Yeah, transformers are cool, but have you ever wondered, what if they were something other than a car?
Taking the concept one step further OLM, Inc., the animation studio behind Pokémon, adapted a toy franchise into an anime back in 2018.
Transforming one of the greatest inventions from Japan, Shinkansen (Bullet Train), Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion THE ANIMATION, is the anime adaptation of the toyline by Takara Tomy, first launched in 2015, in association of Japan Railways.
Sequel to the Shinkalion anime, Shinkalion Z, has been announced and the official website for the anime just dropped the second PV for the upcoming instalment of the series.
Introducing two new characters and two new trains, Shinkalion Z, developed by the Shinkansen Ultra Evolution Institute, the PV hypes the audience for the upcoming sequel with new children having high compatibility rates.
The PV also put the heart of the fans at rest, as it confirms the released date of the sequel, Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion Z The Animation.
The series will be hitting TV Tokyo 9 from April 9, 2021 and by then, fans will also be able to get their hands on the new toys made Takara Tomy specifically for this series.
When the announcement for the new title in the Shinakalion franchise was made earlier this year, a huge emphasis was placed on the ‘Z’ in the name, and the studio even went the length to market it by saying, “What could it mean?”
Finally, the truth has been revealed and ‘Z’ in the name stands for “Zailiner.”
Zailiner is a fusion transformation, known as Z-Combining, which created the ultimate mode Shinkalion machine by fusing ‘Shinkalion Z E7 Kagayaki,’ ‘Shinkalion Z E6 Komachi,’ and ‘Shinkalion Z E5 Hayabusa.’
This time, Kentaro Yamaguchi has taken over the director of the prequel, Takahiro Ikezoe, and helming the animation at OLM. However, Takahiro will returning as a chief director this season and has also taken care of the scripts for the series.
The rest of the cast is as follows:
| Position | Staff | Other Works |
| Studio | OLM, Inc. | Pokémon the Movie: Coco |
| Director | Kentaro Yamaguchi | Beyblade Burst |
| Scriptwriter | Masanao Akahoshi | Cardfight!! Vangaurd |
| Character | Cast | Other Works |
| Shin Arata | Minami Tsuda | Mei Aihara (Citrus) |
| Abuto Usui | Akari Kitou | Nezuko (Kimetsu no Yaiba) |
| SMAT (Robot Mascot) | Jun Fukuyama | Lelouch Lamperouge (Code Geass) |
Rest of the characters will be featuring a returning cast and Shogakukan will be handling the CG Animation for the series.
With the plot of the series set a few years after the original, two new children have joined the forces with the institute to pilot their secretly developed and most advanced Shinkalion to fight the giant monster that has reappeared!
Is this the evolution of the Shinkalions?
About Shinkalion
Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion is a Japanese toy franchise created by Takara Tomy, in association with the Japan Railways Group.
It is a spin-off of the long-running Plarail model train franchise, and OLM, Inc. adapted the franchise into an anime in 2018.
The story is centered around several incidents of monster attacks from a mysterious group named Kitoralzers, which appeared suddenly in Japan after the appearance of the mysterious ‘Black Shinkansen.’
In response, a secret organization called Shinkansen Ultra Evolution Institute was established in order to investigate the Black Shinkansen and its relations to the attacks using Shinkalions, bullet trains that turn into giant robots.
However ,one day, Hayato Hayasugi, a young grade schooler who is a big railfan due to his father being a staff in the Railway Museum, accidentally got involved in the recent attack by the monsters and discovered his father’s secret working with the Shinkansen Ultra Evolution Institute.
No Comments on Shinkalion Hypes Up The Fans With New PV And Trains; Premiers April 9