The official Twitter/X and website of the upcoming High School! Kimengumi TV anime series has announced the casting of Kenichi Ogata as the school principal Sakio Kocho. The anime will premiere in Japan on Fuji TV’s noitamina programming block on January 9, 2026.
©新沢基栄／集英社・奇面組
Ogata reprises the same role from the 1985 anime series. He joins an ensemble voice cast that includes:
- • Tomokazu Seki as Rei Ichido
- • Shunsuke Takeuchi as Go Reietsu
- • Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Kiyoshi Shusse
- • Chiaki Kobayashi as Jin Daima
- • Kikunosuke Toya as Dai Monohoshi
- • Haruka Shiraishi as Yui Kawa
- • Ikumi Hasegawa as Chie Uru
- • Yusuke Kobayashi as Kai Undo
- • Takuto Yokoyama as Ken Akiresu
- • Masayuki Sato as Susumu Intahai
- • Shuya Watanabe as Yutaka Konjo
- • Ayumu Asakura as Chikara Suji
- • Jako Amano as M.A.O
- • Kaoru Sakura as Maki Hidari
- • Sachiko Okada as Ikue Sandanhara
- • Marie Oi as Desuko Honba
- • Minami Shindo as Kayo Oba
- • Daisuke Sakuma as Sho Kireide
- • Hayato Yamamoto as Kimeru Setto
- • Yohei Sasamori as Torio Tanokin
- • Ayato Morinaga as Kazaru Sugata
- • Hiroki Nishimiya as Takashi Hokori
Kazuaki Seki (Ranma 1/2 remake first opening director and co-storyboard artist, “Suki Da” music video director) is directing the new anime series, with Takashi Nishikawa as animation director, Shigeru Murakoshi (Apocalypse Hotel series composer and scriptwriter) as series composer, and Yuka Abe as character designer. Seven is in charge of the animation production.
The comedy manga series by Motoei Shinzawa began with San-nen Kimengumi, which ran in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine from October 13, 1980 to April 12, 1982. Six total tankobon volumes were published in Japan.
It was then followed by the long-running sequel series, High School! Kimengumi, which was serialized in the same magazine from April 19, 1982 to July 6, 1987. Twenty total tankobon volumes were released in Japan.
Two more manga series were later released in 2000 and 2001, respectively. The franchise also inspired a 1986 anime film, video games, and stage plays.
The first 86-episode TV anime series was released from 1985 to 1987 and was directed by Hiroshi Fukutomi. Studio Comet and Studio Gallop were credited with production assistance for the show.
©新沢基栄／集英社・奇面組
REMOW streamed the original 1985 High School! Kimengumi series in select countries and territories on the It’s Anime YouTube channel. It describes the main synopsis as:
The Funny-face Club are technically high school students, but that’s where the normal part ends. The five members (Rei Ichido, Go Reiketsu, Kiyoshi Duse, Dai Moroboshi, and Jin Ooma) all have unique faces and even more unique personalities. Whether you’re talking about temperaments, intellect, physical quirks, or behavior, they’re all complete weirdos!
Alongside them are other colorful groups at school like the Pretty-boy Brigade, the Buckle-down Bunch, and the Rebel Crew), alongside classmates like Yui Kasengawa and Chie Ururu, and all their teachers who also get caught up in the chaos. Together, they dive headfirst into a nonstop series of wacky, wild antics.
It’s a story packed with absurdity, nonsense, unpredictability, and utter madness, featuring five hopeless underachievers that will stay in your memory forever!
Sources: High School! Kimengumi Official Twitter, Official Anime Website, Anime News Network
