High School! Kimengumi, the classic 80s school comedy, is back with big news for Brazilian anime fans. In this new version, which premieres this Friday (January 9, 2026) in Fuji TV’s Noitamina block, actor Kenichi Ogata reprises his iconic role as Principal Sakio Kochō. This return to the past, however, comes with a big leap into the present, as the series abandons the 80s to be set in the modern Reiwa era, with a completely renewed cast. The decision to bring Ogata back is a gift for nostalgic fans and an element connecting the two generations of the franchise, showing that the timeless humor of the original manga still has its place.
To tell the new misadventures of the group of eccentric students, known as the Kimengumi, the producers assembled a heavyweight creative team. The direction, which marks Kazuaki Seki’s first foray into anime, was handled by Animation Studio Seven. Meanwhile, the scripts are supervised by Shigeru Murakoshi, the name behind hits like Zombie Land Saga. Thus, the promise is for a fast-paced comedy, with a renewed visual style from the designs by Yuka Abe (Fire Force) and a soundtrack produced by Night Tempo, who also created a modern remix of the famous original opening theme, “Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi”.
Production Details and Legacy
In addition to direction and script, the new version of High School! Kimengumi also invests in a strong musical identity for this year of 2026. The opening will be handled by BREIMEN with “Funky Spice feat. TOMOO”, while the ending will feature Rikon Densetsu with “Suteki!!”. This bet on contemporary artists reinforces the intention to attract both new audiences and those who followed the 86 episodes of the original series, aired between 1985 and 1987. The manga by Motoei Shinzawa, which started it all, began its publication in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1980, becoming a national phenomenon in Japan and even spawning a film in 1986.
Therefore, the premiere of this reimagining marks a special moment for the industry and for fans. Despite the change of era and characters, the essence of the slapstick comedy and the group of misfit friends seems intact. Thanks to the return of Kenichi Ogata and the careful modernization of the production, the series has everything to win over a new wave of viewers in Brazil, where anime with this humorous style have always been successful. Thus, after more than three decades, the Kimengumi prove that a good laugh never goes out of style.
