【DLE】 DLE’s cutting-edge AI-driven short anime, “The World of Lafcadio Hearn’s Kwaidan,” will begin airing on TSK on Thursday, October 2nd.
DLE Press release: September 8, 2025 DLE’s cutting-edge AI-driven short anime, “The World of Lafcadio Hearn’s Kwaidan,” will begin airing on TSK on Thursday, October 2nd. Announced at an event held at Gesshoji Temple in Matsue City, which has ties to Yakumo, featuring appearances by director FROGMAN and others. Image
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https://youtu.be/5XsMXL1O3HA?si=IRR5uLCtWT8iFKt7 ■About “The World of Lafcadio Hearn’s Kwaidan” This program is based on the works of Lafcadio Hearn (also known as Koizumi Yakumo), who lived in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, and left a significant mark on Japanese ghost story literature. It has been animated entirely using AI production techniques. We will deliver the region’s precious cultural heritage to a new generation through innovative video technology. Using original characters created in-house, we will create two different versions of the same storyline: an “anime-look version” created in a standard 2D animation style, and a “live-action version” that emphasizes the horror of the ghost story with photorealistic expressions created by AI. This innovative approach, pioneered by the industry, will air each version simultaneously in separate time slots, allowing viewers to enjoy Lafcadio Hearn’s fantastical world through two different visual aesthetics.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/26677/255/26677-255-6d1c5c317730afd467a4aa2771e08889-1920×1080.png The film is directed by FROGMAN, known for his unique visual works such as “Secret Society Eagle Talon,” and animation was produced by DLE’s OBETA AI STUDIO. The program’s navigation character, Konka, was designed by Matsue-born manga artist Sera Izumi, and will be voiced by a cast of talented voice actors, including Matsue Tourism Ambassador Chafurin (Inspector Megure in “Detective Conan,” among others) and Miki Ito (Android 18 in “Dragon Ball Z,” among others).
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/26677/255/26677-255-30091c77dcfda8c25ccd8cc1132a2862-1920×1080.png Program navigation character: “Konka” ■Production presentation held at Gesshoji Temple Prior to the broadcast, a production announcement was held on Saturday, September 6th, at Gesshoji Temple in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, which is associated with Lafcadio Hearn. TSK CEO Choemon Tadano and DLE CEO and director Ryo Ono, also known as FROGMAN, took the stage. The decision to produce and broadcast the series was announced, and a teaser trailer was released. A video message from Chafurin, a voice actor for the series, was also released. In addition, it was also announced that the Gesshoji Temple Light-Up Event – KWAIDAN Drawings and Lights at Night – will be held from November 8th (Sat) to December 14th (Sun) 2025.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/26677/255/26677-255-fea27b611429a6edadc3dc14e5232dfc-2181×1227.jpg ■Comment from TSK President and CEO, Mr. Tabe
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/26677/255/26677-255-6587ddcaa3c8329defef3a71c9cd6a63-3531×1986.jpg TSK Representative Director President Tabe said, “With the morning drama ‘Bakeke’ currently being broadcast on NHK, this project began with the desire to do something at TSK as well. When I was first shown the anime-look version and the live-action version, I thought each had their own merits and wanted people to see both. It was also a project that was put together quickly, something that had not been possible before. I feel that a new door has opened, as even local stations can take on this kind of challenge by using AI.” ■Video message from voice actor Chafurin
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/26677/255/26677-255-dd3003f4e76bd9c10f72be7f900838d5-2983×1678.jpg Voice actor Chafurin said, “I’ve been appointed a Matsue Tourism Ambassador and have been hosting discussions about Lafcadio Hearn’s ghost stories. Thanks to this connection, I’m honored and excited to be involved in this innovative project, which is not only adapting Lafcadio Hearn’s work into an anime but also presenting the same scenario in a live-action style. I hope you’ll look forward to it.” ■Comment from DLE President and Director FROGMAN (Ryo Ono) Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/26677/255/26677-255-835cffcf2d44bd9638e16522942ef8f3-3900×2194.jpg Director FROGMAN said, “Koizumi Yakumo cherished Japanese culture and wrote his stories. I created this work with the hope that viewers will experience Japanese culture, which I feel is fading in Japan today. AI allows us to try out various looks, including live-action styles, which were not easy to create until now, and it also makes it easy to translate into multiple languages for overseas audiences. I believe that such collaborations with local areas will become more common in the future, and I want to prove that local areas can communicate with the world.” In response to a reporter’s question about “AI and ghost story expression,” he said, “People say that AI has no soul and is creepy, but I feel that this might actually be suitable for horror and ghost stories.”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/26677/255/26677-255-1f65eeec389c38085b304c1dd7370049-1920×1080.png Title: “The World of Lafcadio Hearn’s KWAIDAN” Broadcast Start: Thursday, October 2, 2025 Broadcasting Station: TSK San-in Central Television [Anime Look Version]: Every Thursday from 8:54 PM to 9:00 PM (Starting October 2, 2025) [Live-action version]: Every Friday from 24:45 to 24:51 (starting October 3, 2025) Staff and Cast Director, Screenwriter, and Editor: FROGMAN Character Design Navigation Character “Konkasumi”: Izumi Sera (Manga Artist) Voice Cast: Chafurin (Voice Actor / Matsue Tourism Ambassador / Shimane Prefecture Hometown Goodwill Ambassador “Kenjimashi” / Owner of Sakarindo) Major roles include Inspector Megure in “Detective Conan” and Namihei Isono in “Sazae-san” Miki Ito (Voice Actor) Major roles include Android 18 in “Dragon Ball Z,” Fujiwara Touko in “Natsume’s Book of Friends,” and more. Produced by: DLE | OBETA AI STUDIO Produced and copyrighted by: Sanin Chuo Television Broadcasting/DLE Title: Gesshoji Temple Light-Up Event – Drawing KWAIDAN and Light at Night – Date and time: November 8th (Sat) – December 14th (Sun), 2025 Closed: Tuesday Venue: Gessho-ji Temple (179, Sotonakahara-cho, Matsue City) Event Details: Gesshoji Temple has long been beloved as a hydrangea temple. It is the family temple of the Matsudaira clan, feudal lords of Matsue, and an ancient temple frequently visited by Lafcadio Hearn and his wife Setsu. TSK has teamed up with Gesshoji Temple to hold a nighttime lighting event as a real event during the autumn foliage season. While illuminating the beautiful trees in the temple grounds, which are turning red with autumn leaves, the temple will also light up the temple’s “Great Turtle,” which also appears in Lafcadio Hearn’s ghost stories, creating an eerie, ghostly atmosphere. Sanin Chuo Television Broadcasting Co., Ltd. (TSK Sanin Chuo Television)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/26677/255/26677-255-f0fd1e26ab4e18d37b3ab9dbf243f364-720×240.png Address: 140-1 Mukaijima-cho, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture Representative: President and CEO, Choemon Tabe Established: 1970 (Celebrating its 55th anniversary in 2025) Official website: https://tsk-tv.com/ A private broadcasting station affiliated with Fuji Television. Broadcasting in Shimane and Tottori prefectures, the company not only operates in the media industry but also operates a wide range of other businesses as a regional creative company. It continues to take on new challenges as a “company that also does television.” DEL Co., Ltd.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/26677/255/26677-255-5af903e63c64998dea780e02f365eb76-3508×2480.jpg Location: 3-3-4 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo KDX Kojimachi Building, 7th Floor Stock Code: 3686 (TSE Standard) Representative: President, CEO, and CCO Ono Ryo Established: December 27, 2001 HP:
https://www.dle.jp/jp/ The company was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2014, focusing on the planning and development of intellectual property (IP) such as Secret Society Eagle Talon, and the production of content such as anime and characters. Currently, the company’s main business is focused on anime and K-POP, Asia’s two major forms of entertainment. In 2025, the company announced plans to turn existing IP into AI VTubers and open an AI studio, further accelerating its business by combining AI and IP. *This email was sent automatically, so please do not reply. Press release materials download