Anime✕ Paralympics: Paralympic Games in Anime! Too many gorgeous collaborations with popular contents and authors, such as Yowamushi Pedal!
ⓒ高橋しん／NHK
Quoted from：“Ani x Para” Latest is “Universal Relay” for Para Athletics, Character Design by Manga Artist Shin Takahashi | Stella net (steranet.jp)
NHK’s “Ani×Para” is an animation series about para-sports. The latest installment, the 19th in the series, features the “Universal Relay,” which is also the focus of attention at the Paris Paralympics 2024, with manga artist Shin Takahashi in charge of character design. The work conveys the appeal of para-sports from multiple perspectives, including the use of a star-studded voice cast and the dramatic interweaving of four runners with different disabilities. The 18 previous titles are also included in this series, offering valuable content that allows viewers to enjoy and learn about various para-sport activities through animation.
What is “Ani✕Para”?
NHK’s “Ani✕ Para” is an animation series about para-sports. The latest installment of the series focuses on the “Universal Relay,” which was the focus of the heated competition at the Paris Paralympics 2024 on Friday, September 3.
One of the main highlights of this “Anime✕Para” content is the collaboration with famous cartoonists, authors, animators, and artists!
In the nineteenth installment of the series, we are pleased to announce the collaboration with the cartoonists of “Ii Hito. The 19th installment features character designs by Shin Takahashi, manga artist of “Ii Hito” and “The Last Weapon Girl”.
The theme of the 19th issue is “Universal Relay”! The video is available on YouTube!
(Reference) Anime x Para Sports “Ani x Para” | NHK for School
Gorgeous voice actors!
The voice actors are also gorgeous! There is a video and report of the roundtable discussion, so please check it out if you are a fan of voice actors.
Neru Nagahama as Shinzakura Kawada
Born on September 4, Nagahama Neru was cast in NHK’s TV series “Soar! (E-television), “Nagahama Neru’s SDG´s Diary,” and “Sign Language Shower” (E-television). This is her first appearance as an anime voice actress. She is also a Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics support ambassador.
Kentaro Kumagai as Shinpei Tatsukawa
Born on February 16. His main anime appearances are “Dungeon Rice” (Lios Toden), “Ikebukuro West Gate Park” (Makoto), “Grancrest Senki” (Theo Cornello), and “Marry Me, Really? (Takuya Ohara). He enjoys watching baseball games and collecting manga.
Tsuyoshi Otsuka / Saeki Fuji
Born on October 19. His main anime appearances include “Yakuya no Hitorigoto” (Mibuji), “Suishinoko” (Aqua), “Mobile Suit Gundam: Mercury Witch” (Lauda Neal), and “The Wind is Blowing Strong” (Kurahara Sou). His hobbies are video games and his special skill is soccer.
Nobuhiko Okamoto / Takeshi Takemoto
Born on October 24. His main anime appearances include “My Hero Academia” (Katsumi Bakugo), “Sougou no Freelen” (Himmel), “Hi-Q! (Yuh Nishitani), and “Blue Exorcist” (Rin Okumura). He is also active as a singer.
Akiyoshi Sekine as Chika Mitomo
Born on December 16. Her main anime appearances include “Senpai wa Otokooko no Otoko” (Saki Aoi), “Wistoria of the Staff and the Sword” (Elfaria Alvis Serforto), “Hōgaru Sky! Pretty Cure” (Cure Sky/Sora Harewatar). Her hobby is visiting castles and temples of the Warring States Period. His special skill is playing the oboe.
Voice Actor Roundtable Discussion for the 19th “Universal Relay
▶Click here for the video of the roundtable discussion and the transcript of the roundtable discussion.
This is a transcript of the voice actors’ roundtable discussion for NHK’s “Ani x Para” Vol. 19, “Universal Relay. The voice actors, Takeo Otsuka, Kentaro Kumagai, Nobuhiko Okamoto, and Akiyoshi Sekine, talk about their impressions after the recording and the appeal of the work.
The recording was highly enthusiastic, and the voice actors performed as one.
The film is a reflection on the “touch” method that characterizes the universal relay, and the difficulties of mixing athletes with different disabilities.
The voice actors’ ingenuity in expressing the relationship between the visually impaired and the guide runners through their voices.
The effort to understand the characteristics of wheelchair races and to reflect them in the voice performance.
The appeal of the character designs by Shin Takahashi.
The voice actors’ interpretations of the characters’ personalities and relationships.
Through the discussion, the voice actors deepened their understanding of the universal relay competition and tried to carefully express the feelings of each character. The content also shows the high level of enthusiasm for the work as a whole and the willingness to convey the appeal of para-sports, so be sure to check it out!
What is “Universal Relay”? (Quote) I want to know more! Universal Relay
The 19th theme, “Universal Relay,” is a relay in which runners with four different disabilities run 100 meters each, switching runners by touch.
They compete in mixed teams of two male and two female runners. Only a maximum of two runners from the lightest disability class in each class are allowed to compete.
The running order is determined by the type of disability.
First runner: Visually impaired runners
Run with a sighted guide runner, assisted by a tether (guide rope) held in each other’s hands and voice. As with other runners, running off course will result in disqualification. The second runner will be touched by the guide runner.
*In some cases, a runner with low vision may run alone. In such cases, the runner will touch the second runner himself.
Second runner: Amputation or functional disability
3rd runner: Cerebral palsy (standing)
4th runner: Wheelchair
The takeover zone for the previous runner to touch the next runner is 30 meters as in the general relay, but it is 40 meters only when connecting to the fourth runner in a wheelchair.
The highlight of the race is the moment of “touch!
While the Olympic relay uses a baton, the universal relay uses touch to connect the runners. However, it is extremely difficult for four runners with different types of disabilities and running styles to adjust their speed to each other at the moment of touch. In fact, touch errors often result in disqualification in the universal relay. The touch work of changing runners is the focus of attention.
The first 18 Ani-✕ Paras works are also not to be missed!
Various para-sports, including summer and winter, have been animated!
Some of them include the “Para Cycling” times in collaboration with “Yowamushi Pedal”!
Here too, there are videos, and you can enjoy the animation with the voices of various famous voice actors, so please take a look.
▼Click the link to view the video.
▶Here is the version with English subtitles! Animation x Paralympic] English Ver. YouTube playlist!
Part 1: Blind Soccer by Yoichi Takahashi of “Captain Tsubasa” fame!
▶English subtitled version. Cast:Atsushi Abe
Part 2: Para Athletics A story about the growth of para athletes spun by Hidesaku Kubonouchi. Sakura Fujiwara wrote the theme song specially for the story.
▶English subtitled version.
Part 3: Wheelchair Tennis: Shingo Kunieda appears in the world of “Baby Steps”!
▶English subtitled version Cast:Taishi Murata, Minako Kotobuki, Shinji Kawada
Part 4: Goal Ball *Distribution ended. The goal ball episode will appear again in Vol. 18!
Part 5: Wheelchair Rugby – A new character created by “Ashita no Joe” teacher Chiba Tsutuya!
▶English subtitled version Cast:Tetsuji Tamayama, Kazuyuki Okitsu, Hiroki Yasumoto
Part 6: Judo for the Visually Impaired Written Original Story by Katsutoshi Kawai, author of the popular judo manga “NEW WAVE JUDO COMIC（Obi wo Gyutto Ne!）”
▶English subtitled version Cast:Mone Kamishiraishi, Takashi Matsuyama, Rikako Aida
Part 7: Para Cycling A collaboration between “Yowamushi Pedal” and “Para Cycling”!
▶English subtitled version Cast:Daiki Yamashita, Kosuke Toriumi, Jun Fukushima, Yuki Ono
Part 8: Para-badminton Collaboration with Koji Seo, the master of romantic comedy!
▶English subtitled version Cast:Aya Hirano, Soma Saito
Part 9: Boccia Collaboration with Satoru Hiura’s “Hotarunohikari”!
▶English subtitled version Cast:Kana Hanazawa, Suzuko Mimori
Part 10: Marathon for the Visually Impaired A reteam of Masahito Kagawa (original story) and Hoshi Wakasa (artwork) from the manga “Mashironohi” about the same sport!
▶English subtitled version Cast:Anne Nakamura, Yoshimitsu Shimoyama
Part 11: Wheelchair basketball Collaboration with the sports manga “DEAR BOYS”!
▶English subtitled version Cast:Marie Iide, Harusuke Sugino, Tomokazu Sugita
Part 12: Para Table Tennis Collaboration with “Team Futari”!
Cast:Ryunosuke Kamiki, Hiro Shimono, Yuki Kaji
Part 13: Para Alpine Skiing Character design by Hisashi Eguchi, illustrator and manga artist.
Cast:Marika Matsumoto, Kaori Nazuka
Vol. 14: Para Snowboarding Kazuhiko Shimamoto, a manga artist known for “Blue Blaze（Aoihono）” and other works, designed the characters!
Cast:Takuatsu Terashima, Marie Uchida, Katsuyuki Konishi
Vol. 15: Para-volleyball (seated) Based on the popular manga “Harigane Service” by Tatsuya Ara!
Cast:Mahiro Takasugi, Koki Osuzu, Suzuki, Shohei Komatsu, Hayato Taya
Part 16: Para Canoeing “Sound! Euphonium” author Ayano Takeda portrays the high school canoe club in this coming-of-age club novel “Paddling with You”.
Cast:Ayane Sakura, Miho Watanabe, Ai Kakuma, Marina Inoue
Vol. 17: Para-Archery The fantasy world of the popular manga “What’s your Vibe（Ushiototora）” by Kazuhiro Fujita is synchronized with the setting of para-archery!
Cast:Kumiko Aso, Tasuku Hatanaka, Rikiya Koyama, Megumi Hayashibara
Vol. 18: Goal Ball “Welcome to Demon School（MairimashitaIrumakun）” the main character of “Iruma-kun”, and his friends from the demon world try their hand at goalball!
Cast:Ayumu Murase, Ryohei Kimura, Ayaka Asai, Mitsuki Saiga
Part 19: Universal Relay The characters drawn by cartoonist Shin Takahashi are full of individuality and energy!
Cast:Neru Nagahama, Kentaro Kumagai, Takeo Otsuka, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Akira Sekine
Voice actors who appeared in the past also support the Paralympics with X!
Voice actors including Hiroki Kaji, Satoshi Hino, Hiro Shimono, and others posted messages of support on X as the Paralympics began.
The Paris Paralympics 2024 has seen some great competitions, including a fierce battle in wheelchair rugby, a heated goalball game, and the champion of the men’s long jump in track and field, Markus Rehm, winning his fourth consecutive title!
Although there are only a few days left of this competition, why not watch it again in animation for Milano Cortina 2026 and Los 2028 along with the memories of the competition?
That’s all! This is an introduction to Anime✕Parasport.
(Reference) Anime x Para Sports “Ani x Para” | NHK for School
