The World Is Dancing put out a music trailer on June 5 and named more of its cast, locking in a July 2, 2026 premiere. Yoji Matsuda joins as Inuo and Miyuki Sawashiro plays Shirabyoshi in Cygames Pictures' adaptation of Kazuto Mihara's historical manga about the birth of Noh theater.
Quick answer
The World Is Dancing premieres July 2, 2026 at 10:00 p.m. JST on Tokyo MX and KBS Kyoto, with Sun TV, BS Asahi and TVQ Kyushu following. It's produced at Cygames Pictures, directed by Toshimasa Kuroyanagi, with character designs by Keigo Sasaki and the opening theme "shusho" by Macaroni Empitsu. The cast is led by Yumiri Hanamori as Oniyasha. The source is Kazuto Mihara's manga, serialized in Kodansha's Morning (2021–2022) across six volumes and published in English by Kodansha USA. The series holds a slot on the SenpaiRanks Summer 2026 ranking board, ready to climb once it airs.
The new cast
The June 5 wave added Yoji Matsuda as Inuo and Miyuki Sawashiro as Shirabyoshi. The trailer also confirmed insert-song duties for Yumiri Hanamori (Oniyasha) and Romi Park (Zojiro) — fitting for a show built around performance. They sit among a heavyweight cast: Maaya Uchida, Katsuyuki Konishi, Takahiro Sakurai as Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, Mamiko Noto, and Inori Minase.
Production notes
Cygames Pictures produces, with Toshimasa Kuroyanagi directing and Keigo Sasaki on character designs. Satoshi Nemoto handles the calligraphy and title lettering — a deliberate touch for a period piece — and Macaroni Empitsu performs the OP "shusho."
Where it comes from
Kazuto Mihara serialized the manga in Kodansha's Morning from March 2021 to October 2022, compiled into six volumes, with Kodansha USA publishing the English edition. It's a historical drama set around the founding of Noh, anchored on the real-life figure Ashikaga Yoshimitsu — the kind of grounded, art-history subject anime rarely tackles head-on.
The hook
A prestige historical about the origins of Noh theater, from a studio with Cygames money behind it and a cast this deep, is one of the more distinctive things on the summer slate. If you want to see where it slots against the rest of the season, the what to watch summer 2026 hub and our dedicated World Is Dancing season preview lay it out.
Frequently asked questions
Q: When does The World Is Dancing premiere?
A: July 2, 2026 at 10:00 p.m. JST on Tokyo MX and KBS Kyoto, with more networks following.
Q: Who is in the cast?
A: Yumiri Hanamori leads as Oniyasha, with new additions Yoji Matsuda as Inuo and Miyuki Sawashiro as Shirabyoshi.
Q: Which studio is making The World Is Dancing?
A: Cygames Pictures, directed by Toshimasa Kuroyanagi.
Q: What is the opening theme?
A: "shusho" performed by Macaroni Empitsu.
Q: What is The World Is Dancing based on?
A: Kazuto Mihara's manga, serialized in Kodansha's Morning and published in English by Kodansha USA.