As previously introduced on grape Japan, WakeAi is an SDGs-minded "social contribution" mail order site seeking to promote the reduction of food waste among producers and businesses suffering from the effects of the novel coronavirus.

Now, in an unusual collaboration, WakeAi has teamed up with auction site Mobaoku, operated by Mobaoku Co., Ltd., and the anime SAKUGAN, which will start broadcasting on October 7, 2021, to sell about 20 items including anime scripts and other special goods signed by the creators. The auction begins tomorrow, October 4th, and continues until December 19th.

Proceeds will be donated through the "WakeAi Food Bank," a support plan for single-parent families.

SAKUGAN, an anime produced by Satelight (known for the Aquarion, Symphogear, and later Macross franchises), directed and written by Jun'ichi Wada (Gosick, Log Horizon), with character designs by Yūji Iwahara (Darker than Black), and music by Tatsuya Kato (Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya, Free!, Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma), is a mecha action adventure story depicting the bond between a father and daughter in a single-parent family.

Through this auction, WakeAi also hopes to support people facing challenges in single-parent families just like the characters in SAKUGAN.

SAKUGAN Autographed Goods Charity Auction

• Period: October 4th, 2021 (Mon) to December 19th, 2021 (Sun)
• Details: A total of six auctions will be held every other week from Monday 12:00 to Sunday 23:00 (JST)
• Auction page on Mobaoku website
• Items: About 20 items, including special goods signed by director Jun'ichi Wada and other members of the SAKUGAN production team

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SAKUGAN

Official website: SAKUGAN

There's also a comic series you can read on the website, with translations available in English and Mandarin.

SAKUGAN has been announced as part of Crunchyroll's fall 2021 show lineup.

SAKUGAN is also significant for international anime fans as it features yet another important milestone for a non-Japanese creator working at the frontlines of the anime industry, this time by the talented French background and mecha designer Brunet Stanislas who was in charge of designing the awesome mecha like Big Tony (see below) in the anime. Stanislas has been working in Japan since 2003 and has designed mecha for Macross Delta, Aquarion Logos, AKB0048, Aquarion EVol, Hellsing, and Oban Star Racers.

Anisong fans will also be glad to know that the opening theme song, 「恍惚ラビリンス」 kōkotsu rabirinsu ("Enchanted Labyrinth"), will be performed by anisong legend Masaaki Endoh, while the ending theme song, "Shine," will be performed by MindaRyn. The Thai YouTuber and singer affiliated with Yoshimoto Entertainment Thailand and signed to Lantis made her original anisong debut last year with "Blue Rose Knows," the ending theme of By the Grace of the Gods. Anime fans who followed Virtual Crunchyroll Expo 2021 earlier this year may recall her singing it as part of a live painting collaboration with international artist MITSUME (under management by Oh! Musubi Company, Ltd.), who designed grape Japan's top page header:

About Project ANIMA

Project ANIMA started in December 2017 as a collaboration between DeNA, Sotsu, and Bunka Hōsō, accepting submission from the general public, and aiming to "create a new original anime series dedicated to the anime fans of the 2020s." The upcoming TV anime SAKUGAN is an adaptation of the novel Sakugan Labyrinth Marker, written by Nekotarō Inui, which was runner-up in the "Science-Fiction/Robot" category.

In December 2019, a voice acting audition was held for the heroine Memempu, and newcomer Kanon Amaki 天希かのん won the role. Memempu is Amaki's first main role in an anime.