The Wacky Gang Returns! “High School! Kimengumi” Episode 1 Details Revealed
From the Winter 2026 anime High School! Kimengumi, the synopsis and preview screenshots for Episode 1, “Kimengumi Toujou!” (The Kimengumi Appear!), set to begin airing on Friday, January 9th, have been released. Notably, Kenichi Ogata, who also appeared in the original 1985 anime adaptation, will be reprising his role as the principal of Ichou Middle School, Kochou-sensei.
Winter Anime ‘High School! Kimengumi’ Main Visual
About the Series: A Legendary Gag Manga Reanimated
High School! Kimengumi is a school gag comedy based on the manga by Motoei Shinzawa. The series originally began serialization in 1980 in Weekly Shounen Jump as 3-nen Kimengumi (3rd Year Strange-Face Group). In a novel move for its time, the title changed to High School! Kimengumi as the characters advanced to high school, contributing to its massive hit status. The story centers on the unpredictable school life surrounding the infamous “Kimengumi”—a group of five incredibly eccentric and chaotic characters: Rei Ichidou, Gou Reieitsu, Kiyoshi Shusse, Jin Daima, and Dai Monohoshi. The series was previously adapted into a TV anime from 1985 to 1987, creating a major boom.
Now, newly produced for the Reiwa era in 2026, this TV anime is helmed by director Kazuyoshi Seki, known for his diverse work on films like Kakukaku Shikajika and Beethoven no Nezou, as well as music videos for artists like Perfume, Gen Hoshino, Fujii Kaze, and Vaundy. Animation production is handled by Animation Studio Seven.
Meet the Cast of Eccentric Characters
The cast for the uniquely individualistic members of the Kimengumi is star-studded: Rei Ichidou is voiced by Tomokazu Seki, Gou Reieitsu by Shunsuke Takeuchi, Kiyoshi Shusse by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Jin Daima by Chiaki Kobayashi, and Dai Monohoshi by Kikunosuke Toya. Furthermore, the heroine and their classmate, Yui Kawayu, is played by Seika Shiraishi, and her best friend, Chie Uru, by Ikumi Hasegawa.
Episode 1 “Kimengumi Sanjou!” (The Kimengumi Arrive!) Synopsis
Yui Kawayu has just transferred into Class 3-5 at Ichou Middle School. According to her neighbor, Chie Uru, this school has a lot of weirdos, and there’s supposedly a group that’s “the weirdest of the weird.”
Just as Yui is psyching herself up to make lots of memories, a five-seater bicycle crashes right into the classroom! Led by their leader, Rei Ichidou, riding in the front basket, they are the ultimate group of oddballs with outrageous looks and personalities—the one and only “Kimengumi!” Chasing after these unrestrained guys, Yui’s unpredictable school life begins.
Broadcast & Streaming Info
Episode 1 of the Winter 2026 anime High School! Kimengumi, “Kimengumi Toujou!“, will air on Friday, January 9th at 11:30 PM on the Fuji TV network’s “Noitamina” block.
Staff & Production Details
| Role | Staff |
|---|---|
| Original Work | Motoei Shinzawa’s High School! Kimengumi (Shueisha Bunko |
| Director | Kazuyoshi Seki |
| Animation Director | Takashi Nishikawa |
| Series Composition | Shigeru Murakoshi |
| Character Design | Yuka Abe |
| Color Design | Minsok Kim |
| Art Director | AUSAN |
| Director of Photography | Kazuhito Horikawa |
| Editing | Satoru Ohno, Kazuhito Horikawa |
| Sound Director | Naofumi Jinbo |
| Music | Taku Iwasaki |
| Insert Song Producer | Night Tempo |
| Animation Producer | Naoki Ishihara |
| Planning & Production | Slow Curve |
| Animation Production | Animation Studio Seven |
Music Themes
- Opening Theme: BREIMEN – “Funky Spice feat. TOMOO“
- Ending Theme: Rikon Densetsu – “Suteki!!“
- Insert Song: Yui Kawayu (CV: Seika Shiraishi) & Chie Uru (CV: Ikumi Hasegawa) – “Ushiro Yugi Sasare-gumi“
Main Cast List
| Character | Voice Actor |
|---|---|
| Rei Ichidou | Tomokazu Seki |
| Gou Reieitsu | Shunsuke Takeuchi |
| Kiyoshi Shusse | Yoshitsugu Matsuoka |
| Jin Daima | Chiaki Kobayashi |
| Dai Monohoshi | Kikunosuke Toya |
| Yui Kawayu | Seika Shiraishi |
| Chie Uru | Ikumi Hasegawa |
| You Nihiruda | Nobuhiko Okamoto |
| Kai Undou | Yuusuke Kobayashi |
| Jako Amano | M・A・O |
| Shou Kireideshou | Daisuke Sakuma |
| Dong Harumage | Kousuke Toriumi |
| Masuyo Ikarimasu | Yoko Hikasa |
| Ran Wakatora | Yui Horie |
| Takuma Sessa | Katsuyuki Konishi |
| Kou Irooto | Show Hayami |
| Sakugo Jidai | Tomokazu Sugita |
| Ichirou Shinjitsu | Fumiya Imai |
| Ichi Nikaidoumen | Junya Enoki |
| Mari Oda | Aimi |
| Shumi Monozuki | Yui Ishikawa |
| Takuseki Ichidou | Youji Ueda |
| Kiri Ichidou | Kanna Nakamura |
| Lassie Ichidou | Yuuki Okada |
© Motoei Shinzawa / Shueisha・Kimengumi
《Koutarou Nakase》
_
