Aoi Bungaku Series Expanded

Earlier this month Japanese publisher Shueisha revealed that Madhouse’s new anime television series Aoi Bungaku Series (Blue Literature Series) would consist of adaptations of four contemporary classic works of Japanese literature. Newtype Magazine has now revealed that the show will actually consist of 6 adaptations.

Episodes 1-4 will be an adaptation of Osamu Dazai’s 1948 novel No Longer Human (Ningen Shikkaku). Death Note & Hikaru no Go illustrator Takeshi Obata will provide conceptual character designs. Morio Asaka (Chobits, Nana) will direct.

Episodes 5 & 6 will adapt Ango Sakaguchi’s 1947 short story In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom (Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita). Bleach creator Tite Kubo will provide the conceptual character designs. Ken Iizuka, who did series composition for Madhouse’s Rideback TV anime, will direct.

Episodes 7 & 8 will adapt Soseki Natsume’s 1914 novel Heart (Kokoro). Obata will again provide the original character designs. Shigeyuki Miya (Lupin III: Green vs Red, Buzzer Beater 2007 series) will provide the animation character design and direct.

Episodes 9 & 10 will adapt Osamu Dazai’s 1940 novel Run, Melos! (Hashire, Melos). Prince of Tennis creator Takeshi Konomi will provide original character design. Ryosuke Nakamura (Mouryou no Hako) will direct.

Tite Kubo will provide original character designs and Atsuko Ishizuka (assistant director for Madhouse’s MapleStory) will direct the adaptations of Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s 1918 short stories The Spider’s Thread (Kumo no Ito) – episode 11 – and Hell Screen (Jigoku Hen) – episode 12.

The series will premiere on October 10.

Source: Anime News Network