It has been announced that Kirio Fan Club, the one-sided love comedy by Chikyuu no Osakana Ponchan, will receive a TV anime adaptation in 2026.
The main cast will star Nene Hieda as Aibi Miyoshi, Shion Wakayama as Nami Sometani, and Gakuto Kajiwara as Ken Kirio. A teaser visual and promotional video (PV) were also released with the announcement.
The original manga was serialized in Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha’s COMIC Ruelle from 2022 to 2024. The story follows high schooler Aibi Miyoshi and her classmate Nami Sometani as they engage in unstoppable fantasies and loving exchanges about their mutual crush, Ken Kirio. The series ranked in the top 10 of the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! (This Manga is Amazing!) rankings for two consecutive years, placing 6th in the 2024 edition and 10th in the 2025 edition for female readers. It continues to be beloved by many readers even after its serialization concluded, and it was also adapted into a live-action drama in April 2025.
While an anime project was announced concurrently with the live-action adaptation, this marks the formal confirmation of the TV anime. The original author, Chikyuu no Osakana Ponchan, provided a comment regarding the announcement.
Animation production will be handled by Satelight. Sō Toyama is directing the series, with Aya Satsuki handling series composition and scripts, and Nami Hayashi providing the animation character designs.
The teaser visual depicts Aibi and Nami secretly pining for Kirio in a light-filled classroom. Characters and lines from the series are scrawled on the blackboard, giving the art a pop aesthetic.
The teaser PV features the first reveal of newly recorded lines from Aibi and Nami. It shows the two characters engaging in their familiar “I want to [blank] with Kirio” endless endurance race, capturing the unique worldview of the series.
Additionally, an official website, X (formerly Twitter) account, Instagram, and TikTok have been launched. The official X account is currently running a campaign to celebrate the announcement.
Comments for Kirio Fan Club
[Original Author: Chikyuu no Osakana Ponchan] Kirio Fan Club is becoming an anime! When I first started drawing this series, I never even imagined it would be animated, so I am overwhelmed with emotion. I want to praise my past self for creating a work worthy of an anime, and I want to celebrate all the readers who supported it! I’m so proud! Even more so, I send my deepest gratitude to everyone involved in this adaptation. The incredible cast and staff are working together as a team to produce this, so please look forward to the broadcast!
[Nene Hieda (Aibi Miyoshi)] I’m Nene Hieda, and I will be playing Aibi Miyoshi. …I am truly so happy to be able to say that! First of all, the original Kirio Fan Club is just so wonderful. The more I read, the more I was drawn into its humor. As the audition drew closer, my love for the series grew so much that my heart felt full to the point of bursting (laughs). So, when I received the call that I had been cast as Aibi, I was so happy I cried! This is the first time I’ve had a role in a work that is such a pure, gag-filled story of youth. Every episode was fresh and fun, and through Aibi, I was able to discover new expressions and emotions I’d never tapped into before. To the fans of the original manga, of course, but also to everyone who has ever loved someone or something—and even to those who haven’t! I truly hope as many people as possible will watch this! Please look forward to it!
[Shion Wakayama (Nami Sometani)] I’m Shion Wakayama, and I’ll be playing Nami Sometani. (That’s “So-me-ta-ni,” not “So-me-ya.”) First, I am truly, truly happy to be involved in the TV anime adaptation of Kirio Fan Club, a series I absolutely love. The passage of time unique to student life, the frantic energy unique to geeks (otaku), the anxieties that come from truly loving something… our reality is depicted right there. I feel that this series’ greatest feature, and what attracts so many people to it, is its ability to make you chuckle and feel energized. I will do my absolute best to convey all the wonderful aspects of this series to the viewers through my performance. Nami is the type of girl who rarely gets flustered and handles everything competently, spending her fun-filled days with the uniquely intense Aibi. What kind of story will she weave? I truly hope you will tune in to see.
[Gakuto Kajiwara (Ken Kirio)] I’m Gakuto Kajiwara, and I have the pleasure of playing Ken Kirio! Kirio Fan Club is, simply put, a fantastic series. It captures the bittersweetness of youth; the relentless barrage of gags makes your stomach hurt from laughing; it’s sweet, yet sometimes it’s so bitter that “faintly” doesn’t cover it; and just when you think that, it warms you to the point of tears. Experiencing this story brings a rush of powerful emotions. I am constantly amazed and swept away by the sharp, high-concept world that Ponchan-sensei has created. And it’s an incredibly pleasant feeling. The recording sessions were anything but straightforward. But I poured so, so much thought and heart into voicing Kirio. I truly want as many people as possible to see this. No, actually—you must watch this!
Source: OriconNews