A website opened on Thursday to announce the television anime adaptation of Yuhiro Tsujitsugu‘s Snowball Earth manga, which will premiere in 2026 on the NTV channel. The website also revealed the anime’s super teaser visual, announcement video, and main staff.
©辻次夕日郎／小学館／「スノウボールアース」製作委員会
The anime’s website also revealed a commemorative illustration drawn by Tsujitsugu:
©辻次夕日郎／小学館／「スノウボールアース」製作委員会
Tsujitsugu also posted on X (formerly Twitter) another commemorative illustration for the anime announcement:
『スノウボールアース』TOHO animationで
2026年日本テレビ系にてTVアニメになります
読者の皆様の応援のお陰です!有難うございます!スタジオKAIさん制作で、境宗久監督です!
自分が夢中になれる漫画を目指して描いていたら
自分が夢中になったアニメを作られた方々に手がけていただけます!最高です! pic.twitter.com/jHWDQqP0ZQ— 辻次夕日郎／9集 7月30日発売！ (@yuhirotsuji) July 17, 2025
Munehisa Sakai (Zombie Land Saga, Dance Dance Danseur, One Piece Film Strong World film) is directing the anime at Studio KAI, and Takeshi Iwata (The IDOLM@STER Shiny Colors, 2nd season Ajin episode director) is the assistant director. Shigeru Murakoshi (Apocalypse Hotel, Catch Me at the Ballpark!, Zombie Land Saga) is in charge of series scripts, and Toshiya Kōno (‘Tis Time for “Torture,” Princess character design, Fate/Apocrypha, Chainsaw Man ep. 4 animation director) is designing the characters and is also the chief animation director. TOHO animation is producing the anime.
©Yuhiro Tsujitsugu, Shogakukan
Viz Media releases the manga in English and describes the story:
In the year 2025, huge beasts from beyond the galaxy attacked Earth. In the war that followed, humanity fought back with a giant robot named Yukio, piloted by Tetsuo Yabusame. As the massive alien swarm closed in on humanity’s homeworld, Tetsuo and the Earth Defense Force deployed for the final battle with the invading horde. They lost…
Yukio was destroyed in battle and Tetsuo survived in an escape pod. After eight years in cold sleep, the escape pod finally lands back on Earth. But when Tetsuo emerges he finds a world in ruins, entirely frozen beneath a blanket of ice and snow—snowball Earth! What happened to humanity, how did the planet freeze over, and will Tetsuo be able to keep his last promise to Yukio?
Tsujitsugu launched the ongoing manga in Shogakukan‘s Monthly Spirits magazine in 2021. Shogakukan will publish the manga’s ninth compiled book volume on July 30. Viz Media will publish the manga’s sixth volume in English on August 19.
Sources: Snowball Earth anime’s website, Mainichi Shimbun’s Mantan Web
Dil Nawaz — a writer who breathes life into emotions through words. I find beauty in silence, meaning in longing, and stories in every heartbeat. Writing for me isn’t just passion; it’s a way to connect souls, one feeling at a time.