The official X/Twitter account for Aniplex, A-1 Pictures, and Psyde Kick Studio’s original anime project Grow Up Show: Sunflower Circus- (Grow Up Show: Himawari no Circus-dan) revealed on Saturday that Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi has joined the anime’s cast as Black Lotus, the father of the protagonist Mizuka, and former leader of the Lotus Circus. He taught Mizuka her circus acrobatics, and is currently wandering the world.
||◤ キャラクター情報 ◢||
▌ブラックロータス (声 : #山口祥行)
瑞佳の父親。
サーカスの演者なら誰もが憧れる伝説のサーカス
“ロータスサーカス”の元団長。
父として瑞佳にサーカスの技術をたたき込んだ。
現在は世界のどこかを放浪している。#グロウアップショウ pic.twitter.com/4AsQGJFCsV
— アニメ「グロウアップショウ ～ひまわりのサーカス団～」公式🌻 (@growupshow) July 4, 2026
The anime’s official website also revealed the anime’s clean opening title sequence.
Image via Grow Up Show’s official website
© キルクスコレクション協会／「グロウアップショウ」製作委員会
The series debuted on Saturday, July 4 at 24:00 (effectively, Sunday, July 5 at midnight) on Tokyo MX, BS11 and other channels. The anime streamed first on ABEMA and d Anime Store in Japan before streaming on other platforms. Crunchyroll is streaming the anime as it airs, and is also streaming an English dub.
The anime’s story is set in the late 1950s and early 1960s, during the height of Japan’s economic boom, when the circus is a major form of entertainment. Different circus troupes travel throughout Japan to perform and compete for a chance to participate in the world-renowned festival called “Circus Collection.” One troupe called the “Sunflower Circus,” led by its ringmaster Maria, travels around Japan to perform, despite struggling with financial difficulties. However, they meet a circus prodigy named Mizuka Tsurumaki. This is the story of a one-of-a-kind circus show of young girls with big dreams.
Tomoka Noda stars as Mizuka Tsurumaki and Shiori Kurosaki plays Ōka Kawasumi.
Kanta Kamei (Oreshura, Dimension W, Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend) is directing the work, and Kurehito Misaki (Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend light novel illustrator) is the the original character designer. Takeshi Kikuchi (Skeleton Knight in Another World) is both writing and overseeing the series scripts. A-1 Pictures and Psyde Kick Studio are producing the anime.
The NOMELON NOLEMON duo perform the opening theme song “Yurari Yureru,” and the Aooo unit perform the ending theme song “DAYS!”
A-1 Pictures established Psyde Kick Studio as a new label in July 2025. The label was founded for the purpose of pursuing greater freedom of creative expression using the knowhow A-1 Pictures has cultivated until now. The label also hopes to explore new possibilities in animation unbound by existing frameworks, and to challenge young creators with innovative planning and production workflows.
The label is working on multiple new projects. Jun Katou (production supervisor for 86, Sword Art Online franchises) is the representative for the label.
Sources: Grow Up Show: Himawari no Circus-dan anime’s X/Twitter account and website, Comic Natalie
