Spirit Circle, the manga by Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer creator Satoshi Mizukami, officially announced its television anime adaptation on November 5. The series will begin airing and streaming this December.
The anime was directed by Tatsuo Sato, the acclaimed director behind Martian Successor Nadesico and Stellvia, who died in April 2026. Spirit Circle will serve as his final directorial work.
Spirit Circle was serialized in Shōnen Gahōsha's monthly magazine Young King OURs from July 2012 to May 2016. The manga was nominated for the Seiun Award for Best Comic in 2017.
The story follows ordinary junior high school student Fuuta Okeya, who discovers that he can see the spirit following transfer student Kouko Ishigami. Kouko realizes that Fuuta was her enemy in a past life and produces the Spirit Circle, intending to show him everything he did across seven previous incarnations before destroying him. But as Fuuta and Kouko relive those lives, they uncover an unexpected connection and a bond spanning multiple eras, completely changing how they see their shared past and present.
The anime was directed by Tatsuo Sato, a director and episode director known for acclaimed titles including Martian Successor Nadesico, Bodacious Space Pirates, and Stellvia, as well as his skill with science fiction and ensemble coming-of-age stories. Sato originally served as both director and series composer, leading production on the entire project. However, he died of liver failure in April 2026 at the age of 61, making Spirit Circle his final directorial work.
Production continued under assistant director Kentaro Mizuno and the rest of the team, who worked to complete the anime while carrying forward Sato's creative vision. The series is jointly animated by NAGOMI and EOTA, both part of the Twin Engine group.
NAGOMI, EOTA, and Twin Engine issued the following joint statement:
"Director Tatsuo Sato poured his extensive knowledge and extraordinary passion into the production of the Spirit Circle television anime. By carrying forward the ideas and feelings he invested in this project, we have now successfully completed the series. Every member of the staff will continue working together and giving their all to bring audiences this anime, the director's final work. We offer our deepest respect and gratitude for his remarkable achievements and sincerely pray that he may rest in peace."
The anime's main cast was also revealed, with all four voice actors appearing in the first promotional video:
Kouko Ishigami, voiced by Anna Nagase
Fuuta Okeya, voiced by Kazuki Ura
East, voiced by Yuichi Nakamura
Rune, voiced by Eri Yukimura
▼ Spirit Circle Anime Trailer
Original creator Satoshi Mizukami also shared a message:
"Spirit Circle is finally getting an anime! This is a story in which the protagonist journeys through seven lives, each set in a different era and place. That means it requires roughly seven times the usual amount of world-building, while the story itself sits at an awkward length: longer than a single cour, but shorter than two. I offer my heartfelt thanks to every staff member who overcame those challenges and gave their all to this production, as well as to Director Tatsuo Sato. Whether you have already read the manga or are discovering the story for the first time, I hope you will stay with us until the very end."
Spirit Circle has been confirmed for an 18-episode run, delivering a surprise announcement that longtime fans have every reason to be excited about. With its December 2026 premiere rapidly approaching, more updates are almost certainly on the way.
via： X@TVアニメ『スピリットサークル』公式