Basic Details
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Title: SANDA (stylised in all‑caps)
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Original manga author: Paru Itagaki (also creator of BEASTARS)
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Manga serialization: July 2021 – July 2024 in Weekly Shōnen Champion, 16 volumes.
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Anime adaptation: Studio Science SARU; directed by Tomohisa Shimoyama; scheduled to premiere October 3–4, 2025 in Japan; streaming worldwide on Amazon Prime Video.
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Genre / Setting: Action‑mystery, near‑future dystopian Japan where birthrate has collapsed and children are heavily regulated; the myth of Santa Claus resurfaces.
Description
In a near‑future Japan plagued by an ultra‑low birth rate, children are both protected and controlled. Middle schooler Kazushige Sanda discovers he is a descendant of Santa Claus and faces a bizarre transformation when his classmate Shiori Fuyumura breaks a mysterious seal.
Tasked with finding her missing friend Ichie Ono and restoring a fading legend, Sanda dons the mantle of Santa in a high‑stakes world where innocence and adulthood collide. With bold visuals by Science Saru and a unique twist on holiday lore, “SANDA” blends action, mystery and surreal social commentary into a fresh anime experience.
