Image: Nakamura-kun!! Animation Project
AMBot | 05/18/2026 | Reading Time: 3 Min.
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The boys' love ensemble of the anime series "Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!" is expanding: Starting with the eighth episode, two new characters will be introduced, voiced by prominent voice actors. According to the official Twitter account and several Japanese media outlets, Kensho Ono (known for roles such as Giyu Tomioka in "Demon Slayer") will take on the role of Takao Matsumura, while Kenta Miyake (known as Erwin Smith in "Attack on Titan") will voice the character Nobu Todoroki.
Both characters are connected to the secret crush of the main character, Aiki Hirose. Matsumura was Hirose's classmate in middle school—a handsome, athletic, and intelligent model student with whom Hirose remains close friends even after changing schools. Todoroki, on the other hand, is a friendly and gentle classmate at Hoshimi High School who regularly borrows and lends items with Hirose.
The eighth episode is titled "Pinch! Rival Appears!?" (Japanese: "Pinchi! Raibaru Tōjō!?") and will air on the night of May 21, 2026, on TOKYO MX and other channels. In this episode, the shy protagonist Okuto Nakamura receives Hirose's training suit for safekeeping—and finds himself in an inner conflict. After school, Hirose offers to walk home with Nakamura, but at the school gate, a handsome boy from another school is already waiting...
The anime adaptation is based on the manga of the same name by Syundei (published in German as "Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!" by Tokyopop) and is produced at Studio Drive under the direction of Aoi Umeki, who is also responsible for the script and character design. The series consists of 13 episodes and has been airing on Japanese television since April 2, 2026. The well-known main cast includes Chiaki Kobayashi as Okuto Nakamura, Yuki Sakakibara as Aiki Hirose, as well as Takuya Eguchi, Fairouz Ai, Yukihiro Nozuyama, Atsushi Tamaru, Makoto Koichi, Yume Maihara, Tsubasa Sasa, Kappei Yamaguchi, and Junko Takeuchi in other roles.
"Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!" tells the comedic story of an introverted high school student who is secretly in love with his classmate and repeatedly finds himself in new, clumsy situations—set in the nostalgic look of the 1980s and 1990s.
Both characters are connected to the secret crush of the main character, Aiki Hirose. Matsumura was Hirose's classmate in middle school—a handsome, athletic, and intelligent model student with whom Hirose remains close friends even after changing schools. Todoroki, on the other hand, is a friendly and gentle classmate at Hoshimi High School who regularly borrows and lends items with Hirose.
The eighth episode is titled "Pinch! Rival Appears!?" (Japanese: "Pinchi! Raibaru Tōjō!?") and will air on the night of May 21, 2026, on TOKYO MX and other channels. In this episode, the shy protagonist Okuto Nakamura receives Hirose's training suit for safekeeping—and finds himself in an inner conflict. After school, Hirose offers to walk home with Nakamura, but at the school gate, a handsome boy from another school is already waiting...
The anime adaptation is based on the manga of the same name by Syundei (published in German as "Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!" by Tokyopop) and is produced at Studio Drive under the direction of Aoi Umeki, who is also responsible for the script and character design. The series consists of 13 episodes and has been airing on Japanese television since April 2, 2026. The well-known main cast includes Chiaki Kobayashi as Okuto Nakamura, Yuki Sakakibara as Aiki Hirose, as well as Takuya Eguchi, Fairouz Ai, Yukihiro Nozuyama, Atsushi Tamaru, Makoto Koichi, Yume Maihara, Tsubasa Sasa, Kappei Yamaguchi, and Junko Takeuchi in other roles.
"Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!" tells the comedic story of an introverted high school student who is secretly in love with his classmate and repeatedly finds himself in new, clumsy situations—set in the nostalgic look of the 1980s and 1990s.
This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical support and editorially reviewed before publication.
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