A Weaponized Wheelchair and a Killer Premise
Tank Chair adapts Manabu Yashiro's manga of the same name, serialized in Kodansha's Monthly Shōnen Sirius with 10 volumes out and over one million copies in circulation. Polygon Pictures (Knights of Sidonia, Levius) is producing the anime in 3DCG — a natural fit for source material built around mechanical combat rigs.
The premise is exactly as unhinged as it sounds. Taira Nagi was the deadliest assassin alive until he took a bullet shielding his younger sister Shizuka. Now comatose, he regains consciousness only when killing intent is directed at him — and only for as long as that intent lasts. Shizuka's solution? Strap her brother into a series of weaponized wheelchairs called Tank Chairs and pit him against the most dangerous fighters she can find, treating each battle as rehabilitation.
Anime Hack reported the full main cast alongside a character PV and new visuals, including the first look at the Tank Chair Mark One — Nagi's base-model combat wheelchair. Director Tady Yoshihira handles both direction and series composition alongside co-director Yūsuke Andō, with character designs by Yūki Moriyama and music by Masaru Yokoyama.
One standout production detail: the anime uses pre-score recording, meaning the voice actors perform their lines before the animation is produced. It's the opposite of standard anime dubbing and closer to how Western animation works, giving the cast more room to improvise.
The Cast Behind the Carnage
Kōki Uchiyama (Tomura Shigaraki in My Hero Academia, Rin Itoshi in Blue Lock) leads as Taira Nagi, the assassin protagonist who fights from his Tank Chair while drifting in and out of consciousness. Uchiyama said he was genuinely surprised by Nagi's condition — a character who essentially doesn't exist outside of combat.
Minori Fujidera, winner of the 2026 Seiyū Awards' Best New Actress prize, plays Taira Shizuka. Nagi's younger sister takes on increasingly dangerous contracts to find opponents strong enough to trigger her brother's awakening. Fujidera described Shizuka as someone carrying an enormous emotional burden while maintaining an almost carefree front — the kind of character who makes you think about what you'd do in the same situation.
Gakuto Kajiwara (Asta in Black Clover, Shinra Kusakabe in Fire Force) voices Kurosaka Naozumi, a former classmate of Nagi's who harbors a fierce rivalry with him. Kajiwara described the role as emotionally draining in the best way, saying he wrings out every negative emotion he has to play someone living in constant anguish.
Saori Hayami (Yor Forger in Spy x Family, Shinobu Kochō in Demon Slayer) rounds out the main four as Kurosaka Tōko, Naozumi's younger sister and combat partner. Hayami shared a memorable detail from her audition: her entire script consisted of nothing but the sound effect "shuu" repeated over and over. The pre-score format was new territory for her, but she's since come to appreciate its depth.
The character PV features all four leads with voice work and combat footage, showcasing Nagi fighting from his Tank Chair.
Looking Ahead
Tank Chair premieres in Fall 2026 in Japan, though an exact date and broadcast network haven't been confirmed yet. International streaming partners are also unannounced — Bandai Namco Filmworks' involvement in production (they host the official PV on their YouTube channel) makes Crunchyroll a plausible destination, but nothing is confirmed.
For fans who want to get ahead of the anime, Kodansha USA publishes the English edition of the manga in print and digital, with multiple volumes already available. The series is also on Kodansha's K Manga platform.