Paradox Live: The Animation: Prerelease
This page catalogues the release of information leading up to the release of the anime!
At the end of the seiyuu concert Dope Show 2022, held in May 2022, it was announced that a Paradox Live anime was in production, entitled Paradox Live: The Animation. It was announced as slated to be released in 2023, with details to follow.
During a livestream on the franchise's third anniversary on November 6th, 2023, the first teaser visual for the anime was released and some key staff were announced:
- PINE JAM acting as the production studio
- Naoya Ando as series director
- Takayo Ikami as overseeing writer
- Koji Haneda as character designer
In March of 2023, it was announced that the anime would be airing in the fall anime season of 2023 (October), and a new key visual depicting the four original group leaders was released.
At the end of the seiyuu concert Dope Show 2023, held in May 2023, the first animated trailer for the franchise was released (and posted to social media after the conclusion of the evening show).
via Paradox Live official Youtube channel
On August 9, 2023, new visuals for the four main teams were released on Twitter.
On August 31, 2023, on the official site for the anime, character profiles were added for the cast of the anime (which is to say, the first four groups). These are mostly truncated versions of their extant profiles, but feature isolated renders of key character art!
On September 7, 2023, the official Twitter account posted key art of Buraikan, confirming their appearance in the anime.
On September 13, 2023, the official Twitter account revealed that the anime would be airing on October 3rd at 23:00 on TOKYO MX, at 24:30 (effectively, 00:30 on October 4th) on BS Fuji, and from 22:00 on October 7th on Animax. Additionally, Japanese streaming services ABEMA, AnimeTimes, dAnimestore, and Lemino were announced to be carrying the series. At the time no overseas services had yet announced that they will be licensing the series.
Furthermore, it was announced that the opening theme would be a track performed by the four main units, entitled "RISE UP", and that the ending theme would be a song entitled "Every Day Every Night" performed by Buraikan.
More staff were announced for the series, including (in addition to previously announced staff):
- Prop Design: Yuu Wazu
- Costume Design: Miyuki Koga
- Concept Art: NAKAI
- Art Director: Masatoshi Kai
- Color Design: Sayuri Yoshida
- Editing: Tsuyoshi Sadamatsu
- Compositing Director of Photography: Hisashi Matsumuko
- Sound Director: Yukio Nagasaki
- Music: Taku Iwasaki
On September 27, a new PV was dropped showcasing more scenes and voice acting.
via Paradox Live official Youtube channel
Additionally, it was announced that Miyake Kenta would be voicing a new character (of sorts) named Paradevi (from "Paradox" and "Devil"), who serves as the MC for the Paradox Live event. (Judging by its appearance in the aforementioned preview video, it is presumably not an actual in-universe creature and is instead more of an avatar displayed on a screen!)
On September 28, it was announced via Avex's Twitter account that there would be a special edition video-rental version of Paradox Live: The Animation released through Zaiko and Mahocast.
Bought on a per-episode basis, access to the stream included simulcast livestream of the anime episodes without subtitles, with English and Chinese subtitles available on a two-day delay. Episodes would be watchable for seven days after the purchase date, and were available for purchase through one week after the end of the anime's run, at the beginning of January 2024.
Episodes were ¥500 through Zaiko (before fees) and ¥550 through Mahocast (fee inclusive), and included episode streaming, special cast recordings, a redeemable code for 200 dope points, and in the case of Zaiko, access to a limited merchandise store.
It was unclear at time of announcements whether there would be other English-language streaming options.
On September 30, a special in-person event was held where the first episode was screened and the TV-size OP was performed by a number of the character seiyuu. This was streamed via Mahocast; the archive of the stream, available on October 2nd, only contained the talk portions and OP performance, not the anime episode.
On October 3 JST, a commemorative illustration was posted by the official anime account.
Additionally, during the day, it was announced that Crunchyroll had picked up the anime for offiical English-language distribution. English subtitles would be dropped one hour after the initial Japanese premiere (the anime premiering at 23:00 JST, and therefore the subtitles at 00:00 JST on what is technically the following day).