Charlotte Zenfis
The official YouTube channel for the original mahjong anime “Pon no Michi” (The Way of Pon) has begun streaming the first promotional video. The video previews the opening theme song “Ponpopopon” by former Nogizaka46 idol group member and current professional mahjong player Kana Nakada feat. Pon no Michi All Stars.
The anime, which is set to premiere in January 2024, is based in Hiroshima Prefecture’s Onomichi City. It follows the story of high school student Nashiko Jippensha, who was kicked out of her house and discovers that her father’s vacant mahjong parlor can be turned into a place where she and her friends can have fun, cook, have tea, and sometimes play mahjong.
The anime’s cast includes Kaori Maeda as Nashiko Jippensha, Iori Saeki as Pai Kawahigashi, Shion Wakayama as Izumi Tokutomi, Yui Kondou as Riche Hayashi, Akio Ōtsuka as the mahjong spirit character Chonbo, and Hibiku Yamamura as Haneru Emi.
The original story of “Pon no Michi” is credited to IIS-P, while Tatsuma Minamikawa is directing and writing the anime’s scripts at OLM. Negi Haruba, the original creator of “The Quintessential Quintuplets,” is drafting the original character designs, and Kenji Ōta is adapting the designs for animation.
The anime has also received a manga adaptation by Tsukasa Unohana, which was launched in Kodansha’s Nakayoshi magazine on September 1.
Fans of mahjong and anime can look forward to the premiere of “Pon no Michi” in January 2024 on TBS, MBS, and BS-TBS as part of the “Animeism” programming block. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting new anime!
