Apprentice Nail Artist in a Foreign Land anime reveals Zero-G staff
The anime adaptation of Ikyō no Tsumenuri Minarai will be directed by Daiji Iwanaga at Zero-G, with Tomoko Konparu and Michiko Yokote handling the scripts.
The upcoming anime adaptation of Apprentice Nail Artist in a Foreign Land has revealed its core creative team, bringing a Zero-G production to a story where nail art is not merely a beauty treatment — it is the source of magical power.
Shufu to Seikatsu Sha’s official Comic PASH! account announced the main staff on 2 September 2026. Anime News Network subsequently reported the update, but the announcement did not include an anime release date or streaming platform.
Zero-G leads the adaptation
Daiji Iwanaga is directing the series at Zero-G. Iwanaga’s previous credits include The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window and The Klutzy Class Monitor and the Girl with the Short Skirt.
Tomoko Konparu is handling series composition, with Michiko Yokote credited for additional scripts. That gives the adaptation an experienced writing team for a premise that needs to balance workplace comedy, fantasy world-building and the very specific drama of getting a magical manicure right.
A transported office worker with a very unusual apprenticeship
The anime adapts Marukawa’s Ikyō no Tsumenuri Minarai manga, which launched in Comic PASH! in 2022. The story follows office worker Keiko Sahara, who is transported to another world where magical abilities come from nail art.
Rather than arriving as an all-powerful hero, Keiko becomes the apprentice of a magic nail artist. The setup promises a gentler kind of isekai adventure, with creative craft and personal skill taking centre stage instead of another sword-wielding chosen one immediately saving the kingdom.
Manga and English release
The manga’s sixth volume was published in October 2025, while volume 7 is scheduled for release on Friday. Tokyopop holds the English licence, with the first English volume released on 7 April 2026.
That gives international readers a chance to meet Keiko before the anime arrives, although there is currently no confirmed broadcast date, streaming service or announced territory rollout for the adaptation.
Our opinion
An isekai built around magical nail art is exactly the sort of left-field premise anime does well. Zero-G’s involvement and the experienced writing team make Apprentice Nail Artist in a Foreign Land one to watch, but the production still needs a release date and footage before we can judge how beautifully this strange little fantasy will come together.