Backflip!!

Lore & Background

The story follows Shotaro Futaba, a first-year student who loved sports but was never good enough. After watching a group of gymnasts in the park and seeing them in a gymnastics tournament, he decides to join their school and become part of the team. With new members Shotaro and Ryoya Misato, the Sōshūkan High School (Ao High) men's rhythmic gymnastics team aims for the upcoming Inter-High tournament, attempting to perform there for the first time. The team includes captain Masamune Shichigahama, vice-captain Keisuke Tsukidate, ace Nagayoshi Onagawa, second-year Kōtarō Watari, and coach Shūsaku Shida, a former standout gymnast whose leg injury ended his career. Manager Asawo Kurikoma supports the team with video analysis and costume design.

Reader's Guide

Backflip!! is significant as an original anime produced for the 10th anniversary of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, highlighting regional recovery themes through the lens of men's rhythmic gymnastics—a sport rarely depicted in anime. The series aired on Fuji TV's prestigious Noitamina block and was streamed internationally by Crunchyroll. Its manga adaptation and subsequent film expanded the story, with the film premiering in Japan on July 2, 2022. The series features character designs by Robico, known for My Little Monster, and music by Yuki Hayashi. Its legacy includes bringing attention to men's rhythmic gymnastics and fostering a dedicated fanbase, though its impact remains primarily within the anime community.

Did You Know?

• The series is part of the 'Zutto Ōen Project 2011 + 10...' commemorating the 10th anniversary of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
• Original character designs were provided by Robico, the author of My Little Monster.
• The anime film premiered on July 2, 2022, with returning staff and cast.
• Coach Shūsaku Shida was formerly the ace of Hakumei University, capable enough to make men's rhythmic gymnastics an Olympic event.

Production & Release

Backflip!! (stylized as バクテン!!) is an original Japanese anime television series that first aired on Fuji TV from April through June 2021. The project was announced on November 4, 2020, as part of the broadcaster's "Zutto Ōen Project 2011 + 10..." initiative. Production fell to the studio Zexcs, with dual direction handled by Seishirō Nagaya and Toshimasa Kuroyanagi, while Toshizo Nemoto penned the series' scripts. The show found a secondary life in print when manga artist Kei Sakuraba adapted the story into a serialized manga, running in Kodansha's Dessert magazine from January 22 to September 24, 2021. The franchise's momentum carried it into theatrical release as well: a standalone anime film premiered on July 2, 2022, extending the narrative beyond the television run. Together, these releases—television, manga, and film—established Backflip!! as a multi-format property within a relatively compact two-year window.

Story & Premise

At its core, Backflip!! follows Shōtarō Futaba, a first-year high school student who has always loved sports yet never excelled in any of them, perpetually stuck on the sidelines. Everything changes when he witnesses a group of gymnasts practicing in a park and later attends a gymnastics tournament. Struck by the performance of the Sōshūkan High School men's rhythmic gymnastics team, he makes the bold decision to enroll at their school and join the club despite having no prior gymnastics experience whatsoever. Alongside fellow first-year Ryōya Misato, the team sets its sights on competing at the Inter-High tournament—a milestone the Sōshūkan squad, also known as Ao High, is attempting to achieve for the very first time. The narrative thus centers on a group of young men who find purpose and connection through the unconventional sport of men's rhythmic gymnastics, balancing personal growth with the pressure of a high-stakes competition.

The Sōshūkan Team & Coach

The Sōshūkan men's rhythmic gymnastics club is anchored by an enthusiastic third-year captain, Masamune Shichigahama, whose recruiting drive helped grow the team to six members. His passion for the sport was sparked by witnessing Shūsaku Shida's backflips. The vice-captain, Keisuke Tsukidate, brings a calm, all-around skill set and a quiet fondness for moss and plants, while ace Nagayoshi Onagawa is known for his running gag of inventing nicknames his juniors always reject. Second-year Kōtarō Watari projects a tough exterior but harbors a soft heart and a deep love of yakuza films. Overseeing them all is coach Shida, a former Hakumei University ace whose talent was once considered sufficient to push men's rhythmic gymnastics into the Olympic program. A leg injury ended his performing career, transforming his once-arrogant demeanor into patience and mentorship. Club manager Asawo Kurikoma, Shida's relative, handles video analysis, choreography software, and costume design, tying the team's daily operations together.

Rivalry & Competition

The primary competitive foil to Sōshūkan is the Hakumei University Affiliated High School team, led by third-year captain Tōru Takase, who has regarded Shichigahama as a rival since their very first encounter and openly acknowledges Ao High as worthy opponents. His vice-captain, Yōjirō Mutsu, keeps Takase's intense emotions in check, though first-year prodigy Mashiro Tsukiyuki seems more intimidated by Mutsu than by his own captain. Tsukiyuki, who cycled through multiple clubs before finding rhythmic gymnastics after watching Misato perform, brings a playful aloofness and a competitive drive rooted in his rivalry with the Sōshūkan ace. The rivalry extends beyond the mat: second-year Hideo Ōminato and Sōshūkan's Onagawa share a lighthearted feud over their respective idol preferences, while Ryūgamori Kyōichi and Tsukidate bond over their mutual love of plants. Hakumei's coach, Shūji Mabuchi, a former captain from Shida's era, believes that Shida's retirement due to injury robbed the sport of its best chance to reach Olympic status.