The Bless anime cast expanded on October 8, 2026, when the official production committee confirmed that voice actor Yoshiki Nakajima will play makeup student Joe Osaki in the television adaptation [1]. A short character video introduced his spoken lines on Thursday [5]. The series debuts on Fuji TV’s Noitamina block in January 2027 under director Shotaro Kitamura at A-1 Pictures [2].
Bless Anime Cast Welcomes Joe Osaki
Joe Osaki studies at Mirror. Mirror functions as a practical training space where aspiring makeup artists learn cosmetology skills. The production committee’s character profile describes Joe as a cheerful student who connects easily with people. That social skill serves an important function during styling classes. Because cosmetology students can’t master complex cosmetic methods simply by testing pigments on inert palettes, Joe’s ability to recruit practice partners gives his classmates direct human collaboration during intricate cosmetic drills. His friendly manner helps newcomers feel welcome while practicing new techniques [1].
Official character art portrays Joe wearing a white coat over a brightly patterned shirt. He meets lead student Aia Udagawa during introductory salon lessons. It’s a short preview clip that provides fans with their first opportunity to hear Nakajima’s performance before the television broadcast starts in winter [1].
Nakajima’s addition completes another piece of the show’s ensemble. Earlier announcements confirmed Tomohiro Ono as Aia Udagawa and Chiyuki Miura as Jun Sumisaki. The series also stars Nobuhiko Okamoto voicing Ginga Yoyogi, Yoshino Aoyama as Oroka Sumeragi, Momoka Terasawa as Shitataka Sumeragi, and Kentaro Kumagai playing MM [2]. MM received an earlier video [1]. PerEXP Teamworks previously covered the earlier cast confirmations for the Sumeragi twins [5].
Production Team and Studio Behind the Adaptation
Animation studio A-1 Pictures leads the adaptation. Shotaro Kitamura directs the television project. Kitamura previously directed Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!. Assistant director Takayuki Kikuchi brings experience from productions like Solo Leveling and Kaguya-sama: Love is War. Script supervisor Fukuro Kamiza oversees series composition, drawing on his earlier work from Non Non Biyori Nonstop to adapt Sonoyama’s manga storylines into an episodic television format with balanced narrative progression [3].
Honoka Yokoyama serves as character designer and chief animation director. Yokoyama previously contributed to Oshi no Ko and Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence. Veteran animators Tetsuya Kawakami from Sword Art Online and Reina Iwasaki from VTuber Legend support her as chief animation directors. Composer Ryo Yoshimata handles the music, crafting an original score for both quiet classroom conversations and energetic runway competitions [3].
Akane Takeda leads costume design at A-1 Pictures. Takayuki Kidou designs props. Hideki Eto of EXPLOSION directs photography, Kohei Yoshida directs sound, and Takuya Hasegawa handles sound effects [4]. In an anime where delicate cosmetic tools demand accurate rendering, Katsuyoshi Kojima of salon studio tron supervises hair and makeup. Having an experienced salon artist advise the animation staff helps cosmetic brushwork, blending methods, and foundation textures appear believable whenever students test complex styles on screen while preparing for competitive modeling events. That craft shows how the production approaches styling as a serious discipline [1].
How Bless Anime Characters Navigate the Modeling World
Yukino Sonoyama created the original manga [2]. The series launched in Kodansha’s Shonen Magazine Edge in 2022 before shifting into Monthly Shonen Sirius [3]. The narrative follows high schooler Aia Udagawa. Aia used to model, but he secretly wants to pursue makeup work despite doubting his creative talents [1].
Classmate Jun Sumisaki faces her own challenges. Jun is tall and has freckles. She tries not to stand out at school, but she privately practices the runway walking style her mother taught her while hoping to pursue modeling in the future [1]. Readers often ask whether Bless is a simple romance. The story doesn’t follow standard romance formulas. Instead, the narrative examines self-actualization, physical insecurity, and the narrow aesthetic expectations imposed on modern youth [3]. A school festival contest brings Aia and Jun together as a competitive pair. While preparing their collaborative runway entry, Aia applies Jun’s cosmetics and discovers expressive qualities she previously concealed, and Jun provides the stage presence required to present his handiwork before an audience [1].
In the second manga volume, Aia enters Mirror to practice with fellow styling students, introducing Joe Osaki into the storyline [1]. While other upcoming winter projects like the food-centered Shin Oishinbo anime focus on culinary craftsmanship, Sonoyama’s story explores how teenagers handle social pressure, freckles, and unconventional creative ambitions within modern Japanese beauty culture [3]. The manga has built steady popularity among readers. Kodansha reported more than 1.25 million copies in circulation as compiled volume 9 arrived in bookstores on October 8, 2026 [2].
Yoshiki Nakajima on Voice Acting and Makeup Artistry
Nakajima shared his personal thoughts on the official website after the announcement [5]. He said that professional makeup artists work on him frequently during live performances. Even a small change in tone or color changes how he perceives himself on stage [1].
Translated from his Japanese comment on the official Bless website, Nakajima described the personal impact of cosmetic styling: “Makeup is armor, a mask, a weapon. Above all, it is freeing and lets you be free.” [5] Nakajima also said there is more to Joe than his cheerful manner, explaining that the character carries hidden emotional depth beneath his friendly demeanor [1]. Born on June 26, 1993, in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Nakajima studied at the Voice Actor Department of Yoyogi Animation School before joining talent agency 81 Produce in April 2012. Before landing the role of Joe Osaki, Nakajima built an active voice catalog across gaming and anime projects, portraying Tetora Nagumo in Ensemble Stars!, Billy Wise in HELIOS Rising Heroes, and Jiro Yamashita in The Idolmaster SideM [6].
In 2018, Nakajima played protagonist Yoshifumi Nitta in Hinamatsuri. He performed the anime’s ending theme song “Sake to Ikura to 893 to Musume”. Beyond anime voice work, Nakajima plays guitar and sings in the band Sir Vanity with fellow voice actor Yuichiro Umehara. He also belongs to the musical unit UMake with Kent Ito [6]. That’s part of a musical and acting background that equips him to bring energetic personality to Joe Osaki in the upcoming television series [1].
When Is Bless Anime Coming Out on Fuji TV?
The anime premieres in January 2027. It airs on Fuji TV’s nationwide Noitamina programming block in Japan. Fuji TV hasn’t announced a specific calendar date within January yet. International streaming platforms haven’t confirmed licensing plans for territories outside Japan [1].
Noitamina remains recognized for broadcasting character-focused anime aimed at mature audiences. Global readers can already access Sonoyama’s manga in English. Kodansha USA Publishing began releasing the print series in 2023, shipping volume 7 on February 10, 2026. Digital readers can also read chapters through Kodansha’s K MANGA platform [3].
The manga will also expand into live action. Amazon Prime Video plans to stream a live-action series adaptation worldwide in spring 2027 [2]. That dual rollout shows Kodansha’s multimedia plans for the property across animation and streaming television [3]. With Joe Osaki joining the cast and production advancing at A-1 Pictures, the creative team continues preparing the adaptation for winter [2]. Viewers can look forward to seeing how Nakajima and the rest of the Bless anime cast bring Sonoyama’s cosmetology journey to television screens in early 2027 [1].
- ONLINE NEWS Vale, R. (2026, October 8). BLESS Casts Yoshiki Nakajima as Joe Osaki in New Character Preview. Pixel Twelve. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Yomimono. (2026, October 8). Yoshiki Nakajima Joins Bless Anime as Joe Osaki. Yomimono. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Wati, N. K. (2026, October 8). Yoshiki Nakajima joins the cast of the Bless television anime series set for a January 2027 debut. Movie Chill. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Bytes, R. (2026, October 8). Bless TV Anime confirma Yoshiki Nakajima como Joe Osaki. Culpa do Lag. [Article Link]
- WEBSITE TV Anime ‘Bless’ Production Committee. (2026, October 8). Joe Osaki Character PV & Cast Announcement. Official Bless Anime Website. [Article Link]
- WEBSITE Wikimedia Foundation. (2026). Yoshiki Nakajima. Wikipedia. [Article Link]
