About Kemono Michi: Rise Up

Kemono Michi: Rise Up is an eccentric anime TV series that was released in 2019. It is based on the Japanese manga series of the same name. The main plot involves a professional wrestler who finds himself transported to a magical world full of mythical beasts. Unexpectedly, he becomes an advocate for monsters, aiming to coexist peacefully with them, an unusual twist in the usual narrative of humans fighting beasts in magical worlds.

Making / Production

The show is produced by ENGI. Directed by Kazuya Miura, Kemono Michi: Rise Up throws wrestling elements into a fantasy genre. The script for the anime is written by Touko Machida and the character design is done by Tomoka Noumi.

Actors

• Katsuyuki Konishi: As the voice actor for the protagonist, Genzou Shibata, Konishi does an exceptional job in bringing out the hero's quirky personality and wrestling-obsession.
• Akira Sekine: She voices Shigure, Genzou’s manager who helps him in his import-export business and frequently finds herself at odds with his beast-loving tendencies.
• Yue Mikura: Mikura plays Hanako, a dragon girl who assists Genzou at his pet shop. Her portrayal captures Hanako’s playful and loyal character perfectly.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The creator of Kemono Michi: Rise Up, Natsume Akatsuki, is also the creator of the famous ''Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!’’ anime.
• The anime was translated into several languages due to its international popularity, including English, Spanish and French.

Quotes

• “I’ll form a powerful faction of misfits and outcasts, and we’ll protect all monsters in this world!” - Genzou Shibata
• “In this world, the bigger you are, the harder you hit. But the bigger they are, the harder they fall.” - Shigure

Music, Soundtrack

• The opening theme, "Fight! Kemono Mask", is performed by NoB and characterizes the energetic and fighting spirit of the show perfectly.
• The ending theme, "Anecdote", is performed by Momosumomosu and wraps up each episode with its lively and upbeat rhythm.