New details have been revealed about the Kamen Rider W anime, Fuuto PI.
As reported by Comic Natalie, Fuuto PI will premiere in Japan on the U-NEXT streaming service this August. The show's cast was also revealed, which features Yoshimasa Hosoya (Chihayafuru, Haikyu!!) as the detective Shotaro Hidari and Kouki Uchiyama (Soul Eater, Yuri!! on Ice) as the enigmatic Philip. Mikako Komatsu (Jujutsu Kaisen) will portray returning supporting character Akiko Narumi, while Makoto Furukawa (One-Punch Man) will provide the voice of Ryu Terui, the alter-ego of Kamen Rider Accel. In addition to the returning heroes from the original show, Fuuto PI will feature the introduction of two new characters: Tomine, an amnesiac young woman with supernatural powers, who will be voiced by Akira Sekine (Akebi's Sailor Uniform), and Yukiji Bando, a new villain with connections to the Foundation X organization from the original series, who will be portrayed by Daisuke Ono (Attack on Titan).
Last September it was announced that the anime series would be directed by Yosuke Kabashima, who previously served as the character designer and head animation director on the Uma Musume: Pretty Derby. Kabashima has been an outspoken fan of the tokusatsu franchise, saying "The Kamen Rider series, including 'Kamen Rider W,' has always saved me when I was in a tight corner in my life," Kabashima said, adding, "Based on my own love and thoughts for the series, I will put all my energy into the production. I intend to deliver an anime that recreates the atmosphere of 'W' as it is. Please look forward to it!"
The original live-action Kamen Rider W premiered in Japan in 2009. The show tells the story of Shotaro Hidari, a self-proclaimed "hard boiled detective," who teams up with a mysterious person known only as Philip to investigate the appearance of strange monsters known as Dopants. Hidari and Philip are able to combine and transform into the hero known as Kamen Rider W, who seems to be the only being capable of combatting the Dopant threat.
The new anime will serve as a direct sequel to the 2009 series. The anime is based on a 2017 manga of the same name, which was created by artist Masaki Sato and writer Riku Sanjo, who also served as the head writer for the Kamen Rider W TV show. Sanjo was also the original writer of the Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai manga, which was adapted into an anime series in 2020.
A premiere date outside of Japan for Fuuto PI has yet to be announced. Funimation has licensed the series for international distribution.
Source: Comic Natalie
