Saikano (2002): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2002, Saikano is an animation, drama, action & adventure and sci-fi & fantasy series.

What it’s about. Saikano: The Last Love Song on This Little Planet. is a manga, anime, and OVA series by Shin Takahashi, creator of Iihito and Kimi no Kakera. Saikano was originally serialized in Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits magazine. A live-action movie adaptation was released in Japan on January 28, 2006 with Aki Maeda starring as Chise. The Saikano manga and anime series has been licensed and is being distributed by Viz Media in English in North America. The anime series is distributed in the UK by Manga Entertainment. Although the city is not mentioned by name in the series, many of the locations used in Saikano can by all probability be found in Otaru-shi, west of Sapporo. The train station, "Hell Hill", the Asahi Observation Hill, the view over the harbor, and the school all have similar looking counterparts in the city of Otaru.

Who’s in it. Saikano stars Shirô Ishimoda as Shuji (voice), Fumiko Orikasa as Chise (voice), Yuu Sugimoto as Akemi (voice) and Atsushi II as Kawahara (voice), among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.5/10, Saikano has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Saikano page.

If you liked it. Fans of Saikano tend to enjoy Rick and Morty, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Attack on Titan and Attack on Titan: No Regrets.