Haru to Gen short anime reveals cast and January 4 debut
The short-form anime reveals its three lead voice actors and will begin airing on TV Kanagawa in January 2027.
The short-form TV anime Haru to Gen (ハルとゲン, titled Haru and Gen: Raising a Child for the First Time at 70 in English) has revealed its main cast and confirmed a 4 January 2027 premiere on TV Kanagawa. The announcement arrived with a new teaser promotional video and the opening of the anime's official website. 1
The story follows Gen, a divorced 70-year-old man who lives alone, after his daughter dies and he takes responsibility for raising her three-year-old daughter, Haru. Gen has spent years estranged from his family, so caring for a lively child forces him to confront the parts of his life he left unattended. The official site describes the series as a warm story about an awkward grandfather and his granddaughter gradually becoming a family. 1
The cast and broadcast details
Bin Shimada voices Gen, while Hiromi Igarashi plays Haru. Mayuko Kazama joins them as Sakura, Gen's daughter and Haru's mother. The TV anime begins on TV Kanagawa at 9:55 p.m. JST on 4 January 2027, with streaming information still listed as coming soon. 1
Koudai Sato directs the production at IMAGICA Infos and Imageworks Studio, with Studio Nanahoshi providing animation support. Taeko Miura handles sound direction, Maki Takuma is responsible for sound effects and bermei.inazawa composes the music. 12
The anime adapts Yuka Oshima's vertical webcomic, which launched on Kadokawa's TATESC Comic label in December 2022. Kadokawa published the first collected volume in March 2024. Anime News Network reports that the new teaser is the first major promotional update to reveal the cast and the broadcast date together. 2
Our opinion
A three-minute format could suit Haru to Gen well: the premise is built around small domestic mishaps, and the contrast between Gen's rigid habits and Haru's energy gives the adaptation an immediately readable hook. The January broadcast date is useful news for anime viewers, but the eventual streaming plans will matter just as much for audiences outside Kanagawa. For now, the cast announcement and official teaser establish a clear, promising identity without pretending that an international release has been confirmed.