At midnight on Christmas Day in Japan, the official website and accounts for SANDA have released the first teaser trailer and visual for the upcoming TV anime adaptation, revealing its Fall 2025 release window, main cast, and staff. The main cast announced are Ayumu Murase (Hinata in Haikyu!!) as Kazushige Sanda and Hiroki Tochi (Heiter in Frieren: Beyond Journey's End) as Santa Claus.
The video begins with a haunting sneak peek of SANDA, giving us our first look at the menacing Santa Claus, as a chilling version of the Silent Night music plays. Then about halfway in the clip, a more upbeat music takes over while it shows glimpses of fast-paced action in visually-stylish, fluid shonen animation with elements of fire and snow. Watch the first teaser trailer for SANDA anime below:
The first teaser visual for SANDA anime, which is a split image showing the face of Santa and Kazushige Sanda, features the tagline: "Santa, please find my friend."
Studio Science SARU is producing the animation of SANDA, with Tomohisa Shimoyama (YUREI DECO) as director, Kimiko Ueno (Delicious in Dungeon) as script writer and series composer, and Masamichi Ishiyama (Scott Pilgrim Takes Off) as character designer and chief animation director. Tomoyuki Tanaka is in charge of the anime's music.
Here's the announcement from SANDA's official X account:
What is SANDA about?
Described as a “Santa Claus action story,” SANDA is based on the manga series written and illustrated by the award-winning Paru Itagaki, who's well-known for creating BEASTARS. The action/mystery series was serialized in Akita Shoten’s Weekly Shonen Champion magazine for three years from July 2021 to July 2024, and as of June 2024, 14 volumes have been released. The anime adaptation was announced on the same day as the release of the manga's ending.
SANDA is set in a future with a declining birth rate, where the birth rate is declining and children have a higher social status than adults Its story centers on a boy named Kazushige Sanda who learns that his classmate, Shiori Fuyumura, wants to kill him because of a "curse" he carries and Fuyumura's missing friend. A curse has sealed Santa Claus, and Christmas is seen as just a legend. Sanda finds out that he has a connection to the mythical Santa.
For the latest information about the anime, check out the official website of SANDA.
