Hirayasumi anime: first screening on 7 October in New York

According to the same report, the official anime release is planned for 2027. The event will also feature a panel with composer Kaori Sawada, producer Junichi Katsutani, and VIZ Media’s Godswill Ugwa.

The manga the anime is based on has run in Weekly Big Comic Spirits since 2021 and, according to IGN, has more than 1.7 million copies in circulation across ten volumes. The series also won the 71st Shogakukan Manga Award and was named Best Serial Comic at Lucca Comics & Games 2024.

What happened

IGN says Japan Society in New York City will host the first public screening of the Hirayasumi anime on 7 October. The screening is described as part of a one-night event and begins at 7:00 p.m. ET. It will offer an early presentation of episode 1, before the anime officially launches.

The publication says the series is set to debut in 2027, putting the screening well ahead of the release window mentioned by IGN. No additional details were confirmed in the source about ticket sales, venue capacity, or whether the event will be livestreamed.

IGN also links the event to a panel featuring three names from the production and distribution side: Kaori Sawada, Junichi Katsutani, and Godswill Ugwa of VIZ Media. The source lists their participation as part of the programme, but does not provide further confirmation from Japan Society or other official channels about the exact panel format. The information provided also does not state whether the screening will be subtitled, dubbed, or otherwise localised.

That makes the New York screening the first public chance to see material from the anime, even though the full release is still some way off. IGN frames the event as an exclusive first look at Hiroto Ikuta’s manga adaptation, with episode 1 as the centrepiece of the evening.

Background

Hirayasumi is Hiroto Ikuta’s manga, which the anime adaptation is based on. IGN describes the series as a commercial success with more than 1.7 million copies in circulation worldwide across ten volumes. That makes it one of the stronger-performing contemporary manga titles now getting an anime version.

The manga has been running in Weekly Big Comic Spirits since 2021, meaning the adaptation comes from a title that has already been serialised for several years. According to IGN, Hirayasumi has also earned recognition through the 71st Shogakukan Manga Award and the Best Serial Comic honour at Lucca Comics & Games 2024. That mix of sales and awards helps explain why the anime is drawing attention ahead of its official release.

For the anime, the New York screening is a notable step because it is a public event taking place well before the series is due to debut in 2027. The names mentioned by IGN for the panel connect the presentation to both the creative and distribution sides: Kaori Sawada as composer, Junichi Katsutani as producer, and Godswill Ugwa representing VIZ Media. No further production credits, episode count, or broadcast platform details are confirmed in the provided source.

The combination of an early screening, an announced panel, and a later 2027 release makes this a phased introduction for the anime. For now, episode 1 is the only concrete material being shown publicly, while the rest of the series remains unreleased according to the information shared by IGN.

Sources

• IGN: exclusive first look at the Hirayasumi anime and the New York City screening.