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VIZ MEDIA AND HERO’S INC., TO PRODUCE ANIME ADAPTATION FOR BOUNDARY-BLURRING HIT MANGA SERIES ROOSTER FIGHTER
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (July 25, 2024) – VIZ Media, a leading global producer of manga and anime, in collaboration with HERO’s INC., is thrilled to announce that the highly acclaimed manga series "Rooster Fighter" is now in production for an anime adaptation. Created by Shu Sakuratani, "Rooster Fighter" will soon bring its unique blend of action, humor, and heart to screens worldwide.
The series broadcast partner will be Adult Swim, with additional streaming partners to be announced.
The agreement establishes VIZ Media as the representative for worldwide streaming, TV, and EST, as well as Home Video (HV) and Merchandising outside of Japan. Meanwhile, HERO's INC. will manage EST, plus Home Video (HV) and Merchandising within Japan.
Guaranteed to elicit deeper laughs than any upcoming comedy anime, "Rooster Fighter" is bizarre, absurd, and proudly boundary-blurring. Keiji, is the cock-about-town with superhuman strength who defends the world from giant monsters called “Demons.” Filled with hyperbolic scenes of high action and comedy, this is one mother-clucker who delivers a showstopper.
Comments from Creator Shu Sakuratani & Staff
Creator Shu Sakuratani Comment:
”Rooster Fighter” is finally being made into an anime! Ever since becoming a manga artist, my biggest goal was to have my work adapted into an anime. So, I can’t tell you how happy I am to see my dream come true!
This is all thanks to my readers’ continued support and Hero’s and VIZ Media’s contributions. I extend my gratitude to all of you.
I believe “Rooster Fighter” is very blessed. We have the best director, the best writer, the best production staff, and the best voice actors all working together to create the best anime.
As the original creator, I am ecstatic! I can't wait to see Keiji and the gang come to life on TV. I hope that everyone out there will enjoy this anime where chickens take center stage!” – Shu Sakuratani
Series Composition Hiroshi Seko Comment:
“In conversation a while ago, Sakuratani Sensei told me: “I grew up watching movies from Warner Bros., like Gremlins, The Goonies, Blade Runner, Mad Max, Lethal Weapon…”
To me, it feels like “Rooster Fighter” has inherited the spirit of these great classics. Our hero Keiji has a strong sense of justice, yet he’s also stubborn and mischievous, and he easily succumbs to “The Lord of the Rut.”
Still, he steadfastly follows his own path while having a certain kind of charm about him, just like the heroes of the films I mentioned.
The qualities I listed may sound outdated, but nowadays, with so much division, darkness and stagnation in the air, it gives me hope knowing there are beings like Keiji who stumble through life honestly and truthfully.” – Hiroshi Seko
Director Daisuke Suzuki Comment:
“Are you serious?! That was honestly my first thought when I was approached about adapting “Rooster Fighter” into an anime. No matter how you look at it, the main character is just a chicken…even though he has a steely look on his face. And this chicken fights monsters for the sake of the entire world.
Would anyone be interested in this? I shook my head, because I’d never been interested in chickens…except to eat them.
Can I actually direct this? With trepidation, I picked up the original manga. A few hours later, I couldn't hold back my tears.
W-what a passionate story about a rooster (man)! I can do it, I can definitely do this!! (peep)
That's the story about how I came to direct this anime. Fighter may be in the title, but I think you’ll still be surprised to see the intensity in all the hardcore battles. The giant demons that attack, and the powerful skills of the chickens that rise up to meet them in battle—it’s all presented beautifully in a way that only anime can communicate. Another highlight is the drama and passion of the unique personas—or should I say, the unique avian characters and other creatures that appear.
Depicting emotions like our protagonist Keiji’s secret feelings, our heroine Elizabeth’s change of heart, and Piyoko's deep love, was challenging because it was our first anime with animals as the main characters. But the skills our staff has cultivated and developed to present human characters in anime are fully evident in these birds, resulting in an anime so full of feeling that at times it can make you laugh, and at other times can move you to tears.
All the cast members are fired up and recording is proceeding well. We’ve had a lot of laughs, especially in scenes that switch back and forth between human and chicken language. We have the best cast. It’s almost as if they were born to play these characters.
I really want you to see and hear the end result! I'm so glad I was able to direct this! For the first time (?) in the history of anime I present to you a full-fledged battle-chicken anime, Rooster Fighter!
I hope Keiji’s battles thrill you, I hope you’re moved by the drama these characters weave, and I hope you will cackle at all of the silly jokes. Please watch the passionate and intense drama unfold as our heroes break down the barriers of taxonomy and the natural world!” – Daisuke Suzuki
Official synopsis: Keiji is more than just an ordinary rooster—he’s humanity’s greatest defender! His opponents may be ten stories tall, but nothing is bigger than his stout heart and his fearsome battle cry—Kokekokko!
Production company: Sanzigen
Staff List:
About Shu Sakuratani:
Shu Sakuratani is a talented and innovative Japanese manga artist and creator, best known for his acclaimed series "Rooster Fighter." His unique storytelling and artistic style, characterized by dynamic action sequences, expressive characters, and a masterful balance of intense, high-stakes scenes with moments of levity and humor, make his work some of the most exciting in the industry.
For more information on Rooster Fighter visit:
https://x.com/RoosterFighter_
https://www.instagram.com/roosterfighter_official/
https://www.facebook.com/RoosterFighterOfficial
About VIZ Media:
An international authority on manga and anime for more than three decades, VIZ Media is leading the way in what’s now, new and next. Home to the world’s most influential and groundbreaking storytellers and artists, who today drive multiple industries from publishing and animation to film and gaming. If it’s big in Japan, you can find it at VIZ.
VIZ Media is proudly certified as a Most Loved Workplace® in America and Inc Magazine’s 2023 Best Workplaces. For more information on VIZ Media visit: https://www.viz.com/
About HERO's Inc.:
HERO's Inc. is a Japanese manga publisher established in 2010, with Katsuya Shirai as President and CEO. The company is majority-owned by the Kinoshita Group. Our titles are currently being serialized on the web manga site Comiplex.
About Comiplex:
Comiplex is a Japanese web manga site featuring three unique manga labels: HERO’s, Flat HERO’s, and Wild HERO’s. Updated every Friday at noon. For more information on Comiplex visit: https://viewer.heros-web.com/
About HERO’s:
HERO's delivers world-class entertainment, bringing together legendary heroes led by our flagship title, “Rooster Fighter,” which has been translated and released into over 50 different countries worldwide, “ULTRAMAN,” “The Masked Rider Kuuga,” “Despair Memory GUNDAM SEQUEL,” and more! For more information on HERO's visit: https://viewer.heros-web.com/series/heros
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