We are delighted to announce that director Hideyo Yamamoto, known to many as the director of "Strike the Blood", is travelling all the way from Japan to Anime Messe Babelsberg 2026 to celebrate the premiere of his latest work together with Crunchyroll Japan. He is joined by two further guests from the production team, who are making the long journey to Potsdam with him.

On Saturday 18 July 2026 at 16:30 we will celebrate the anime premiere of "Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life" in the great hall of the Metropolis Halle at Filmpark Babelsberg. Together with the director and producers Yuya Ogisu (LIDENFILMS) and Haruka Yabu (Pony Canyon), we will watch the first episode  and then talk about the making of the series in a panel. Director Hideyo Yamamoto will also hold an autograph session on all three days of the convention, on Friday at 15:20, on Saturday at 18:00 and on Sunday at 10:40.

In "Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life", a former Demon Lord who now drifts through life as a reclusive gamer and eventually as a high school teacher comes face to face with the very Hero who defeated him in a past life and now sits in front of him as a pupil. Between monster hunts, ordinary school days and old scores left to settle, an unexpected romance begins to unfold. The series is available on Crunchyroll from 11 July 2026.