Kaina of the Great Snow Sea

Kaina of the Great Snow Sea (大雪海のカイナ) is an original Japanese anime television series created by Tsutomu Nihei and animated by Polygon Pictures to commemorate the studio's 40th anniversary. The series aired from January to March 2023 on Fuji TV's +Ultra programming block. A manga adaptation with art by Itoe Takemoto was serialized in Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Monthly Shōnen Sirius between February 2022 and June 2024. A sequel anime film titled Kaina of the Great Snow Sea: Star Sage premiered in Japanese theaters in October 2023. Crunchyroll holds the license of both the manga and the anime.

Plot
Kaina lives on a world covered in an organic membrane called the Canopy, created by massive Orbital Spire Trees. Far beneath the Canopy at the foot of the Orbital Spire Trees lies the endless Snow Sea, where Princess Ririha and her country of Atland struggle to survive against the cold and the rival nation of Valghan. When Ririha travels to the Canopy in a desperate bid to save her country, she is rescued by Kaina, setting in motion events that will have the pair travel the world to uncover its secrets.

Characters

 * Kaina (カイナ)


 * Ririha (リリハ)


 * Yaona (ヤオナ)


 * Amerote (アメロテ)


 * Olinoga (オリノガ)


 * Ngapoji (ンガポージ)


 * Handagil (ハンダーギル)


 * Halesola (ハレソラ)

Manga
A manga adaptation illustrated by Itoe Takemoto was serialized in Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Monthly Shōnen Sirius between February 26, 2022 and June 26, 2024. The first tankōbon volume was released on December 8, 2022. Crunchyroll published the manga in English and worldwide.

During their panel at Anime Expo 2023, Kodansha USA announced that they licensed the manga for English publication, with the first volume released on June 25, 2024.

Anime
The original anime television series created by Tsutomu Nihei and animated by Polygon Pictures to commemorate the studio's 40th anniversary was announced on January 20, 2022. The series is directed by Hiroaki Ando, written by Sadayuki Murai and Tetsuya Yamada, with main theme by Hiroyuki Sawano, and music by Kohta Yamamoto and Misaki Umase. It premiered from January 12 to March 23, 2023, on Fuji TV's +Ultra programming block. The first four episodes were previously screened at Crunchyroll Expo 2022. Yorushika performed the opening theme song "Telepath" (テレパス), while Greeeen performed the ending theme song "Juvenile" (ジュブナイル). Crunchyroll streams the series worldwide. Medialink licensed the series in Asia-Pacific and streams on Ani-One Asia YouTube channel.

Film
A sequel anime film was announced on January 7, 2023. Titled Kaina of the Great Snow Sea: Star Sage (大雪海のカイナ ほしのけんじゃ), the film features the same staff and cast as the series, and premiered in Japanese theaters on October 13, 2023. An advance screening was shown during Anime Expo 2023 on July 2, 2023.