The Sunflower Troupe Takes Center Stage
The new main visual, drawn by character designer and chief animation director Kazutoshi Makino, shows each member of the Sunflower Circus performing their individual act. Japanese entertainment news site Comic Natalie reported that two promo CMs were also released alongside the visual, one set to the opening theme and one to the ending.
Grow Up Show: Sunflower Circus is set in 1950s Japan during the country's high-economic-growth era, when traveling circus troupes were a fixture of everyday life. The series follows the Sunflower Circus, a perpetually cash-strapped troupe that keeps touring anyway. The story picks up when Mizuka Tsurumaki, a circus prodigy, arrives for reasons of her own and shakes things up.
A-1 Pictures (Sword Art Online, Solo Leveling) and Psyde Kick Studio produce the anime, with Kanta Kamei directing and Takeshi Kikuchi on series composition. Kamei and original character designer Kurehito Misaki previously collaborated on Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend, reuniting here in the same respective roles. Yūgo Kanno composes the score.
Tsumiki Ties Two Musical Worlds Together
The opening theme is "Yurari Yureru" by NOMELON NOLEMON, and the ending theme is "DAYS!" by Aooo. Both groups were founded by musician and producer Tsumiki, meaning the same creative mind is behind both themes through two separate projects.
In an official comment, Tsumiki described the experience as feeling like "lines that shouldn't cross, crossing." Tsumiki drew a parallel between circus and song, noting that both push human physical limits while moving audiences through the performer's spirit and passion. The tracks for each group were composed to reflect their distinct sounds while channeling the world of the anime.
Meet the Sunflower Circus
The 10-person voice cast, announced earlier this year, is led by Tomoka Noda as circus prodigy Mizuka Tsurumaki and Shiori Kurosaki as Ōka Kawasumi. Tomori Kusunoki (Makima in Chainsaw Man) voices Aoi Yura, while Ai Kayano plays Rin Mamiya and Rie Kugimiya rounds out the cast as Maria, the troupe's ringmaster.
Reo Osanai plays Imari Agano, Nanako Andō voices Isuzu Ikadzuchi, Yūko Natsuyoshi takes on Akane Yura, Yuna Kamakura plays Shizuku Sakawa, and Yuka Iwahashi voices Svetlana. The period consultant on staff is Junko Yamada.
Looking Ahead
Grow Up Show: Sunflower Circus premieres Saturday, July 4, 2026 at midnight on TOKYO MX and BS11, with additional broadcasts on Gunma TV, Tochigi TV, TV Aichi, MBS, and AT-X rolling out over the following week. ABEMA and the d Anime Store streaming service will carry the earliest digital release in Japan, with other platforms to follow.
For international viewers, Muse Asia has licensed the series, though specific territories and platform details have not been confirmed. No additional English-language streaming partner such as Crunchyroll or Netflix has been announced. The anime is an original project, so there is no source manga to read ahead of the premiere.