Sonny Boy

Alternate Title

Sonny Boy -サニーボーイ-

Synopsis

It’s Aug. 16 in the middle of a long summer vacation, and Nagara, who is in his third year of junior high school, is suddenly caught up in an unexpected situation. Together with 36 of his classmates, including Mizuho, Asakaze, and the mysterious transfer student Nozomi, he is pulled into another dimension. There, they find that they each have acquired a strange ability. Some are overjoyed at their newfound superhuman powers and run wild, while others band together as they desperately search for a way back to their world. District, uncontrollable jealousy, and the desire for control soon lead to conflict. They boys and girls are suddenly thrown into a life of survival as they face one inexplicable situation after the next. Will Nagara and the others be able to conquer this world and return safely to their own…? The curtain rises on an unforgettable summer!

Background

Sonny Boy is an original coming-of-age sci-fi anime created by Shingo Natsume (director of the international hit series One-Punch Man) and animation studio Madhouse (the studio behind Summer Wars and Death Note). Staff members include Shingo Natsume who is directing and writing the script, popular illustrator Hisashi Eguchi who is in charge of the original character designs, Norifumi Kugai who is adapting the character designs for animation, and music by a wide range of artists including Sunset Rollercoaster, VIDEOTAPEMUSIC, The Natsuyasumi Band, Mitsume, Ogawa & Tokoro, Kuchu Dorobo, Masaru Kaneyori, toe, and Corniche. The anime’s theme song is “Shonen Shojo” by popular rock band Gingnan BOYZ, which depicts the trying time of adolescence when boys and girls are stuck between childhood and adulthood with a vivid melody that strongly resonates with the anime’s worldview. The anime will premiere in Japan on July 15, 2021 on Tokyo MX and other channels and will be available to stream in the U.S. through Funimation.

Characters

Nagara (Voiced by: Aoi Ichikawa)
A third-year junior high school student who is bored with the environment around him and feels resigned to life. He seems to be having trouble communicating with his family and has distanced himself from the students around him, who look at him with a somewhat cold attitude. At the moment, it is unknown what kind of ability he developed when he drifted away to another world.

Nozomi (Voiced by: Saori Onishi)
A somewhat mysterious transfer student from Berlin who just transferred into Nagara’s class. On her first day at school, Nagara witnesses her tearing up a textbook on the roof. She is a strong-willed person who never compromises, no matter how difficult the situation is. Her strength of will can be seen through her large eyes that stare straight ahead. In the other world, she gets an ability called “Compass” that allows her to see any destination as a ray of light, no matter where she is. However, she is the only one who can see it.

Mizuho (Voiced by: Aoi Yuki)
A third-year junior high school student who always carries her three cats, Tora, Gen, and Sakura, which her grandmother used to cherish, in her tote bag. She has a fast-paced and moody personality and is honest about her feelings. She doesn't want to get involved with the people around her, and prefers isolation. In the other world, she gets an ability called “Nyamazon” which allows her three cats to bring her whatever she wants. Her ability, which is indispensable for survival, is relied on by the other students, but Mizuho herself doesn’t seem to be amused by it.

Asakaze (Voiced by: Chiaki Kobayashi)
He has a rebellious nature and hates being told what to do. After drifting to the other world, he violently rebels against the student council's attempts to control the students and causes a commotion. In the other world, he gets an ability called “Slow Light” which allows him to control gravity. His ability often helps Nagara and the others in their fight for survival when they find themselves in dangerous situations.

Music

Theme Song: “Shonen Shojo” by Gingnan BOYZ

• Official Site (Japanese)
• Official Twitter (Japanese)

• Original Creator: Shingo Natsume
• Original Character Design: Hisashi Eguchi
• Director/Script: Shingo Natsume
• Character Design: Norifumi Kugai
• Art Director: Mari Fujino (Studio Pablo)
• Color Design: Ken Hashimoto
• Director of Photography: Akane Fushihara
• Editing: Kashiko Kimura
• Sound Director: Shoji Hata
• Music: Sunset Rollercoaster, VIDEOTAPEMUSIC, The Natsuyasumi Band, Mitsume, Ogawa & Tokoro, Kuchu Dorobo, Masaru Kaneyori, toe, Corniche
• Music Advisor: Shinichiro Watanabe
• Animation Production: Madhouse