The series by Tony Valente is slated to begin airing this fall on NHK.

The folks at Japan’s largest broadcasting organization NHK have announced that they are producing an anime adaptation of Radiant, a fantasy adventure manga by French comics artist Tony Valente. Animation is being handled by Lerche and the series will be directed Seiji Kishi. While it’s certainly not the first time that a novel from overseas has inspired an anime film or series (think several Studio Ghibli films, World Masterpiece Theater series), this case is highly unusual in that a foreign manga series has directly influenced a domestic anime adaptation.

▼ Official announcement by NHK

The first Japanese-language tankobon volume of Radiant was published by Asukashinsha in 2015 under its “Euromanga Collection” label. Apparently Yusuke Murata, the illustrator of One-Punch Man and Eyeshield 21, was instrumental in securing the series a domestic release in Japan. As of December 2017, there are currently seven volumes in print.

▼ The first Japanese-language volume of Radiant

The story follows the exploits of Seth, a young sorcerer’s apprentice, as he and his friends search for the mythical source (the titular “Radiant”) of the scourge of monsters known as “nemesis” in order to save their world. Along the way, they learn lessons about the bonds of friendship, experience beginnings and farewells, push themselves to their limits, and grow into young adults, all of which are common themes found in shonen manga series.

Net users were intrigued and responded positively to the news of a Radiant anime: 

“I haven’t been this excited for an anime in a looong time!”
“Hmm, Lerche is behind the Hakumei and Mikochi anime at the moment.”
“I really want to see it since One-Punch Man’s Yusuke Murata recommended it.”
“Even though it’s not being serialized in a Japanese manga magazine, they’re going to design it ‘in the style of currently serialized shonen manga.'”

Radiant the anime is slated to begin airing on the NHK Educational TV channel in October 2018. 

Source: NHK via Otakomu
Images: Amazon Japan/トニー・ヴァレント