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Kemono Friends Anime's Video Marks Cast's Opening Single Release
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
The official YouTube channel for the anime of Nexon's Kemono Friends smartphone game began streaming a new promotional video on Wednesday. The video previews the opening theme song "Yōkoso Japari Park e" (Welcome to Japari Park) performed by eight members of the main cast — Serval, Fennec, Common Raccoon, and the five PPP idols.
The "Yōkoso Japari Park e" single, which includes the "Ōzora Dreamers" (Big Sky Dreamers) insert song, shipped on Wednesday. The first pressing of the limited edition bundles one of two tin badges. The first pressing of the regular version bundles one of eight cast trading cards. To mark the single's release, cast talk and short performance events will be held in Tokyo on February 25 and March 12.
The series premiered in Japan on TV Tokyo and TV Osaka late at night on January 10 at 1:35 a.m. (effectively on January 11), and Crunchyroll is streaming the series as it airs. The original game ended service on December 14.
The anime's story takes place in Japari Park, a "gigantic integrated zoo." In the zoo, due to the mysterious "sand star" substance, the animals start turning into human-shaped creatures called Animal Girls. Japari Park is a place where many people visit and have fun at, but one day a lost child wanders into the park. The lost child starts a journey to return, but because so many Animal Girls join in on the quest it becomes an unexpected grand adventure.
Mine Yoshizaki (Sgt. Frog manga creator) is credited with the character concept designs. TATSUKI (Tesagure! Bukatsu-mono, Tesagure! Bukatsu-mono Encore animation director) is directing the series at studio Yaoyorozu (Tesagure! Bukatsu-mono, Minarai Diva). Shigenori Tanabe (Danchi Tomoo) is both writing and overseeing the scripts, Nobuyuki Abe (The Highschool Life of a Fudanshi, Bananya) is the sound director, Yoshihisa Isa is the animation director, and Yūko Shiromizu (background artist for Ghost in the Shell Arise, The Eccentric Family) is the art director.
Singer-songwriter Miyuhan performs the ending theme song "Boku no Friend" (My Friend).
Nexon launched the smartphone game last year. A manga adaptation by Furai titled Kemono Friends: Yōkoso Japari Park e! began in Kadokawa's Shōnen Ace magazine in May 2015.
Source: Comic Natalie
