The first wave of information regarding Studio TRIGGER’s upcoming project BNA Brand New Animal has just been resealed alongside a new key visual and four character designs. Slated to start it’s run in April 2020, the show will air on Fuji TV’s +Ultra block. 

The story follows a Michiru Kagemori (Sumire Morohoshi), a high schooler who one day turns into a raccoon. In the world of BNA Brand New Animal, the beast population is mistreated by the humans against and hold their own in a special protection zone known as Anima City. 

In Anima City, she meets the human-hating wolf beast Shiro Ogami (Yoshimasa Hosoya) through working alongside him she learns about the trials and tribulations of the beast life.  In her goal to uncover the mystery behind her transformation, she finds herself involved in something a lot bigger.

Alongside Kagemori and Ogami we’ve been given a preview of Nazuna Hiwatashi (Maria Naganawa), Kagemori’s childhood friend, and Alan Sylvasta (Kaito Ishikawa), a young and powerful businessman. 

BNA Brand New Animal will be the first show since Little Witch Academia to be directed by the talented Yoh Yoshinari. Despite once admitting to never wanting to direct again, it seems something about a basketball-playing raccoon has made him change his mind.

This is the first time that Gurren Lagann, Kill la Kill, and PROMARE screenwriter Kazuki Nakashima will be joining forces with Yoh Yoshinari, so it should make for one hell of a spectacle. 

While no information seems to be available yet behind the significance of basketball, it’s prevalence in the past two key visuals makes it stand out as a core part of Kagemori’s character with potentially some importance to the plot. While BNA seems like a play on words given Kagemori’s transformation (presumably a change in DNA), perhaps it is also a cheeky wordplay on “NBA”.

Alongside the new key visual and character info marks the launch of the official twitter and website for BNA Brand New Animal.