Ira Ishida's hit mystery novel series Ikebukuro West Gate Park ran from 1998 to 2009. The series, which follows a young man with an innate ability to solve mysteries, as he helps decipher the problems of his fellow tenants.
The novel series reached such success that a manga was later greenlit. Also written by Ishida, the book was published in the pages of Akita Shoten's Young Champion magazine. From there, the franchise's success grew even more as multiple spin-offs were created.
With two manga spin-offs in the books, a TV drama also premiered in 2000 that had 11 episodes and one special. For all of the years in the public eye, it was not until 2020 that an anime was ever in the cards for the franchise.
The new anime is being produced over at Doga Kobo and is directed by Tomoaki Koshida. Originally, the show was meant to premiere this summer; however, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the release of the show to the fall.
To maintain the excitement for the premiere, a brand new English-subtitled trailer was released that features a good amount of new footage. Make sure to check it out below and don't forget to share your thoughts in the comments!
The mystery novel series is set in Tokyo's Ikebukuro ward, in the eponymous Ikebukuro Nishiguchi Kōen (known by locals as "Ikebukuro West Gate Park," the place's English name). The story centers on Makoto Majima, the son of a local fruit vendor, and known as the "Troubleshooter of Ikebukuro." He helps everyone from his friends to local street toughs in solving various incidents.
Ikebukuro West Gate Park is premiering, in Japan, this October.