The Shonen Jump franchise, known for its action-packed “trilogy” of manga and anime — One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach — is venturing into sweeter territory with its latest release. The popular sports romance manga Blue Box is getting an anime debut on Netflix, with the first episode less than a month away.
Recently announced to premiere on October 3rd and be released weekly — still a bit unusual for a Netflix anime — Blue Box will adapt Kouji Mora's sports romance of the same name. Following the misfit high school athletes and those who excel in their respective endeavors, Blue Box combines sports with emotional sweetness in a badminton-basketball hybrid. With over 150 episodes and counting, this new anime release has plenty for anime lovers to sink their teeth into.
Shonen Jump's 'Blue Box' Gets First Anime Trailer Ahead of Netflix Release
Yuichiro Yano directs the series, bringing his flair to Blue Box after working on projects such as Lupin III Part IV and Part 5 (main director), Orange (episode director), and Tower of God (episode director). With Yano at the helm, Blue Box benefits from the seasoned director's expertise in crafting delicate, emotional stories; a perfect match for Kouji Mora's heartfelt manga. With powerhouse production company TMS Entertainment also behind the series, Blue Box has all the makings of a hit in the upcoming Fall 2024 anime season and could even be one of the best romance anime of 2024.
Blue Box had a fan base that helped propel the new series to new heights. In 2023, it was the 23rd best-selling manga of the year — no small feat for a title that didn't have an anime adaptation at the time; in fact, 21 of the 22 manga that ranked higher than it had anime adaptations at the time of publication. With a passionate audience already eagerly awaiting the series' release, the pre-release hype was a clear sign that something special was about to happen.
Blue Box will premiere on Netflix on October 3.
Source: Netflix Anime
