Rinkai! Explained

Rinkai!
Ja Kanji:リンカイ!
Genre:Sports (keirin)
Creator:Mixi
Type:manga
Rinkai! Azalea
Author:Kiyoshi Yamane
Publisher:Amazia
Magazine:Manga Bang!
First:April 9, 2024
Type:TV Series
Director:Takaaki Ishiyama
Music:Shuichiro Fukuhiro
Yoshihei Ueda
Mana Hirano
Studio:TMS Entertainment
Network:Tokyo MX, BS Fuji
First:April 9, 2024
Last:June 25, 2024
Episodes:12
Portal:yes

is a Japanese mixed-media project about women's keirin cycling created by Mixi. A manga series by Kiyoshi Yamane titled Rinkai! Azalea began serialization in Amazia's Manga Bang! service in April 2024. An anime television series adaptation produced by TMS Entertainment aired from April to June 2024.

Characters

As per their official profiles, every character is a cyclist each representative from a different Japanese prefecture, associated with a specific velodrome situated there. Each character's surname shares in turn the name of the city which is home to such velodrome.

The daughter of the owner of an onsen inn establishment, together with her older sister Atsumi they are known as the "On-Sen Sisters". A cycling enthusiast, she became an athlete without having any previous experience in the sport.[1]
  • Born to a Japanese mother and a French father, himself also a cyclist, she achieved entrance to a cycling training institute in the first ever special selection for female athletes, all the while completing school education ahead of schedule.[2]
  • [3]
  • Previously the center of a former local idol group which ended up disbanding due to certain internal issues, she set out to become a cyclist who would be able to earn a living with her own strength alone.[4]
    [5]
  • The only daughter of a renowned zaibatsu family of the Tōkai region, after being raised in a sheltered and overly affective way by her parents, she decided to become a cyclist in order to become independent from her family.[6]
    [7]
  • Capable both in sports and in the academic field, after graduating from school she found a job at a major firm. Not feeling fulfilled with it, however, she switched through different occupations, from office worker to yoga instructor, until finally becoming a cyclist.[8]
    [9]
  • A sports multi-talent with an innate leader character, she began cycling competitions since the second year of high school, dominating the whole national scene with her prowess.[10]
    [11]
  • A gold medalist at worldwide competitions and current title holder. Despite not starting as an elite athlete, she changed radically after going through a certain moment of her life, rising all at once to the top position.[12]
    [13]
  • [13]
  • [13]
  • [14]
  • [15]
  • [16]
  • [16]
  • [16]
  • [14]
    [17]
  • [18]
  • [19]
  • [19]
  • Media

    Manga

    A manga series by Kiyoshi Yamane titled began serialization in Amazia's Manga Bang! service April 9, 2024.[20]

    Anime

    An anime television series was announced alongside the manga series at the AnimeJapan 2023 event.[21] [22] The series is produced by TMS Entertainment and directed by Takaaki Ishiyama, with Hideki Shirane handling series composition, Hiromi Ono designing the characters, and Shuichiro Fukuhiro, Yoshihei Ueda and Mana Hirano composing the music.[23] It aired from April 9 to June 25, 2024 on Tokyo MX and BS Fuji.[24] The opening theme song is "Windshifter", performed by Rico Sasaki, while the ending theme song is "Override!", performed by the main cast.[25]

    Medialink licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia for streaming on Ani-One Asia's YouTube channel.[26] Jonu Media also licensed the series for Spanish-speaking countries.[27]

    Episodes

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: ja:伊東 泉 CHARACTER リンカイ!Project 公式サイト. https://rinkai-pj.com/character/itoizumi.html. rinkai-pj.com. August 2, 2023. ja.
    2. Web site: ja:平塚 ナナ CHARACTER リンカイ!Project 公式サイト. https://rinkai-pj.com/character/hiratsukanana.html. rinkai-pj.com. August 2, 2023. ja.
    3. Web site: ja:第2回「リンカイ!LIVEきゃんぷ」5月19日(金)20:20~ライブ配信!ゲストに弥彦巫子役の長谷川玲奈さんが登場!!. https://rinkai-pj.com/news/20230518_01/. rinkai-pj.com. May 18, 2023. July 26, 2023. ja.
    4. Web site: ja:弥彦 巫子 CHARACTER リンカイ!Project 公式サイト. https://rinkai-pj.com/character/yahikomiko.html. rinkai-pj.com. August 2, 2023. ja.
    5. Web site: ja:第3回「リンカイ!LIVEきゃんぷ」6月15日(木)16:00~ライブ配信!ゲストに那古屋役の北守さいかさんが登場!!. https://rinkai-pj.com/news/20230612_01/. rinkai-pj.com. June 12, 2023. July 26, 2023. ja.
    6. Web site: ja:那古屋 紗智 CHARACTER リンカイ!Project 公式サイト. https://rinkai-pj.com/character/nagoyasachi.html. rinkai-pj.com. August 2, 2023. ja.
    7. Web site: ja:第4回「リンカイ!LIVEきゃんぷ」7月17日(月)19:30~ライブ配信!ゲストに高松役の杉山里穂さんが登場!!. https://rinkai-pj.com/news/20230714_01/. rinkai-pj.com. July 14, 2023. July 26, 2023. ja.
    8. Web site: ja:高松 絹早 CHARACTER リンカイ!Project 公式サイト. https://rinkai-pj.com/character/takamatsukinusa.html. rinkai-pj.com. August 2, 2023. ja.
    9. Web site: ja:第5回「リンカイ!LIVEきゃんぷ」8月16日(水)19:50~ライブ配信!ゲストに熊本役の日向未南さんが登場!!. https://rinkai-pj.com/news/20230810_01/. rinkai-pj.com. August 8, 2023. August 18, 2023. ja.
    10. Web site: ja:熊本 愛 CHARACTER リンカイ!Project 公式サイト. https://rinkai-pj.com/character/kumamotoai.html. rinkai-pj.com. August 18, 2023. ja.
    11. Web site: Rinkai! Women's Cycling Project Unveils More Cast, Anime's TV Debut Next Spring. Anime News Network. November 25, 2023. November 25, 2023.
    12. Web site: ja: 久留米 美虹 CHARACTER リンカイ!Project 公式サイト. https://rinkai-pj.com/character/kurumetsutsuji.html. rinkai-pj.com. November 28, 2023. ja.
    13. Web site: Rinkai! Women's Cycling Anime Reveals 3 More Cast Members. Anime News Network. April 16, 2024. April 16, 2024.
    14. Web site: ja:第8回「リンカイ!LIVEきゃんぷ」12月14日(木)20:20~ライブ配信!ゲストに広島役の高橋雛子さん、玉野役の遠野ひかるさんが登場!!. https://rinkai-pj.com/news/20231208_01/. rinkai-pj.com. December 8, 2023. January 14, 2024. ja.
    15. Web site: ja:第11回「リンカイ!LIVEきゃんぷ」2月26日(月)20:20~ライブ配信!ゲストに防府役の小市眞琴さん、前橋役の村井美里さんが登場!!. https://rinkai-pj.com/news/20240219_01/. rinkai-pj.com. February 19, 2024. March 3, 2024. ja.
    16. Web site: Rinkai! Women's Cycling Anime Adds 5 More Cast Members. Anime News Network. April 23, 2024. April 23, 2024.
    17. Web site: ja:第9回「リンカイ!LIVEきゃんぷ」12月27日(水)20:20~ライブ配信!ゲストに立川役の和久井優さんが登場!!. https://rinkai-pj.com/news/20231221_01/. rinkai-pj.com. December 21, 2023. January 14, 2024. ja.
    18. Web site: ja:第10回「リンカイ!LIVEきゃんぷ」2月10日(土)19:20~ライブ配信!MC佐々木李子さん、和久井優さん!ゲストに向日町役の東内マリ子さんが登場!. https://rinkai-pj.com/news/20240202_01/. rinkai-pj.com. February 13, 2024. February 16, 2024. ja.
    19. Web site: Rinkai! Women's Cycling Anime Unveils 4 More Cast Members. Anime News Network. April 30, 2024. April 30, 2024.
    20. Web site: ja:コミック『リンカイ!アザレア』4月9日(火)マンガBANG!にて連載開始!. https://rinkai-pj.com/news/20240327_01/. rinkai-pj.com. March 27, 2024. March 29, 2024. ja.
    21. Web site: Rinkai! Project About Women's Cycling Gets Anime, Manga. Anime News Network. March 25, 2023. March 25, 2023.
    22. Web site: Dennison. Kara. Women's Cycling Project Rinkai! Announces Anime and Manga Adaptations. Crunchyroll. March 28, 2023. March 28, 2023.
    23. Web site: TVアニメ「リンカイ!」が本日4月9日より放送開始!. 9 April 2024. Japanese.
    24. Web site: 2024春アニメ・最速放送&放送日順まとめ一覧! これを見れば見逃しなし!. Japanese.
    25. Web site: Rinkai! Women's Cycling Anime's Video Unveils Opening Song, Staff, April 9 Debut. Anime News Network. February 21, 2024. February 21, 2024.
    26. Web site: Ani-One Asia Licenses Astro Note, Rinkai! Anime.
    27. Web site: Jonu Media licencia Rinkai!, con simucast en Jonu Play cada martes. 6 April 2024. Spanish.