This weekend at Anime NYC, The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity bloomed on U.S. soil with a premiere that left the hall filled to capacity and ringing with thunderous applause. Both longtime original manga readers and new fans experienced the world premiere of the English dub of Episode 1, marking the anime’s very first screening worldwide ahead of its global launch on Netflix September 7, 2025.
Hosted by Kwok-Wai Hanson of Anime Trending, the panel welcomed special guests from Japan: Akira Shimizu (President, CloverWorks), Takamitsu Inoue (General Manager of Marketing, CloverWorks), and Kyoko Uryu (Chief Producer, Aniplex). Their arrival drew loud applause before they treated audiences to exclusive behind-the-scenes stories, setting the tone for an event filled with insight, laughter, and heartfelt moments. Together, they revealed the care and artistry that went into adapting Saka Mikami’s beloved manga, from CloverWorks’ delicate approach to character expression to Aniplex’s vision of sharing a story about dignity, kindness, and connection with the world.
During the discussion, Shimizu emphasized CloverWorks’ dedication to faithfully adapting the manga’s delicate visuals and youthful slice-of-life atmosphere:
“As with all our shows, since this series has an original manga, we tried our best to bring out the charms of the original manga as much as possible,” said President Akira Shimizu. “Hearing fans’ excitement here today, I realize this series is truly a CloverWorks-like show.”
The guests highlighted the thought behind staffing choices, including selecting a director known for capturing youthful emotion and a character designer capable of rendering the manga’s “very delicate” character art. Inoue noted the care put into the drawings:
“As you saw from the promotion video, it is very cute. We wanted to emphasize that same sense of charm in every frame.”
Producer Uryu shared her role in bridging creators and audiences:
“As a producer I act as a hub between the production and the viewers. For The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity, we chose staff who could truly depict subtle emotions and the gentleness of the story.”
The panel then featured a surprise video message from English dub voice actor Robbie Daymond, who revealed himself as the voice of Rintaro Tsumugi. The announcement drew cheers and added to the excitement before the lights dimmed for the premiere. When Episode 1 concluded, the audience once again erupted into applause, affirming the series’ ability to move viewers across cultures with its tender portrayal of adolescent friendship and romance.
Closing the event, Shimizu and the rest of the panel guests reflected on the significance of sharing the story in New York before ending the panel with a group photo with fans, cementing the premiere as one of Anime NYC’s most memorable moments.
With its heartfelt characters, delicate slice-of-life storytelling, and emotional resonance, The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity is poised to become one of the year’s most beloved anime debuts. Audiences everywhere can experience the story for themselves when The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity begins streaming exclusively on Netflix September 7, 2025.
ABOUT THE FRAGRANT FLOWER BLOOMS WITH DIGNITY
“The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity”, created by Saka Mikami, has been serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine’s official app “Magazine Pocket” since 2021.
This heartwarming and pure high school romance captures readers with its sincere emotions and touching story.
Its gentle yet powerful narrative has stood out even among shonen manga publications, quickly becoming a sensation from the very start of its serialization. As of July 2025, the series has surpassed 6.2 million copies in circulation.
Now, this beloved work is finally being adapted into a TV anime in 2025!
Led by director Miyuki Kuroki, a team of highly skilled creators has come together with CloverWorks—renowned for producing numerous hit titles—handling animation production.
A gem of a youthful coming-of-age story will soon shine even more vividly on screen.
STORY
─ Beyond the curtain lies a world that has nothing to do with me forever. ─
At the bottom-ranked all-boys school Chidori, known as a gathering place for troublemakers, the students are looked down upon by the prestigious all-girls school Kikyo Academy next door.
The curtains between the two schools’ classrooms are always drawn, and not once have the students ever seen each other.
Rintaro Tsumugi, a Chidori student with a scary appearance that often drives people away, has gradually grown used to keeping his distance from others.
One day, while helping out at his family’s cake shop, he encounters Kaoruko Waguri, a kind girl who treats him without prejudice.
“I’ve never once thought you were scary, Rintaro-kun.”
Though puzzled at first, Rintaro soon finds comfort in the time he spends with Kaoruko. But there’s one catch—she happens to be a student at Kikyo Academy.
A story of two hearts, so near yet so far, weaving a radiant tale of youthful romance.
STAFF
- Original Work: Saka Mikami “The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity” (Magazine Pocket/KODANSHA)
- Director: Miyuki Kuroki
- Associate Director: Satoshi Yamaguchi
- Series Composition: Rino Yamasaki
- Series Director: Haruka Tsuzuki
- Character Design and Chief Animation Director: Kohei Tokuoka
- Sub Character Design and Clothing Design: Manami Umeshita
- Cake Design: Yasuho Tamura
- Prop Design: Yuko Yoshida
- Art Director: Asuka Kouki
- Art Setting: Yoshinori Shiozawa
- Color Setting: Asuka Yokota
- Director of Photography: Tsubasa Kanamori
- CG Director: Keita Watanabe (Sublimation)
- Editing: Kazuhiro Nii
- Music: Moeki Harada
- Sound Director: Takatoshi Hamano
- Sound Production: Magic Capsule
- Animation Production: CloverWorks
- Rights Notation: ©Saka Mikami, KODANSHA / “The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity” Production Committee