'Hinomaru Zumou' Latest News: Kawada's Sumo Manga Gets Animated
An anime adaptation has been announced for the Japanese sumo manga series, "Hinomaru Zumou."
The announcement came on the cover of the sixth 2018 issue of Shueisha's "Weekly Shounen Jump" magazine. The upcoming project was first teased on the combined fourth and fifth issues of the said magazine and was then referred to as a "super important announcement."
The manga series, which is written and illustrated by Kawada, debuted on the "Weekly Shounen Jump" magazine in 2014 and has since been published in 17 collected volumes, with an 18th one shipping on Thursday, Jan. 4.
It focuses on the martial art, combat sport, sumo, and on one remarkable new student of the said discipline named Ushio Hinomaru. He appeared one day before Oodachi High School's little sumo club, which is considered to be a weak team. However, despite being relatively small for the required weight and size of the sport, Ushio joins the team and brings the once little-known sumo club to an almost unstoppable success.
Ushio's personal goal is to gain the title of Hinoshita Kaisan, which is the highest rank in professional sumo, not much different from the Yokozuna.
The manga's first compiled volume placed 40th on the weekly Oricon manga charts on the week of its release, and eventually reached the 20th place with its third volume. The series also took the 14th place in the Zenkoku Shotenin ga Eranda Osusume Comic in 2015, and was even nominated for the title of Best Shounen Manga at the 39th Kodansha Manga Awards that was held in the same year.
"Hinomaru Zumo" has yet to launch an official site, along with additional information on the cast and crew. Aside from Ushio, other characters in the series include Shinya Ozeki, Yuuma Gojou, Chihiro Kunisaki, and Kei Mitsuhashi.
Further details regarding the series will be released at a later date.