Key Confirms 'Kaginado' Crossover TV Anime

by ImperfectBlue
Apr 19, 2021 5:50 PM | 38 Comments

Visual novel studio Key opened an official website for a crossover television anime titled Kaginado (Key, etc.) on Monday. The anime will feature chibi renditions of characters from Kanon, Air, Clannad, Little Busters!, Rewrite, and additional Key franchises to be revealed at a later date. It premieres this October.

A teaser promotional video for Kaginado was revealed on Sunday during the KSL online 2021: Kaginado livestream. The anime was also the subject of an April Fools' tweet earlier this month. Key removed the tweet the following day.

Jun Maeda, Shinji Orito, Itaru Hinoue, and Naoki Hisaya founded Key under publisher Visual Arts in July 1998. Key's first project was the adult visual novel Kanon, which has since been re-released with its erotic content removed.

Toei Animation adapted Kanon into a television anime that broadcast for 13 episodes during the Winter 2002 season. Kyoto Animation later readapted the visual novel and produced a 24-episode television anime that aired from October 2006 to March 2007.

Clannad was Key's third visual novel, and its first intended for an all-ages audience. It was adapted as a film produced by Toei Animation and released in September 2007, then by Kyoto Animation as a 23-episode television anime broadcast from October 2007 to March 2008. This season was followed by the 24-episode Clannad: After Story, which aired from October 2008 to March 2009.

Key's latest visual novel, Summer Pockets, was released in June 2018 and ported to iOS and Android devices that December. An updated version of the visual novel subtitled Reflection Blue was released in June 2020.

The studio is currently collaborating with Ryukishi07 (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni) of the doujin group 07th Expansion on the visual novel Loopers, which is scheduled to be released on May 28.

Official site: https://kaginado.com/
Official Twitter: @kaginado

Source: Key official Twitter

Kaginado on MAL

New Anime Fall 2021

20 of 38 Comments Recent Comments

Is this anime going to happen? There have been 0 news since its announcement.

Sep 13, 2021 5:40 AM by Ragio

I was hoping for this crossover for more than 10 years!

I haven't seen Kaginado yet but it is my favorite anime of all time for sure! Decided even before it airs!

May 14, 2021 9:34 AM by Sharnalk

i have no idea what to expect. i haven't watched Isekai Quartet because the concept itself seemed stupid, but Key made my favorite piece of art of all time and another four of my top 20 anime so i can't ignore it.

Apr 29, 2021 11:37 AM by felipecardel

Shirayukin said:
Wonder what the additional Key franchises are they going to add? Planetarian? Newer Key VNs like Summer Pockets? Or do they count those Jun Maeda originals with P.A. Works?

Angel Beats! cast would be a fun addition for comedy skit series like this.

I really hope they have Planetarian. It was a sad game, but that'll mean I get to see this cheerful robot in a cheerful setting. That would be like what they were fighting for the whole time. I wonder if the Junker would be there too just chillin' with his rocket launcher? He'd fit right in with the cast of Angel Beats with all of their weapons.

Apr 25, 2021 5:19 PM by ChocolateTieClip

KEY CROSSOVERS??? LETS GET IT

Apr 22, 2021 6:09 PM by ChartTopper60

Punkero said:
The isekai quartet effect?

I have only seen Clannad, hopefully I can get into the rest before this airs.

If you liked Clannad, you'll love Little Busters and Air. Haven't seen Rewrite or started Kanon yet, but if you want to watch Kanon, many say to stay away from the 2002 series and go for 2006 series instead

Apr 22, 2021 1:21 PM by TempestoGod

Wonder what the additional Key franchises are they going to add? Planetarian? Newer Key VNs like Summer Pockets? Or do they count those Jun Maeda originals with P.A. Works?

Angel Beats! cast would be a fun addition for comedy skit series like this.

Apr 21, 2021 1:55 PM by Shirayukin

This is technically Key's second crossover, there was a video game called ETERNAL FIGHTER ZERO.

But a comic crossover between the most tearjerking animes... I guess it should be okay and fun, though I wonder if a dramatic version would have been better.

Apr 21, 2021 10:36 AM by Haneken2086

Not a fan of Chibi but I'm about to finish Air soon after Clannad & Kanon.
Definitely gonna watch this. Key is my new favorite thing and pretty much the only studio that can make me care about characters like they're my own family.

Apr 21, 2021 10:19 AM by miblan

Though I've yet to watch Clannad, Air and Little Busters (not touching Rewrite since I heard it wasn't a good adaptation), I'm quite excited for this. Really hope they bring back all of the cast!

Though I wonder who's gonna voice Misuzu and Sayuri...

Apr 21, 2021 4:55 AM by Mikura39

Hmm I only watched Little Busters... and I'm not really interested in watching the others. So I'll probably skip that one.

Apr 21, 2021 12:17 AM by Gator

Haha, really brings me back to when Key anime was popular in my group of friends in highschool.

I should watch this for nostalgia's sake.

Apr 20, 2021 10:49 PM by Nette

Once this finishes airing, i'll be most certain to watch this.

Apr 20, 2021 10:09 PM by Disapeared_Ghost

This makes me wanna watch the other ones other than Clannad. I'm very hyped for this even if it might end up as a disappointment

Apr 20, 2021 9:07 PM by ManWild

Rough that despite having seen them all (except Rewrite) I saw Clannad dubbed... and that's my version. If I watch this I'll have to see it in Japanese without all my favorite voices. Either way I'm hyped.

Apr 20, 2021 7:57 PM by ZachM

I'm a little upset that I haven't seen all the Key series yet. Gotta blast then. This will be an isekai quartet situation all over again.

Apr 20, 2021 12:56 PM by NextUniverse

April Fools jokes that end up becoming something beyond a joke (in a good way) are easily the best kinds of April Fools jokes. I'm absolutely ecstatic for this!

Apr 20, 2021 11:40 AM by FarCritical

This is something we probably didn’t expect, I should probably catch up on the other Key anime.

Apr 20, 2021 10:33 AM by Mo168

A rather welcome surprise.

Apr 20, 2021 9:51 AM by H-A-M-M-Y

It really came as a surprise to all of us Key fans when they announced this during April 1st, and we all thought it would have been an amazing thing were it actually real and even speculated that perhaps it was going to be a actual thing as Key has done similar things in the past during April fools. And then they actually announced it for real during KSL and everyone was incredibly happy and excited about it.

Anyway, so far we only know that characters from the visual novels will be in it and nothing has been said about the anime originals yet. So we don't know if any of the characters from Charlotte, Angel Beats or Kamisama will show up in it. The "and more" on the website does at least tell us that there will be more characters, but there's too little information yet to assume that it will be all of the Key characters. I am kinda assuming they are going with the characters from the VNs and perhaps some small time appearances from the others.

I do however, really hope that my wife Nao will show up in it. I would be absolutely thrilled to see her again, even if it's just a small appearance and she doesn't say anything. That's really my biggest wish...!

Apr 20, 2021 8:25 AM by Naoismywife

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