First Episode Screenshots Unveiled Ahead of 'Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota' Anime Premiere

The official website for the upcoming TV anime adaptation of Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota has revealed the first screenshots of the episode before its premiere. The anime is based on Fuyu Azuma's manga, also known as Kao ni Denai Kashiwada-san to Kao ni Deru Ōta-kun, and will debut in October.

World Premiere at Anime Expo 2025

The anime will have its world premiere, showcasing the first episode at Anime Expo in Los Angeles. The screening and industry panel titled "WORLD PREMIERE: NBCUniversal Japan's Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota" is scheduled for July 3 at 12:00 p.m. PDT.

On Friday, the anime’s official X/Twitter account shared several sneak peeks of the episode:

#柏田さんと太田君
Anime Expo 2025 にて第1話の世界初上映が決定🎉
さらに！先行で場面写を公開✨
7月3日(木)からロサンゼルスで開催される「Anime Expo 2025」にて
アニメ第1話の世界初上映が決定しました🌸
さらに！第1話の場面写を先行で公開✨ 詳細はこちら

First Visuals and Staff Details

Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive anime visual

Image Credit: Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota anime's website

Cast

Kashiwada-san: Akane Fujita
Ōta-kun: Kyouhei Natsume
Tadakoro-kun: Yūya Hirose
Sata-kun: Sōhei Horikane
Tabuchi-san: Yumiri Hanamori
Odajima-san: Mayu Mineda

Staff

Director: Tomohiro Kamitani (MIX Season 2, Katana Maidens)
Series Composition: Michiko Yokote (Shirobako, Cowboy Bebop)
Character Design & Chief Animation Director: Naoto Nakamura
Music: Yukari Hashimoto and Tetsuya Shitara

Additional staff includes background artist Maho Takahashi, art director Scott MacDonald, color key artist Haremi Miyagawa, CG director Daisuke Shima, and editor Akane Shiraishi.

Manga Details and Publishing

The manga, launched by Azuma on Kadokawa's Dra Dra Sharp site in July 2018, concluded with its 10th volume in July 2023. A sequel manga, Kao ni Denai Kashiwada-san to Kao ni Deru Ōta-kun+, began serialization in May 2024.

English publishers: BookWalker Global and MangaPlaza.

Story summary from BookWalker:

Kashiwada is a girl who never shows emotions on her face. Ōta always tries to surprise her but fails every time. Despite their contrasting personalities, they care about each other. Their classmates find their relationship amusing.

A warm, humorous love story set in a typical Japanese junior high school.

Background

Azuma's manga was first published on Kadokawa's site in 2018. The final volume of the original manga was published in 2023. Kadokawa also released the first volume of the new sequel manga in May 2024. Previously, Seven Arcs animated a promotional ad for the manga in 2022.

Sources: Anime Expo 2025 website, MoCa News

Disclaimer: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, owns a majority stake in Anime News Network, LLC. The companies mentioned are part of the Kadokawa Group.