During the Captivated, by You and Let’s Go Karaoke! stage panel at AnimeJapan 2025 today, the upcoming TV anime adaptation of Yama Wayama’s manga announced two additional voice cast members — Nobuhiko Okamoto (Katsuki Bakugo in My Hero Academia) as Akira Nikaido and Yuki Ono (Josuke Higashikata in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable) as Yuichi Medaka.
Akira Nikaidou is described as “a second-grade student at Totsuka High School. He always has a disturbing aura around him and is rumored to bring bad luck to those who get involved with him in the school community. For some reason, he made a “reverse high school debut” and settled on his current style.”
Nobuhiko Okamoto also gave the following message:
I am Nobuhiko Okamoto, and I am very honored to be offered to play the role of Nikaido. I have read the original manga in order to play the role. I was told that the anime would include original scenes, so I started reading it hoping to get a sense of the atmosphere of the story at least. I was drawn in by the strangeness of how Nikaido came to be Nikaido and the interaction between Nikaido and Medaka. And oddly enough, I fell in love with the atmosphere of the work. I hope everyone will take a look at it.
Akira Nikaidou
Nobuhiko Okamoto
Yuichi Medaka is described as “a second-grade student at Totsuka High School. When his seat is changed for the new semester, Nikaido is assigned to the seat behind him, and he spends his days at school in melancholy. However, one day, he learns of Nikaido’s hidden side and becomes interested in him.”
Yuki Ono also gave the following message:
I’m Yuki Ono and I will be playing the role of Medaka. I myself am very much looking forward to seeing how Wayama-sensei’s unique writing style and world view will be expressed in the form of an anime. The role of Nikaido is played by Okamoto Nobuhiko-kun, so the recording sessions will be a bit more serious, but still fun, and the free talk will be more relaxed. Please look forward to it!
Yuichi Medaka
Yuki Ono
Teaser Visual
Along with the TV anime adaptation of Let’s Go Karaoke!, also created by Yama Wayama, the TV anime Captivated, by You is set to premiere in July 2025. Kensho Ono (Tetsuya Kuroko in Kuroko’s Basketball ) and Koki Uchiyama (Toge Inumaki in JUJUTSU KAISEN) are cast as the anime’s two protagonist characters, Miyoshi Hayashi and Joji Ema, respectively.
Asami Nakatani directs the TV anime at studio Doga Kobo. Yukiko Tsukahara acts as assistant director, Yoshimi Narita provides the series composition, Mai Matsuura provides the character designs, and Takuro Ida provides the music.
Yen Press publishes an English-language version of Captivated, by You, describing it thus:
Hayashi’s frank, guileless demeanor quietly draws the attention of classmates and strangers as he counts all the stairs in school, photographs street signs, and dries sweet potatoes on the classroom balcony. In a world shaped by conformity, Hayashi is refreshingly and unapologetically true to himself. Conversely, Nikaidou has worked very hard to perfect a gloomy, dour façade that keeps his classmates far, far away. While much of the school regards Nikaidou as a bad omen, one student catches a glimpse behind the mask and-undeterred by rumors of bad luck and supernatural powers-begins to pick away Nikaidou’s carefully crafted persona…
Sources: “Captivated, by You” TV anime official website / X (formerly Twitter), Press Release
