Kaina of the Great Snow Sea
| Company type | Anime series and manga |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation, Publishing |
| Founded | February 26, 2022 (manga serialization start) |
| Founder | Tsutomu Nihei (creator) |
| Headquarters | Japan , Japan |
Area served | Worldwide (licensed by Crunchyroll) |
Key people | Tsutomu Nihei (creator), Hiroaki Ando (anime director), Itoe Takemoto (manga artist) |
| Products | Anime series, manga, film |
| Owner | Polygon Pictures (anime production studio) |
| Parent | Polygon Pictures |
| Website | kaina |
Kaina of the Great Snow Sea (大雪海のカイナ, Ōyukiumi no Kaina) is an original anime series from Japan, developed by Tsutomu Nihei and produced by Polygon Pictures in celebration of the studio's 40th anniversary. It was broadcast on Fuji TV's +Ultra programming block between January and March 2023. The series also received a manga adaptation, drawn by Itoe Takemoto, which was serialized in Kodansha's shōnen publication Monthly Shōnen Sirius from February 2022 until June 2024. A follow-up film titled Kaina of the Great Snow Sea: Star Sage debuted in October 2023. Licensing for both the anime and manga versions is held by Crunchyroll.
Plot
The narrative unfolds on a planet covered by a living membrane known as the Canopy, which is maintained by enormous Orbital Spire Trees. The protagonist, Kaina, becomes involved with Princess Ririha of Atland, whose people endure severe hardships beneath the Canopy in the Snow Sea region. Their homeland is embroiled in conflict with the rival faction Valghia. When Ririha ventures to the Canopy and is saved by Kaina, their adventure begins as they seek to unravel the mysteries surrounding their world.
Characters
Manga
The manga version, illustrated by Itoe Takemoto, ran in Kodansha's Monthly Shōnen Sirius magazine from February 26, 2022, through June 26, 2024. The initial collected volume was published on December 8, 2022, with the concluding volume planned for release on October 8, 2024.
English-language publication of the manga worldwide is handled by Crunchyroll. At Anime Expo 2023, Kodansha USA acquired rights for English print editions and released the first volume on June 25, 2024.
Anime
This original anime project created by Tsutomu Nihei and animated by Polygon Pictures was unveiled on January 20, 2022, to commemorate the studio’s four decades. Hiroaki Ando directed the series while Sadayuki Murai and Tetsuya Yamada wrote the scripts. The soundtrack features compositions by Hiroyuki Sawano, with additional scoring from Kohta Yamamoto and Misaki Umase. The show aired from January 12 to March 23, 2023, on Fuji TV’s +Ultra block. The first four episodes were showcased at Crunchyroll Expo 2022. The opening theme "Telepath" is performed by Yorushika, and the ending theme "Juvenile" by Greeeen. Worldwide streaming rights were secured by Crunchyroll, while Medialink licensed it for Asia-Pacific territories through Ani-One Asia’s YouTube platform.
Film
A sequel film titled Kaina of the Great Snow Sea: Star Sage (大雪海のカイナ ほしのけんじゃ) was announced on January 7, 2023. Retaining the original creative team and voice cast, it premiered in Japanese cinemas on October 13, 2023. An early screening took place at Anime Expo 2023 on July 2.