The Story of the Boy Who Would One Day Be Known as Zeami: “The World Is Dancing” Premieres June 29!

Opening Movie Featuring Macaroni Empitsu’s “shusho” Revealed Alongside a Special Video Comment from the Band!

Special Congratulatory Illustration by Slam Dunk & Vagabond Creator Takehiko Inoue Unveiled!

TOKYO, Japan – CyberAgent, Inc. is excited to unveil the opening movie for the anime The World Is Dancing (co-produced by CyberAgent and Shochiku), set to the opening theme song “shusho” by Macaroni Empitsu, ahead of the anime’s premiere today, July2.

Set to Macaroni Empitsu’s track “shusho,” the opening movie features a visual touch distinct from the main anime, vividly transitioning from stark black-and-white into vibrant colors. The sequence beautifully captures the series’ dynamic energy and ephemerality. Furthermore, the staff credits featured in the sequence, including the director’s name, were elegantly handwritten by Satoshi Nemoto, who also created the calligraphy for the series’ official title lettering.

Additionally, a special video message from Macaroni Empitsu has been released. To commemorate the premiere of Episode 1, a special congratulatory illustration has also arrived from legendary manga artist Takehiko Inoue (Slam Dunk, Vagabond), whom The World Is Dancing creator Kazuto Mihara previously worked under as an assistant.

In an era of constant conflict, this is a “dancing story” that follows a beautiful, intensely curious boy named Oniyasha (CV: Yumiri Hanamori). As he meets people, laughs, cries, and faces his own weaknesses, he shapes a new form of dance in an ever-changing world. It is a tale that might have unfolded when the boy who would one day create Noh—Zeami—was still known as Oniyasha, carrying his legacy across 600 years to the present.

The anime is produced by animation studio, Cypic (Umamusume: Cinderella Gray, The Summer Hikaru Died). The series is directed by Toshimasa Kuroyanagi, known for his work on the TV anime The Great Passage, the animated film Love Me, Love Me Not, and both the TV and theatrical versions of the Backflip!! series.

The series recently won a Special Award at the Short Shorts Film Festival, drawing immense attention for its outstanding quality.

The anime The World Is Dancing is currently available to all HIDIVE subscribers throughout the U.S. and Canada as well as in key overseas markets including Australia and New Zealand.

(Please check the official website for other streaming information.)

Opening Movie Featuring Macaroni Empitsu “shusho” Unveiled!

Set to Macaroni Empitsu’s track “shusho,” the newly released opening movie features a visual touch distinct from the anime, vividly transitioning from a monochrome world into vibrant colors to beautifully capture the series’ dynamic energy and ephemerality. Additionally, the staff credits throughout the sequence, including the director’s name, were written by calligrapher Satoshi Nemoto, who also designed the series’ official title lettering.

YouTube URL: https://youtu.be/6f78rxIxzV0

Profile: Macaroni Empitsu

A four-piece rock band formed in 2012, consisting of Hattori (Vocal & Guitar), Kenya Takano (Bass & Chorus), Yoshiaki Tanabe (Guitar & Chorus), and Daiki Hasegawa (Keyboards & Chorus). They released their first nationally distributed mini-album Al Dente in 2015, followed by their 1st full album CHOSYOKU in 2017. They made their major debut with the 1st EP Ai o Shirazu ni Mahou wa Tsukaenai in 2020, and released their major 1st full album Happy End e no Kitai wa in 2022.

Last year, they celebrated their 10th anniversary with a highly successful two-day solo live concert at Yokohama Stadium. In 2026, they completed a hall tour across 19 cities (26 performances) nationwide, and they are set to embark on an arena tour across 7 cities (11 performances) starting in October.

A special video comment from Macaroni Empitsu can be watched on the anime’s official X!

Official X: @wid_anime（https://x.com/wid_anime）

Congratulatory Illustration by Takehiko Inoue (Slam Dunk, Vagabond) Unveiled!

To commemorate the broadcast and streaming of Episode 1, a special, newly drawn congratulatory illustration has arrived from legendary manga artist Takehiko Inoue, under whom The World Is Dancing creator Kazuto Mihara previously studied as an assistant. This exclusive piece showcases a fresh look at Oniyasha, captured beautifully in Inoue’s unmistakable, signature touch.

Profile: Takehiko Inoue

Manga artist. His masterpiece works include Slam Dunk, which has surpassed 140 million copies in circulation in Japan alone, as well as the irregularly serialized Real and Vagabond. He is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize.

The World Is Dancing Episode 1 Title & Advance Cuts

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Act I: “Why do people dance?”

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“Why do people dance?”

In 1374, amid the turmoil of the Northern and Southern Courts’ long running conflict, a boy named Oniyasha is born into a family of sarugaku theater performers.

Unable to find any existential meaning in dance, he spends his days in a kind of quiet gloom.

Then, one day, he witnesses Shirabyoshi dancing in a barn—a dance he feels to be “good” for the first time in his life.

■About The World Is Dancing

Follow “The World Is Dancing” on Social Media:

Official Website: https://sh-anime.shochiku.co.jp/worldisdancing-anime

Official X: https://x.com/wid_anime (@wid_anime)

Streaming Information:

Streaming from June 29 and be available to all HIDIVE subscribers throughout the U.S. and Canada as well as in key overseas markets including Australia, and New Zealand.

(Other platform details to be announced at a later date).

INTRODUCTION:

One does not need dance to live.

In 1374, during the turbulent age when the Northern and Southern Courts were locked in conflict, the Northern Court’s shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, was becoming an increasingly dominant force.

Born the son of Kan’ami, head of the Kanze troupe of sarugaku performers, Oniyasha drifts through his days with a hazy question lodged in his heart: Why do people dance? His spirit remains clouded, until the day he encounters a dance that is truly “good.”

Curious, sensitive, and strikingly beautiful, the boy meets people, laughs, cries, confronts his own weaknesses, and slowly begins to shape a new form of dance for a world steeped in impermanence.

Kazuto Mihara’s groundbreaking Noh themed manga from Morning finally comes to life as an anime, filled with scenes that stir the heart and dynamic movement and chanting that can only be expressed through animation.

Directed by Toshimasa Kuroyanagi (The Great Passage, Backflip!!) and animated by Cypic (Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray, The Summer Hikaru Died), this series showcases top tier animation supported by a standout cast.

This is a story shaped by dance that may have unfolded when the boy who would one day create Noh—Zeami—was still known as Oniyasha, carried across 600 years to the present.

STORY:

In 1374, amid the turmoil of the Northern and Southern Courts’ long running conflict, a boy named Oniyasha is born into a family of sarugaku theater performers. He spends his days in a kind of quiet gloom, haunted by a simple but persistent question: Why do people dance? Then, one day, he witnesses a dance that he feels to be “good”—and everything begins to change. This is the story of the beautiful young boy who would one day shape the art of Noh and be remembered as Zeami.

Cast & Staff:

Cast

Yumiri Hanamori, Simba Tsuchiya, Maaya Uchida, Romi Park, Takahiro Sakurai, Katsuyuki Konishi, Youji Matsuda,Nobuo Tobita, Inori Minase, Miyuki Sawashiro,Haruki Ishiya, Hazuki Seto

Staff

Based on the manga “The World Is Dancing” by Kazuto Mihara originally serialized in the weekly MORNING magazine published by KODANSHA Ltd.

Director: Toshimasa Kuroyanagi

Character Design: Keigo Sasaki

Series Composition/Script: Sawako Kawamitsu

Sub Director: Shuhei Fuchimoto

Sub Character Design: Iori Hisatake

Prop Design: Odashi

Art Setting: Mamio Ogawa

Art Director: Hiromasa Ogura, Kazuhiro Inoue

Color Design: Naoko Sato, Kumiko Naruke

3D Supervisor: Yoshinori Nakano