The stage-play actors will also voice the characters in the anime.
During the ‘Cardfight!! Vanguard 15th Anniversary: Bushiroad New Year Announcements 2026’, Bushiroad announced a new basketball themed mixed-media project titled “ZERO RISE”. It was revealed that Zero Rise will get a TV anime and stage-play adaptations.
A short PV has been released for the anime, as well as a character promotional video. The stage-play actors will voice the characters in the anime, and their names have also been revealed.
ZERO RISE anime project details
The voice cast for the anime so far includes:
UNFIXX
- Hiroki Sasamori as Madoka Kurogare
- Fukui Tomoya as Hagane Amadate (Date)
- Kai Ōtomo as Tsukasa Marindo (Merlin)
KINGS+HOOT
- Hiroki Ishibashi as Daiki Sugawara (Blink)
- Takamichi Satō as Kagetora Tamura (Miracle)
- Yūsei Hiraga as Haruhi Niwa (Sunshine)
RumbleWing[s]
- Ren Tahara as Tsubasa Hirai (York)
- Takumi Mano as Yuichiro Jinnai (Ujin)
- Yo Maejima as Issa Jinnai (Sajin)
BLACKSPOT
- Shōta Kawakami as Takeshi Hari (Ballista)
- Shota Takiyama (suit actor) as UNKNOWN A
- Yūshi (suit actor) as UNKNOWN B
Also,
- Yūki Kimisawa as Hayato Jigen
The voice actors will also be performing as the characters in the stage play. The play will take place at the Hikōsen Theater in Tokyo, from 2-17 May, 2026. Nobuhiro Mōri directs the stage play while Ichidai Matsuda (ILCA) writes the scripts.
The release window for the anime hasn’t been announced yet. Takaki Kidani, Bushiroad’s president, is credited for the original concept of the project. The original concept for the series is credited to Yoshiki Watabe, while From Tokyo is credited for the character designs.
The story of ZERO RISE follows some youths who have been forced to quit basketball due to various reasons. In a world where the gap between the rich and the poor keeps widening, people are struggling to survive with integrity. During such a time, these young boys will be given another chance to begin their lives at the underground street basketball league known as ZERO RISE.