Legendary Addition to Komekami! Girls Anime: Noriko Hidaka Joins the Cast as the "Rice Queen"!
Exciting news continues to emerge from the new anime series Komekami! Girls, which has drawn attention with its interesting rice-themed story. Noriko Hidaka, one of the legendary voices of the anime world, has joined the cast of the production, which is preparing to meet the audience on April 2, 2026. Hidaka will bring to life the Rice Goddess Queen (Komekami Joou), who is the mother of the seven sisters and stands at the center of the story. The character design was created by the master artist Haruhiko Mikimoto, known for classics such as Macross and Gundam 0080.
The additions to the cast are not limited to Hidaka. The production team also announced that Ryoma Tanizawa will voice the Demon King Zangi (Boumaou), who stands against the Rice Queen. Additionally, Yu Saito, a member of the popular comedy group Parachute Butai, will join the cast in the role of the Head Priest of Momiji Hachimangu Shrine, who will appear in the second episode of the series. These new names are expected to add great dynamism to both the epic and humorous atmosphere of the series.
Komekami! Girls features an original story based on the Japanese folklore belief that "seven gods are hidden in a single grain of rice." Produced by the Daily Plan.net studio, the anime follows the adventures of seven sisters who travel across the Kyushu region (specifically the city of Usa in Oita prefecture) in search of their mother, who is trapped in the celestial realm. During this journey, the sisters solve local problems, learn new things about food culture, and participate in exciting food battles.
The inclusion of the iconic voice actress Noriko Hidaka in the project has significantly increased expectations among the series' fanbase. Hidaka, who voiced unforgettable characters such as Minami Asakura in Touch and Akane Tendo in Ranma 1/2, brings great prestige to the project with her experience. The series, directed by Mikinori Suzuki, seems to be a candidate for one of the most notable productions of 2026, both for presenting deep-rooted Japanese traditions with a modern narrative and for featuring other powerful voice actors such as Rica Matsumoto and Emi Nitta.
