The anime adaptation of Ji-Hoon Jeong’s sports drama webtoon has revealed its main cast and staff.
A television anime adaptation of Ji-Hoon Jeong’s The Boxer webtoon was announced at the Crunchyroll Showcase during New York Comic Con 2026 on Thursday. The announcement also revealed the main cast, staff, and a special promotional trailer.
What do we know about “The Boxer” so far?
The main cast includes:
- Kouki Uchiyama as Yu
- Toshiyuki Toyonaga as J
- Tomokazu Seki as K
- Kensho Ono as Ryu Baeksan
Takehiro Kubota and Won-yeong Kang are directing the anime, with Masahiro Suwa handling character design and Toshiya Oono in charge of series composition and script.
The production staff also includes:
- Creative producer: Blue Rights
- Producer: Hayate
- Co-producers: Naver Webtoons, Crunchyroll, Xtorm
- Animation studios: breccia, Studio Jemi
Ji-Hoon Jeong serialised The Boxer on the Naver Webtoon platform from December 2019 to May 2022. Line Webtoon published the series digitally in English from May 2020. Yen Press licensed the series in July 2022.
The story is officially described as:
A talent bestowed upon a monster—is it a blessing, or a curse?
K, a legendary boxing trainer who has molded numerous world champions, was searching for his "final protégé" when he encountered Yu—a boy in a back alley who simply stood there, taking blow after blow. In this boy, who showed neither anger nor fighting spirit, K discovered a bottomless talent that transcended mere genius.Guided by K into the boxing ring, Yu rises toward the pinnacle of the world with overwhelming strength that can only be described as "monstrous." Standing in his path are champions who stake their pride on honed techniques, and men who have overcome the wall of talent through sheer effort. Each holds an unyielding dream and a reason to keep fighting; the confrontation with this monster shakes the very foundations of the lives they have built.
And what is it that Yu himself seeks at the end of his fists?
The lives of a "monster" and those who fight him intertwine. A story begins that questions the true meaning of "strength"—what lies beyond talent and effort, glory and defeat.