The "Rascal Does Not Dream of" series' theatrical film, "Rascal Does Not Dream of a Knapsack Kid," hit theaters in December 2023 to rave reviews. Following its success, the official team announced that the series' "College Arc" would be adapted into an anime, picking up right after the movie's storyline.
Last August, it was revealed that the College Arc would be titled "Rascal Does Not Dream of a Christmas Present." Today (March 22) at AnimeJapan 2025, fans got their first look with a brand-new key visual and the debut promotional video, confirming a July broadcast for this year!
Fun fact: the "College Arc" actually kicks off from Volume 10 of the light novel series. Many fans initially expected the anime to adapt Volume 10, "Rascal Does Not Dream of a Wandering Singer." But plot twist! They're jumping straight to Volume 12, "Rascal Does Not Dream of a Christmas Present." Then again, the anime adaptations have never strictly followed the novel's release order anyway, so this isn't entirely out of left field!
The event also dropped the voice cast for the new characters, featuring a lineup of absolute stars: Uzuki Hirokawa (CV: Sora Amamiya), Ikumi Akagi (CV: Aya Yamane), Sara Himeji (CV: Konomi Kohara), Miori Mito (CV: Manaka Iwami), and Shoko Makinohara (CV: Inori Minase). Talk about a stacked cast – it just goes to show the sheer star power this series commands!
And that's not all! The anime's opening theme song, "Snowdrop," will be performed by Conton Candy, the fresh new girl band known for their work on the "SAKAMOTO DAYS" TV anime.
The series has quite the history, starting with the 2018 TV anime "Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai," followed by the 2019 film "Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl," and then the 2023 double feature with "Rascal Does Not Dream of a Sister Venturing Out" and "Rascal Does Not Dream of a Knapsack Kid."
With three consecutive films, it was clear the anime production committee was all-in on the big screen. So, it's a pleasant surprise that "Rascal Does Not Dream of a Christmas Present" is actually returning as a TV anime!
▼ Check out the "Rascal Does Not Dream of a Christmas Present" PV below!
For all you fans out there, keep your eyes peeled for more official announcements! The light novel series wrapped up its ten-year run last year, so let's cross our fingers for even more exciting news from the official team soon!
via： 《青春豬頭少年》動畫官方X