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| Paru Itagaki’s Santa Claus Anime “SANDA” Drops Wild New Teaser, Cast Info & Confirms Anime Expo World Premiere (Press Release) |
Tokyo – Just when you thought Santa Claus couldn’t get any weirder, Paru Itagaki (of BEASTARS fame) shows up with SANDA—a full-on action anime about a jacked-up, not-so-jolly Santa set in a near-future Japan obsessed with child protection. Yep, it's as bonkers as it sounds—and now it's officially dropping this October 3, 2025, with a proper blowout world premiere at Anime Expo 2025 in LA.
And the new Teaser PV #2? Absolutely mental—in a good way.
🎬 From Reindeer to Welfare Academy: What’s SANDA All About?
In the world of SANDA, Japan’s birthrate has dropped off a cliff. Like, properly tanked. To deal with it, society’s gone full helicopter-parent: every kid’s wrapped in cotton wool, and the government’s doling out extreme overprotection like it's Christmas morning.
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Enter Kazushige Sanda, a teen lad at Daikoku Welfare Academy who (spoiler: kinda) turns out to be the reincarnation or spiritual successor of Santa Claus. But this ain’t your usual belly-laughing, red-nosed geezer. This Santa can throw hands. Literally.
Adapted by Science SARU—the same animation studio behind DAN DA DAN and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off—the anime looks to be packing a wild punch of action, dystopian satire, and classic Paru-style weirdness. Think BEASTARS meets Home Alone meets Black Mirror.
🎉 SANDA Hits Anime Expo 2025 – Paru Itagaki Live + Episode 1 Screening
Big news for fans across the Pacific: SANDA will be making its world premiere at Anime Expo 2025 in LA, with a special event on July 4 (Friday), 12:30 PM – 1:50 PM at the JW Platinum Ballroom.
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On-site will be:
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Paru Itagaki (creator, and yes, still wearing that chicken mask probably)
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Tomohisa Shimoyama (director)
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Kohei Sakita (producer from Science SARU)
Fans can expect a live drawing session, full screening of Episode 1, a panel deep-diving into key scenes, plus a cheeky Q&A and a special video comment from Ayumu Murase, who voices Sanda himself.
Oh, and there’s a free SANDA tenugui towel giveaway for those lucky enough to attend.
🎥 Teaser PV #2 Breakdown – Childhood in a Bubble?
The new teaser trailer (watch it here) gives us a deeper look at the high-stakes world of Daikoku Welfare Academy, where Kazushige and his classmates are stuck under endless restrictions “for their own good.”
We get our first glimpse at characters like Fuyumura—one of Sanda’s key classmates—and hints at a growing resistance against the system. It’s loud, sharp, and stylish, with Science SARU’s signature hyper-animated flair front and centre.
Also: reindeer ears might be involved? Still processing that one.
🗣 Voice Cast: Sanda’s Classmates Finally Revealed!
While Ayumu Murase (Hinata from Haikyuu!!) is confirmed as Kazushige Sanda, teaser #2 quietly unveiled some new faces from the cast playing his fellow classmates—though full details are still being kept a bit hush-hush.
Keep an eye on SANDA’s official X and official site for updates.
📌 Quick Info: SANDA at Anime Expo 2025
Date: July 4, 2025 (Friday)
Time: 12:30 PM – 1:50 PM
Venue: JW Platinum Ballroom, Los Angeles Convention Center
Guests: Paru Itagaki, Tomohisa Shimoyama, Kohei Sakita
Extras: Live drawing, Q&A, Episode 1 screening, and towel giveaways!
From award-winning manga to full-blown animated chaos, SANDA is shaping up to be one of the strangest (and possibly smartest?) takes on Santa Claus we’ve seen in a long time. And with Science SARU at the wheel and Paru Itagaki doing what she does best—blending social commentary with wild, emotive characters—we might just have a surprise sleeper hit on our hands this autumn.