Grow Up Show: Sunflower Circus Troupe Anime Sets July 4 Premiere
This is the first original anime project from Psyde Kick Studio, the internal label A-1 Pictures established in July 2025 to pursue greater creative freedom and challenge young creators with new production workflows.
Reporting from 2 sources: Anime News Network, Anime Corner.
The original anime Grow Up Show: Sunflower Circus Troupe (Grow Up Show: Himawari no Circus-dan) will premiere on July 4 at 24:00 on Tokyo MX, BS11, and other channels, effectively July 5 at midnight. Aniplex, A-1 Pictures, and Psyde Kick Studio released a new main visual and two television commercials on Saturday that preview the opening theme song "Yurari Yureru" by NOMELON NOLEMON and the ending theme song "DAYS!" by Aooo. The series is set in the late 1950s to early 1960s, during Japan's economic boom when traveling circuses were a major form of entertainment. The story follows the Sunflower Circus troupe, led by ringmaster Maria, as they travel Japan despite financial struggles. Their fortunes change when circus prodigy Mizuka Tsurumaki arrives under mysterious circumstances. Tomoka Noda voices Mizuka, and Shiori Kurosaki plays Oka Kawasumi. Kanta Kamei directs, Kurehito Misaki provides original character designs, and Takeshi Kikuchi writes and oversees the series scripts. A-1 Pictures and Psyde Kick Studio are producing. The anime will stream first on ABEMA and d Anime Store in Japan before other platforms.
Kanta Kamei, who previously directed the Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend television anime and its 2019 film, is directing the series. Kurehito Misaki, the illustrator of the Saekano light novels, provides the original character designs. Takeshi Kikuchi, known for Skeleton Knight in Another World, handles series composition and writes the scripts.
The story is set during Japan's rapid economic growth in the 1950s and early 1960s, when traveling circuses were a major form of entertainment. Different troupes compete for a chance to participate in a world-renowned festival called "Circus Collection." The Sunflower Circus, led by ringmaster Maria, travels Japan despite constant financial struggles. Their fortunes shift when the circus prodigy Mizuka Tsurumaki arrives under mysterious circumstances.
Jun Katou, production supervisor for the 86 and Sword Art Online franchises, serves as the representative for Psyde Kick Studio. The label was established in July 2025 as an internal A-1 Pictures label to pursue greater creative freedom and challenge young creators with new production workflows. Psyde Kick Studio is working on multiple new projects.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.