Cat and Dragon Anime Releases First Promo Video, Announces Three New Voice Actors and July 4 Release Date
Exciting news continues to arrive for fans of the Cat and Dragon anime. Along with its first promotional video, the anime announced that three new cast members have joined and that the official release date is July 4, 2026. The production, an adaptation of the popular manga series about the warm friendship between Nekota and a dragon, has been highly anticipated.
According to Anime News Network, the new voice cast consists of experienced names. Yū Serizawa, Makoto Koichi, and Kazuya Ichijō are the latest three to join the cast. While it has not been announced which character Serizawa will voice, there are speculations that Koichi will play a small kitten and Ichijō a mysterious forest spirit. Previously announced leads are Rie Takahashi (Nekota) and Junichi Suwabe (the dragon).
The first promotional video immediately caught attention with its stunning animation and soft color palette. The footage shows Nekota patting a giant dragon, the two soaring together through the sky, and glimpses of village life. The music is by Yuki Kajiura (Fate/Zero, Sword Art Online); the opening song will be performed by popular vocalist Aimer. The studio behind the production is Zero-G (Grand Blue, Dropkick on My Devil!) – known for its previous success with similarly warm-toned works. The director is Yoshinobu Yamakawa (Hinamatsuri).
The manga series first began serialization in Kodansha's Afternoon magazine in 2021, quickly gaining a wide readership both in Japan and internationally. This gentle fantasy story by author-artist Akira Ishida (other work: Flying Witch) explores themes of love for nature and respect for differences. The first season of the anime adaptation is planned for 12 episodes and will be streamed worldwide on the Crunchyroll platform. New episodes of the series, starting July 4, will air every Saturday. With such a strong cast and production team, the anime promises to be one of the sweetest surprises of the summer. Mark your calendars for July 4 – Nekota and the dragon are waiting for you!
