Spirit Circle Anime Set for December 2026 with 18 Episodes, First Trailer Revealed

Spirit Circle (スピリットサークル), the reincarnation fantasy manga by Satoshi Mizukami, is officially receiving a television anime adaptation scheduled to begin broadcasting and streaming in December 2026. Announced by Twin Engine on November 5, 2026, the project was unveiled alongside its first teaser visual, promotional video, main cast, and confirmation that the series will consist of 18 episodes.

The anime is also the final directorial work of Tatsuo Sato, who passed away in April 2026. Production was completed by NAGOMI × EOTA, with assistant director Kentaro Mizuno helping the team carry Sato's creative vision through to completion. The story follows Futa Okeya, a boy who can see spirits, as he confronts conflicts from his previous lives after meeting a mysterious transfer student named Koko Ishigami.

Quick Summary

• Title: Spirit Circle
• Japanese title: スピリットサークル
• Japanese abbreviation: Supisa / スピサ
• Format: television anime
• Genres: fantasy, supernatural, drama, reincarnation
• Original manga: Spirit Circle
• Creator: Satoshi Mizukami / 水上悟志
• Manga publisher: Shonengahosha / 少年画報社
• Serialization magazine: Young King Ours
• Serialization period: 2012–2016
• Manga volumes: 6, completed
• Manga circulation: over 800,000 print and digital copies according to Twin Engine
• Anime announcement date: November 5, 2026
• Broadcast window: December 2026
• Distribution: television and streaming
• Exact premiere date: unannounced
• Episode count: 18
• Director: Tatsuo Sato / 佐藤竜雄
• Series composition: Tatsuo Sato
• Assistant director: Kentaro Mizuno / 水野健太郎
• Character design: Satoru Fujimoto / 藤本さとる
• Animation studios: NAGOMI × EOTA
• Production: Twin Engine
• Production status: completed according to the producer's statement
• Protagonist: Futa Okeya / 桶屋風太
• Futa voice actor: Kazuki Ura / 浦和希
• Main character: Koko Ishigami / 石神鉱子
• Koko voice actor: Anna Nagase / 永瀬アンナ
• Supporting characters: Run and East
• Run voice actor: Eri Yukimura / 幸村恵理
• East voice actor: Yuichi Nakamura / 中村悠一
• Story themes: reincarnation, past lives, conflict between two souls
• Ending theme: Koko ga Donna Sekai Demo / 此処がどんな世界でも
• Ending theme performer: Anna Nagase
• Lyricist: UiNA
• Composer and arranger: Tatsuya Kato / 加藤達也
• Promotional material: teaser visual and first PV
• Television network: unannounced
• Streaming platforms: unannounced
• International release: not yet confirmed

Spirit Circle Anime Teaser Visual and First PV

Spirit Circle Anime Officially Announced for December 2026

On November 5, 2026, Twin Engine officially announced that Satoshi Mizukami's Spirit Circle would receive a television anime adaptation beginning in December 2026.

The announcement arrives approximately ten years after the original manga ended serialization in 2016. Alongside the adaptation itself, the production team revealed its first teaser visual, promotional video, four lead voice actors, and primary staff members.

The teaser visual focuses on Koko Ishigami, whose piercing gaze is accompanied by a large, bleeding wound on her forehead. The illustration also features a Japanese tagline expressing her determination to pursue and kill someone no matter how many times they are reborn.

The visual establishes the central conflict between two characters whose hostility originates in previous lives. While the December 2026 broadcast window and 18-episode format have been confirmed, the exact premiere date, television network, and streaming services remain unannounced.

First PV Reveals Futa and Koko's Conflict Across Multiple Lives

Spirit Circle follows Futa Okeya, a seemingly ordinary second-year middle school student who possesses the unusual ability to see spirits.

His life changes when Koko Ishigami, a transfer student with a distinctive forehead wound, arrives at his school. Koko reveals that they share a connection from their previous lives and openly declares her intention to destroy Futa's soul to end their cycle of reincarnation.

The first promotional video shows the two characters meeting, followed by glimpses of their lives in different eras and worlds. During one exchange, Koko tells Futa that he still has to die seven more times, emphasizing the severity of the conflict between them.

The footage also briefly shows four figures walking together in a more peaceful moment before the atmosphere shifts with a confession about a killing in the past. These contrasting scenes suggest that their reincarnation journey involves relationships and memories as well as hostility.

Four Main Voice Actors and the Characters of Spirit Circle

The production has confirmed Kazuki Ura as the voice of Futa Okeya, while Anna Nagase portrays Koko Ishigami.

Futa is a middle school student who can see spirits and has a birthmark on his left cheek. Following his encounter with Koko, he must confront the possibility that he is connected to a conflict spanning multiple lives.

Koko is a transfer student marked by a prominent wound on her forehead. She calls Futa Fortuna, the name of an individual from a previous life whom she holds responsible for a serious wrongdoing. She leads Futa through his past lives to reveal what happened.

The other two announced characters are Run, voiced by Eri Yukimura, and East, portrayed by Yuichi Nakamura. Both are introduced as spirit-like companions associated with the protagonists. Run is cheerful and close to Futa, while East has a calmer personality and a mysterious connection to their shared past.

Tatsuo Sato's Final Directorial Work

One of the most significant details surrounding the Spirit Circle announcement is the involvement of the late Tatsuo Sato, who is credited as both director and series composition lead.

Sato was known for his work on anime productions including Martian Successor Nadesico, Stellvia, and Bodacious Space Pirates. However, Twin Engine confirmed that he passed away in April 2026, making Spirit Circle his final directorial project.

Following Sato's passing, the production continued with Kentaro Mizuno serving as assistant director and playing an important role in bringing the series to completion. Twin Engine, NAGOMI, and EOTA stated that the team completed the anime while preserving Sato's intentions and creative vision.

Satoru Fujimoto handles character design, while NAGOMI and EOTA jointly produce the animation. The official production statement respectfully recognizes Sato's contribution without changing the previously announced director credit.

Anna Nagase Performs Her First Solo Ending Theme

Alongside the first teaser PV, Twin Engine announced the anime's ending theme, Koko ga Donna Sekai Demo (此処がどんな世界でも).

The song is performed by Anna Nagase, the voice of Koko Ishigami, and is described in the official announcement as her first solo vocal song. The lyrics are written by UiNA, while Tatsuya Kato handles composition and arrangement.

According to the promotional materials, the song was written specifically for Spirit Circle, reflecting themes of rebirth, life, and conflicting emotions. Nagase also explained that she approached the performance with a mixture of harshness and affection.

Having Nagase perform both a lead character and the ending theme creates a direct connection between Koko's story and the anime's music. However, the opening theme and exact digital release date for the ending song have not yet been announced.

Satoshi Mizukami's Manga Reaches Anime After Ten Years

The original Spirit Circle manga was written and illustrated by Satoshi Mizukami, who is also known for Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer and Sengoku Youko.

The manga was serialized in Young King Ours, published by Shonengahosha, between 2012 and 2016. It concluded in six collected volumes, with Volume 1 released on December 10, 2012, and the final volume on June 10, 2016, according to the publisher's catalog.

According to Twin Engine, Spirit Circle has surpassed 800,000 copies in cumulative circulation, including print and digital editions. This figure represents the circulation reported by the production company rather than independently audited sales.

In his comment, Mizukami described the story as spanning seven lives across different eras and settings, requiring extensive worldbuilding. He thanked the staff and Tatsuo Sato for overcoming the challenges of adapting the narrative into 18 episodes.

Why This Matters

1) Seven lives create an unusual narrative structure

Spirit Circle uses reincarnation as the foundation of its character relationships. Its shifts between eras and settings allow the same conflict to be explored from different perspectives without revealing all of its causes at the beginning.

2) The anime is Tatsuo Sato's final directorial project

Sato's involvement adds important context to the anime's production history. Twin Engine's confirmation that the team completed the series while preserving his vision makes the project a significant part of his final creative legacy.

3) Eighteen episodes provide a distinct adaptation format

The completed manga consists of six volumes, while the anime has been announced as an 18-episode production. This format is notable for a story spanning several different lives, although the episode-by-episode adaptation structure has not yet been detailed.

Spirit Circle Anime Information

For now, the additional important information currently known includes:

• the anime's official title is Spirit Circle
• the Japanese title is スピリットサークル
• the creator uses the Japanese abbreviation スピサ
• the anime adapts the manga by Satoshi Mizukami
• the manga was published by Shonengahosha
• serialization took place in Young King Ours
• the manga ran from 2012 to 2016
• the completed manga consists of six volumes
• print and digital circulation exceeds 800,000 copies according to Twin Engine
• the anime adaptation was announced November 5, 2026
• television broadcasting and streaming begin in December 2026
• assistant director Kentaro Mizuno confirmed a total of 18 episodes
• the teaser visual features Koko Ishigami with a bleeding forehead wound
• the first PV introduces Futa and Koko's reincarnation conflict
• the story follows a middle school student who can see spirits
• Futa has a birthmark on his left cheek
• Koko calls Futa by the name Fortuna
• their journey explores several previous lives
• Kazuki Ura voices Futa Okeya
• Anna Nagase voices Koko Ishigami
• Eri Yukimura voices Run
• Yuichi Nakamura voices East
• Tatsuo Sato is credited with direction and series composition
• Tatsuo Sato passed away in April 2026
• Twin Engine identifies the anime as Sato's final directorial work
• production was completed by the team, including Kentaro Mizuno, while preserving Sato's vision
• Satoru Fujimoto handles character design
• animation production is a collaboration between NAGOMI and EOTA
• Twin Engine serves as the production company
• the ending theme is titled 此処がどんな世界でも
• Anna Nagase performs the ending theme
• UiNA wrote the song's lyrics
• Tatsuya Kato composed and arranged the music
• the official announcement describes it as Nagase's first solo performance
• the opening theme has not been announced
• the exact premiere date remains unannounced
• television networks and streaming platforms have not been detailed
• international distribution is not yet confirmed

• the teaser visual announcement is available through Official Spirit Circle X Announcement
• the first PV can be viewed through Official Spirit Circle First PV
• anime information is available through Official Spirit Circle Anime Website
• the production statement is available through Twin Engine Official Announcement
• the full announcement is available through Twin Engine Official Press Release
• the first manga volume is listed through Shonengahosha Official Volume 1
• the final manga volume is listed through Shonengahosha Official Volume 6

Closing

Spirit Circle is officially receiving an 18-episode television anime adaptation scheduled to begin broadcasting and streaming in December 2026. Its teaser visual and first PV introduce Futa and Koko's journey across multiple lives, with animation jointly produced by NAGOMI × EOTA.

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The anime is also the final directorial work of Tatsuo Sato, whose creative vision was carried through to completion following his passing. Although the main cast, staff, ending theme, and episode count have been announced, the exact premiere date and streaming services remain unconfirmed.