Image: Gakken / Yuru Yuru Zukan Produktionskomitee
AMBot | 07/15/2026 | Reading Time: 3 Min.
The TV anime 'Yuru Yuru Zukan' (roughly translated as 'Gentle Picture Book') has caused a stir with the release of a teaser PV and the first voice cast announcement. The series, based on the picture book series of the same name published by Gakken, will air from October 2026 in the Sunday morning program 'Animori!' on TV Tokyo and five other stations.
The first announced voice actress is Emi Nitta (known from 'Love Live!'), who will take on the role of the pigeon (Hato). In the nearly one-minute teaser, this pigeon guides viewers through the world of dinosaurs—the first thematic focus of the series. The animation is directed by Keizō Abe at Imagica Infos and Imageworks Studio. The sound design is handled by Taeko Miura (sound direction), Yōko Sakurai (sound effects), and Yūta Tamura (music); sound production is by ALDi.
What makes this production special: The adaptation is part of the joint project 'Animation ID' by Imagica Infos and Dai Nippon Printing (DNP). It uses a proprietary 'Light Anime' process that directly converts illustrated source material into animation—without traditional frame-by-frame drawing. This enables short, cost-effective episodes that seamlessly fit into the morning program.
The 'Yuru Yuru Zukan' book series has been published since 2017 and has reached a total circulation of 1.24 million copies as of June 2026. Its concept is: 'Even scary creatures become accessible to everyone through cute illustrations and four-panel manga.' The series covers a wide range of topics—from deep-sea creatures to dinosaurs, dangerous animals, and yōkai.
Alongside the announcement, the official website of the anime has been launched. On the official X account (@yuruyuruzukan), a campaign is also running where three winners can each win a signed copy of the original book 'Yuru Yuru Dinosaurs'—the winner will be drawn from all participants who follow the account and repost the corresponding post. The campaign runs until July 31, 2026.
Further cast information is expected to follow soon. The series is aimed at a family-friendly audience and promises to convey knowledge about the animal world in an entertaining way.
The first announced voice actress is Emi Nitta (known from 'Love Live!'), who will take on the role of the pigeon (Hato). In the nearly one-minute teaser, this pigeon guides viewers through the world of dinosaurs—the first thematic focus of the series. The animation is directed by Keizō Abe at Imagica Infos and Imageworks Studio. The sound design is handled by Taeko Miura (sound direction), Yōko Sakurai (sound effects), and Yūta Tamura (music); sound production is by ALDi.
What makes this production special: The adaptation is part of the joint project 'Animation ID' by Imagica Infos and Dai Nippon Printing (DNP). It uses a proprietary 'Light Anime' process that directly converts illustrated source material into animation—without traditional frame-by-frame drawing. This enables short, cost-effective episodes that seamlessly fit into the morning program.
The 'Yuru Yuru Zukan' book series has been published since 2017 and has reached a total circulation of 1.24 million copies as of June 2026. Its concept is: 'Even scary creatures become accessible to everyone through cute illustrations and four-panel manga.' The series covers a wide range of topics—from deep-sea creatures to dinosaurs, dangerous animals, and yōkai.
Alongside the announcement, the official website of the anime has been launched. On the official X account (@yuruyuruzukan), a campaign is also running where three winners can each win a signed copy of the original book 'Yuru Yuru Dinosaurs'—the winner will be drawn from all participants who follow the account and repost the corresponding post. The campaign runs until July 31, 2026.
Further cast information is expected to follow soon. The series is aimed at a family-friendly audience and promises to convey knowledge about the animal world in an entertaining way.
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This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical support and editorially reviewed before publication.
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