NA nare HANA nare: Meet the Characters and Voice Cast

DMM pictures, the animation label of DMM.com LLC (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Chairman and CEO: Keishi Kameyama), has announced the main characters and voice cast for the original TV anime ‘NA nare HANA nare,’ scheduled to air in 2024. The first key visual and character PV have also been released.

Character Key Visuals & Character PV Released!

The latest original TV animation from P.A.WORKS and DMM.com, ‘NA nare HANA nare,’ depicts the various “support” scenes of six high school girls with different hobbies, skills, and personalities in a coming-of-age drama. The character visuals and character PV for this series have been unveiled.

The key visual features the six main characters—Kanata Misora, Suzuka Ojunai, Anna Aveiro, Onoka Otani, Shion Tanizaki, and Emina Kaionji—in their school uniforms. The background is modeled after a real shopping street in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture, a location frequently visited by the characters in the series.

The newly released PV highlights the unique personalities of each of the six main characters, offering a glimpse of what to expect from their roles in the series.

Additionally, keywords and backgrounds hinting at locations such as Takasaki City, Maebashi City, and Numata City, which serve as the setting for the series, have been revealed for the first time. More details about specific locations will be announced gradually.

Character PV

Main Characters & Cast Comments Revealed!

The six main characters have been announced. Rika Nakagawa will play Kanata Misora, a first-year student at the prestigious Takanosaki High School, aiming for consecutive national championships in cheerleading and an All Japan Junior High School tournament champion. Yuki Nakashima will voice Suzuka Ojunai, a parkour enthusiast high school girl. Rarisa Tago Takeda will play Anna Aveiro, a first-year student at Omaebashi High School who has returned from Brazil. Maina Iwami will voice Onoka Otani, Anna’s classmate and a yoga philosophy enthusiast. Moeha Kahara will play Shion Tanizaki, a rhythmic gymnastics princess known as the “Fairy of Numata.” Miku Ito will voice Emina Kaionji, Kanata’s former teammate and the daughter of Shorinji Temple in Numata.

These six girls, each with different hobbies, skills, and personalities, will sing, clash, perform stunts, and imagine together. When their pure desire to cheer aligns, the support from PoMPoMs transcends the bounds of cheerleading and touches people’s hearts. Enjoy the various support scenes of these six high school girls from Gunma.

Kanata Misora, voiced by Rika Nakagawa

A first-year student at Takanosaki High School. She is cheerful, energetic, and loves cheerleading. Despite her bad luck, she has excellent athletic abilities and won a national championship in junior high school. She aims to win the national championship in high school cheerleading alongside her best friend, Megumi.
Rika Nakagawa’s Comment
Point to Watch
I hope you pay attention to the “pure youth” interactions of these teenage girls! Whether it’s the casual daily conversations of PoMPoMs or someone’s adorable inner thoughts… ♡ (laughs). At that age, even trivial things can be significant, things that might not matter once you’re an adult. Conversations that might seem meaningless can be very enjoyable. This series brings back those delicate, nostalgic feelings we all experienced before growing up.

About Your Character

My first impression of Kanata was “a naturally cheerful and slightly silly girl”! (laughs). But as I received the script and started recording, I realized she also has a serious side. Just like any bright child, she has moments of seriousness and sadness. These shifts in Kanata’s emotions greatly influence the people around her, making her an essential guiding presence for everyone in many ways.

Suzuka Ojunai, voiced by Yuki Nakashima

A first-year student at Sakuragi Women’s Academy. An external student with a stoic, quiet, and highly rational personality. She often makes headlines on social media for commuting via parkour to shorten travel time. Despite her physical abilities, she struggles with tasks requiring dexterity, such as breaking chopsticks cleanly or tying her sneakers properly.

Yuki Nakashima’s Comment

Point to Watch

Suzuka has high physical abilities, but she also has some surprising weaknesses, which I hope you’ll notice! She’s not very expressive, but there are moments where you can see her true thoughts. I’d love for everyone to listen closely to the different conversations and who is talking about what.

About Your Character

My first impression of Suzuka was a cool and expressionless girl. I wondered how she would interact with everyone. After receiving the script and diving into the story, I discovered she thinks a lot and cares deeply about everyone, changing my impression. Now, I find her very cute and full of charming contrasts!

Anna Aveiro, voiced by Rarisa Tago Takeda

A first-year student at Omaebashi High School. Born and raised in Brazil, her mother is Japanese. She is a mood maker, assertive, and says what she thinks without hesitation. She excels in capoeira, which she learned for self-defense, and loves music.

Rarisa Tago Takeda’s Comment

Point to Watch

I’ve seen some in-progress videos at the studio, and the artwork is truly beautiful and moving. As expected from P.A.WORKS, I’m looking forward to watching it as a viewer. I hope everyone enjoys the synergy between the animators’ visual storytelling and our voice acting.

About Your Character

During the audition, I thought Anna was a girl full of positive emotions like “happy” and “fun.” However, once recording started, I realized she expresses every emotion, positive or negative, with full intensity. She’s a girl who speaks her mind as she feels it, with a raw heart.

Onoka Otani, voiced by Maina Iwami

A first-year student at Omaebashi High School. She loves yoga, India, and philosophy. She prefers a calm and peaceful life but often gets caught up in the whims of her childhood friend, Anna. Her habit of daydreaming leads to wild, Bollywood-level exaggerated fantasies.

Maina Iwami’s Comment

Point to Watch

The dialogues are abundant, with various conversations happening simultaneously behind the characters’ lines. This interplay is one of the series’ charms! Each character has a side that defies initial impressions, which I hope viewers will enjoy discovering.

About Your Character

I initially thought Onoka was a calm, reliable character who gets caught up in Anna’s antics. She is one of the most relatable and human characters, with the biggest gap between initial impressions and reality. She’s very down-to-earth and comforting to watch.

Shion Tanizaki, voiced by Moeha Kahara

A first-year student at Sakuragi Women’s Academy. An internal student, she is the daughter of a future general hospital director and a former model. Tall and active in rhythmic gymnastics, she is known as the “Fairy of Numata.” Her serious, humble, and kind personality has earned her many dedicated fans at school.

Moeha Kahara’s Comment

Point to Watch

I love the lively and cute tempo of the conversations, which feels like a real gathering of high school girls. I hope everyone enjoys it. The cheerleading scenes are beautifully animated, with details like hair movements and pom-pom sounds, making the characters feel real and uplifting.

About Your Character

From the initial standing illustration, I felt a certain elegance, which intimidated me. I wondered if I could portray that elegance. As I continued recording and interacting with PoMPoMs, I saw Shion’s playful and considerate sides, which made me feel less pressured and grow to love her more.

Megumi Kaionji, voiced by Miku Ito

The daughter of Shorinji Temple in Numata. She was the cheerleading captain in junior high but was hospitalized during a tournament due to illness. She is currently undergoing home rehabilitation. A diligent student, she studies hard to transfer to Takanosaki High School to keep her promise with Kanata. She is responsible and caring but also teases Kanata. She enjoys planning practice menus and routines.

Miku Ito’s Comment

Point to Watch

This is a growth story of the characters. They are fighting their own battles, living their lives to the fullest, which is very encouraging. Viewers might recall their own feelings or relate to the characters’ struggles. The cheerleading scenes, with detailed cheers and movements, are something I look forward to seeing completed.

About Your Character

Emina seems very mature and can look at things from a broader perspective. She takes on a big sister role. However, when she is with everyone, especially Kanata, she shows her age-appropriate smile, which I hope everyone notices and enjoys.

Special Screening Event on March 17 (Sunday) at Takasaki Electric Cinema in Gunma Prefecture!

A special advance screening will be held in Gunma Prefecture, the setting of the series! This is an opportunity to see the work before anyone else.

Details and viewing information will be released in February, so stay tuned.

Date: March 17, 2024 (Sunday), scheduled for daytime
Location: Takasaki Electric Cinema
Address: 31 Yanagawa-cho, Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture
Approx. 15-18 minutes on foot from JR Takasaki Station West Exit, or about 5 minutes by bus/taxi
Contents: Advance screening of the main episode, talk show with some cast members (scheduled)

NA nare HANA nare Support Project “Cheer for you!” Begins

To enhance your enjoyment of ‘NA nare HANA nare,’ we are launching projects themed around “support,” which is also the theme of the series. These projects include PVs, illustrations, interviews, and more!

1. ‘One Word PoMPoMs’ Updated every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

Receive daily support messages from Kanata and the PoMPoMs!

2. ‘How to Make “Nare Nare”‘ Updated every Friday

An interview project with everyone involved in the TV anime ‘NA nare HANA nare’!

3. ‘Nice to Meet You! We are PoMPoMs!’ To be released sequentially from January 26

Introduction videos of the six PoMPoMs members! These videos will give you a deeper understanding of Kanata and her friends, so don’t miss them!

Basic Information About the TV Anime “NA nare HANA nare”

Introduction

“Where does the feeling of wanting to cheer someone on come from?”

Takanosaki High School, a prestigious school aiming for consecutive national championships in cheerleading. Kanata Misora, a first-year student and former junior high school national champion who made it to the A team, lost her ability to perform stunts due to a mistake during a competition.

One day, Kanata sees Suzuka Ojunai, a parkour high school girl, jumping from building to building alongside a train.

Joining Kanata and Suzuka are rhythmic gymnastics princess Shion, returnee from Brazil Anna, Anna’s classmate and yoga philosophy enthusiast Onoka, and Kanata’s former teammate Megumi, who is now in a wheelchair.

These girls, each with different hobbies, skills, and personalities, sing, clash, perform stunts, and daydream together. When their pure desire to cheer aligns, PoMPoMs’ support transcends cheerleading and touches people’s hearts. The support of these six high school girls from Gunma might just change the world a little bit.

Staff

• Original Work: Narenare Project
• Director & Series Composition: Kodai Kakimoto
• Script: Kodai Kakimoto, Yuniko Ayana, Midori Goto
• Character Design Concept: Tomomi Takada
• Character Design & Chief Animation Directors: Kanami Sekiguchi, Nana Miura
• Color Design: Naomi Nakano
• Art Directors: Yusuke Takeda, Tsukasa Kakiuchi, GK Sales
• 3D Director: Haruki Suzuki
• Director of Photography: Kohei Asahi
• Editing: Tomomi Umetsu (Edits)
• Sound Director: Takumi Ito

Cast

• Kanata Misora: Rika Nakagawa
• Suzuka Ojunai: Yuki Nakashima
• Anna Aveiro: Rarisa Tago Takeda
• Onoka Otani: Maina Iwami
• Shion Tanizaki: Moeha Kahara
• Emina Kaionji: Miku Ito

Animation Production

P.A.WORKS

Production

NA nare HANA nare Production Committee

Official Website: https://narenare-anime.com

Official X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/narenare_anime

© Narenare Project / NA nare HANA nare Production Committee