{"rewrite":{"id":"r_59188b2fa5f3de1e474d99cf","clusterId":"c_0e10ece07c8247cc24ebb18e","slug":"nafca-releases-original-anime-hokuto-to-kagemaru","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"NAFCA Releases Original Anime Hokuto to Kagemaru","summary":"The Japan Animation Film Culture Association (NAFCA) has completed and released the original anime 'Hokuto to Kagemaru' on YouTube. The project began as educational material for the Animator Skill Test textbook, and a 2025 crowdfunding campaign exceeded its goal by 136%. The cast includes Yumiko Kobayashi, Hitomi Nabatame, and Shigeru Chiba, with character design by Yoshihiko Umakoshi and Satoshi Koike. A sequel is in production.","whyItMatters":"The release marks the first completed anime from NAFCA, an industry organization founded in 2023, and the project doubles as a source of licensed educational materials for animation schools.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe Japan Animation Film Culture Association (NAFCA) released its first original anime, 'Hokuto to Kagemaru,' on YouTube on June 8. The project started as a way to illustrate animation techniques and terminology for the Animator Skill Test textbook. A 2025 crowdfunding campaign raised 136% of its target to finish the short.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe cast features Yumiko Kobayashi as Kagemaru, Hitomi Nabatame as Hokuto, and Shigeru Chiba as narrator. Character designers include Yoshihiko Umakoshi ('Ojamajo Doremi,' 'My Hero Academia') and Satoshi Koike ('Keroro Gunsō the Super Movie'). All animation and finishing were done domestically. Intermediate materials such as layouts and key animation will be provided to educational institutions. A sequel aimed at professional-level skills is in production.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"NAFCA, the anime industry organization founded in 2023, has released its first original anime 'Hokuto to Kagemaru' on YouTube. The project was funded via crowdfunding and will supply educational materials to animation schools.","twitterPost":"NAFCA releases original anime 'Hokuto to Kagemaru' on YouTube. The project began as textbook material for the Animator Skill Test and raised 136% of its crowdfunding goal in 2025. A sequel is in production.","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"NAFCA, the Japan Animation Film Culture Association, has completed and released its first original anime, 'Hokuto to Kagemaru.' The short was initially conceived as educational material for the Animator Skill Test and was funded through a 2025 crowdfunding campaign that exceeded its goal. The cast includes Yumiko Kobayashi, Hitomi Nabatame, and Shigeru Chiba, with character design by Yoshihiko Umakoshi and Satoshi Koike. A sequel is in production.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"ASCII.jp\",\"url\":\"https://ascii.jp/elem/000/004/408/4408993/?rss\",\"title\":\"NAFCA Original Anime 'Hokuto to Kagemaru' Released!\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":4331,"outputTokens":660,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1780964590,"createdAt":"2026-06-09T00:17:23.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-06-09T00:22:07.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-06-09T00:22:07.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_0e10ece07c8247cc24ebb18e","canonicalTitle":"NAFCAオリジナルアニメ『ほくとと影マル』公開！","representativeArticleId":"a_8c3ee6a78af6c5c4a7e1ef9d","sourceCount":1,"writtenSourceCount":1,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":true,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[\"Hokuto to Kagemaru\"],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[],\"studios\":[\"NAFCA\"],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"announcement\",\"domain\":\"anime\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-06-08T10:00:00.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-06-08T10:00:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-06-09T00:22:07.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"ASCII.jp","url":"https://ascii.jp/elem/000/004/408/4408993/?rss","title":"NAFCAオリジナルアニメ『ほくとと影マル』公開！"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":["Hokuto to Kagemaru"],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":[],"studios":["NAFCA"],"people":[],"type":"announcement","domain":"anime","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["NAFCA released its first original anime, 'Hokuto to Kagemaru,' on YouTube on June 8.","A 2025 crowdfunding campaign for the anime raised 136% of its target.","The cast includes Yumiko Kobayashi as Kagemaru, Hitomi Nabatame as Hokuto, and Shigeru Chiba as narrator.","Character designers are Yoshihiko Umakoshi ('Ojamajo Doremi,' 'My Hero Academia') and Satoshi Koike ('Keroro Gunsō the Super Movie').","A sequel aimed at professional-level skills is in production."]}