of Daisuke Mataga.
The narrative follows two members of the "Japan Angel Federation," an organization dedicated to guiding souls who cannot pass into the afterlife due to unfinished business. Tetsuo Tanba and Misaki Kurogane form the Soul Transition Department team, sensitively addressing the respective fates of the deceased.
In the leading roles, Chikahiro Kobayashi and Megumi Han will be heard. The adaptation will comprise seven episodes and include plot elements that go beyond the original material. For example, previously untold backstories of the two protagonists will be incorporated.
Hideaki Sorachi commented on the adaptation with his usual humor: "Normally, I avoid rereading my debut work because it's embarrassing. Somehow, Netflix has now dug it up, turned it into an anime, and expanded it in various ways. It seems as if the word 'delicacy' doesn't exist at Netflix. But since this opportunity has now arisen, I might take the chance to see these characters again after twenty years."
Director Daisuke Mataga expressed in a statement that he was equally excited and tense: "Working on this adaptation was a challenge where I was always aware of the fans' expectations. The screenplay was created in close collaboration with the editorial staff of Weekly Shonen Jump, which allowed us careful development."
The anime-typical combination of comedic elements and emotional moments, which already characterized Sorachi's later work, is also found in this early piece. The story was originally created in 2002 and was later published in the first collected volume of Gintama.
The series will be available internationally via the streaming service Netflix starting in April.
The narrative follows two members of the "Japan Angel Federation," an organization dedicated to guiding souls who cannot pass into the afterlife due to unfinished business. Tetsuo Tanba and Misaki Kurogane form the Soul Transition Department team, sensitively addressing the respective fates of the deceased.
In the leading roles, Chikahiro Kobayashi and Megumi Han will be heard. The adaptation will comprise seven episodes and include plot elements that go beyond the original material. For example, previously untold backstories of the two protagonists will be incorporated.
Hideaki Sorachi commented on the adaptation with his usual humor: "Normally, I avoid rereading my debut work because it's embarrassing. Somehow, Netflix has now dug it up, turned it into an anime, and expanded it in various ways. It seems as if the word 'delicacy' doesn't exist at Netflix. But since this opportunity has now arisen, I might take the chance to see these characters again after twenty years."
Director Daisuke Mataga expressed in a statement that he was equally excited and tense: "Working on this adaptation was a challenge where I was always aware of the fans' expectations. The screenplay was created in close collaboration with the editorial staff of Weekly Shonen Jump, which allowed us careful development."
The anime-typical combination of comedic elements and emotional moments, which already characterized Sorachi's later work, is also found in this early piece. The story was originally created in 2002 and was later published in the first collected volume of Gintama.
The series will be available internationally via the streaming service Netflix starting in April.
This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical support and editorially reviewed before publication.
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