Bless Anime Reveals Koki Uchiyama as Akiharu Nakano Ahead of January 2027 Premiere
The upcoming fashion-and-makeup drama Bless has introduced another character ahead of its Japanese television premiere in January 2027.
Release at a glance
- Premiere
- January 2027 in Japan; exact day not announced
- Broadcast
- Fuji TV's noitaminA programming block
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- New cast
- Koki Uchiyama as Akiharu Nakano
- Streaming
- Not confirmed in the official announcement
What is new in the Bless anime announcement?
On October 15, 2026, the production introduced Akiharu Nakano (Nakano Akiharu), a first-year high-school student who studies makeup at Mirror Academy. Koki Uchiyama voices the character. A new character promotional video featuring his voice was released alongside the casting news. This is a character-focused preview, not a new full-series trailer.
According to the character profile distributed with the announcement, Nakano is quiet, highly skilled and fast at makeup application. He greatly admires Hikaru Oya, another figure associated with the academy. The update is part of the production's series of weekly character introductions.
When does Bless premiere?
Bless is scheduled to begin airing in January 2027 on Fuji TV's noitaminA block in Japan. The official anime website and studio listing confirm the month and broadcaster. An exact premiere day, international streaming platform and region-by-region release schedule have not been announced in the sources reviewed for this update.
What is Bless about?
Based on Yukino Sonoyama's manga, the story follows Aia Udagawa, a former model who has lost confidence in his dream of becoming a makeup artist, and Jun Sumisaki, a student who wants to model but struggles to take the first step. A school festival competition becomes a turning point for both, as they begin pursuing their ambitions through makeup and fashion.
The series is being animated by A-1 Pictures. Shotaro Kitamura directs, with series composition and scripts credited to Fukuro Kamiza, character designs by Honoka Yokoyama and music by Ryo Yoshimata.
Watch Akiharu Nakano's official character PV
Watch the official Akiharu Nakano character PV on YouTube.
Where can fans watch the official character video?
The latest character promotional video is reported in the October 15 casting announcement. Readers can follow the video and casting update through the official Bless anime website and the October 15 announcement coverage. The official character PV is embedded above.
What happens next?
More character introductions are expected ahead of the January 2027 broadcast. AniNextUp will update this report when the production confirms the exact premiere date or international streaming arrangements.
Official sources
Bless TV anime official website · A-1 Pictures official production listing · October 15 cast announcement and character preview report.
Explore more verified announcements in AniNextUp Anime News and upcoming premieres in the anime release calendar.
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