One of the most popular anime series of the winter season is coming to an end. Tamon’s B-Side perfectly captures the exhilarating feeling of being part of a fandom, and more specifically, what it means to love a boy band. It’s no surprise the series has gained massive traction across social media, with fans already clamoring for a Season 2. Blending heartfelt storytelling with likable characters, Tamon’s B-Side feels both deeply personal and universally relatable, which has helped it quickly take over the internet. If you’ve been following Utage and Tamon’s journey and aren’t quite ready to say goodbye, we’ve got something for you.

Collider had the opportunity to sit down with head writer Chiaki Nagai and director Chika Nagaoka to discuss bringing the story to life. In the interview, they share insights into the creative process, the changes made in adapting the story for the screen, and what they can tease about a potential Season 2. Director Nagaoka also dives into how the team created additional moments for audiences to connect with the characters, while building out each member of F/ACE through thoughtful details, from their apartments to the books they would read. It’s a testament to the care and attention the team put into the adaptation, all while preserving the spirit of the original material.

'Tamon's B-Side' Director Didn't Want To Disappoint The Fans

"I’ve personally had experiences where I saw an anime of a series I was very fond of and was disappointed at how different certain things felt from how I imagined them."

COLLIDER: When adapting Tamon’s B-Side for the screen, which elements of the manga did you most want to highlight for viewers?

NAGAI: We are dealing with a shojo manga, so I wanted to prioritize the romcom side of the story. I tried to balance everything out so it didn’t turn into a fully idol series, but I didn’t want F/ACE to lose any of their charm, either.

NAGAOKA: There are two major points. First, how much fun the romcom between Utage and Tamon is. I took a lot of care into showing just how adorable they are and how just watching them puts a smile on your face. But I also wanted to be very careful about how we portrayed Ouri, who also has feelings for Utage. I wanted the audience to be able to naturally feel for all of them with this anime. You can also say that this series takes on a challenging theme since it deals with idols and romance. I wanted the viewers to be able to feel butterflies and excitement in this story while we showed the delicate and abundant romantic feelings these characters were all feeling. Second, Yuki Shiwasu-sensei is a master of wonderful word choices and witty, well-paced dialogue, so I really wanted to showcase that even more in the anime. Unlike manga, you really have to be extremely careful with how you spend time in anime. This is partially because of my own preferences, too, but in this anime, we purposely sped up how fast everyone talks and the characters’ interactions with each other to really emphasize the rhythm of the dialogue.

COLLIDER: Which scene proved the most challenging to animate, and what factors contributed to that difficulty?

NAGAI: There are a lot of monologues in the dialogue, especially with Utage and Tamon, who have a lot of lines. So I wanted to adjust the amount of dialogue so it didn’t feel too awkward when being animated. However, I didn’t want to lose any of the funny lines or the momentum from the manga, so trying to find the right balance was very difficult.

NAGAOKA: Actually, creating the “super popular idol group F/ACE” was what I struggled with the most. In the manga, F/ACE was just a public persona, meaning there weren’t very many scenes where you actually see the characters being idols. But I’m sure that fans of the manga have their own vision of what F/ACE looks like to them. That’s why I knew that the F/ACE we portrayed in the anime had to be the ideal F/ACE to the fans. I’ve personally had experiences where I saw an anime of a series I was very fond of and was disappointed at how different certain things felt from how I imagined them. I didn’t want the fans of Tamon’s B-Side to go through the same thing. The process of giving shape to what the “super popular idol group F/ACE” should look like was filled with a lot of fumbling around and difficulties. But I had confidence that I knew how to bring characters of a series that was being turned into an anime to life accurately, with all of the experience I had cultivated from working on the theatrical releases of Detective Conan and the Utano☆Princesama series. Also, after having several discussions with the creators in each section, we were able to see our path slowly but surely. In order to make the idols known as F/ACE shine even more brilliantly, we included anime-original performance scenes, but we also showed their contrast by showcasing their apartments so you could get a sense of their real, secret personas. We included a lot of small details like that, and because of all of these layers together, the gap between F/ACE’s personalities stood out even more, and I believe we were able to showcase all of their charms even more effectively.

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COLLIDER: Adaptations often require adjustments. Were there moments from the manga that you felt needed to be reimagined for the anime? Were any significant changes or additions made that you’d like to share with fans?

NAGAOKA: Because we had to pack 7 volumes of manga within 13 episodes, we had no choice but to cut certain things that were in the manga from the anime. But there are important scenes that showcase Utage and Tamon’s feelings, and I also had to consider the fact that Shiwasu-sensei’s dialogue is a huge part of her series’ identity, so we made this anime keeping those things intact as much as possible. We made huge adjustments in episode 8’s “Summer Vacation” arc, but because of that, I think we were able to carefully develop the story, concentrating on Keito and Ouri. I also put a lot of thought and care into the last scenes of every episode. Since you’re uniquely capable of boldly omitting time and space while leaving the audience with a sense of anticipation for the next episode with anime, I made a conscious effort to use this technique effectively.

NAGAI: There weren’t very many big adjustments or changes, but we did have to adjust how we expressed some of the text jokes that are common in manga for the anime. This ends up greatly affecting the visuals, so I kept in the parts that the director [Nagaoka] said would work in the anime. On the other hand, there were lines like “And it’s ridiculous for me to think this... more like re-die-culous...” that are amusing in text form but became funny through the wonderful performances of the voice actors, so I think that turned out really great.

'Tamon's B-Side's Author Knew Where To Pay Attention, And When To Let Go

"Shiwasu-sensei gave us very careful instructions when it came to how the characters should look, down to the finest details."

Image via Crunchyroll

COLLIDER: Did Yuki Shiwasu provide input or feedback during the adaptation process? If so, how did it influence the final work?

NAGAI: There were a few things we checked with her, but she didn’t really give us any detailed instructions and let us work freely. She allowed us to prioritize what would work best for the anime, and she was on board with the sections we had to cut, so I was able to put together the story for the anime without worrying. There are some parts here and there that happened differently than in the manga, but I think the script turned out okay without any awkwardness.

NAGAOKA: Shiwasu-sensei gave us very careful instructions when it came to how the characters should look, down to the finest details. On the other hand, when it came down to the script composition and what scenes needed to be cut, she really left it up to our own discretion and decision, so the freedom she gave us still leaves a lasting impression. When it came to designing the rooms and apartments of Utage and the F/ACE members, I definitely asked a lot of questions. For example, when it came to each of their tastes or the fine details like what kind of books they’d have lined up on their bookshelves, I definitely talked to Sensei about that. When it came to the interior design or props, I also offered her some ideas of what might work, and I believe it’s through these numerous discussions that the anime production side and Shiwasu-sensei were able to truly understand and trust each other. I believe this process really helped to bring the characters to life, and I think we were able to use the anime to portray parts of the characters’ personalities and identities that can’t really be expressed through words. I also think we were able to create more instances for the viewers to fall in love with the characters.

COLLIDER: Is there a character you feel particularly drawn to, and what is it about them that you like?

NAGAOKA: Utage and President Shiraishi. I felt that they were both very easy to bring to life in anime. Utage’s expressions and emotions change so greatly, and President Shiraishi’s reactions are very intense. Despite her being a bit scary, her reasoning is very clear. Also, they each possess both strength and kindness, and I found that very appealing, making them both very cool. I personally really like them a lot.

NAGAI: All of the characters are just so charming, so this is a really hard question... but I’d have to say the heroine, Utage-chan, because the extreme switch between her fan activities and her work acts as the contrast in the series itself!

COLLIDER: The anime has a wonderfully colorful palette. Are the specific colors used for the members of the band meant to represent something about their personalities (or B-sides)?

NAGAOKA: If you felt the colors were rich and vibrant, I’m very honored. I spent a lot of time discussing the color design with Miho Kimura-san from J.C. STAFF, and we paid very close attention to even the smallest details. While the colors don’t directly symbolize each character’s personality, using the member colors as a base, we deliberately incorporated contrasting colors into each of their apartments. Also, in the “F/ACE OFF” music video, I believe we were able to boldly use a tricky and slightly abnormal color palette. With the experience we gained from the music video, when there were scenes where someone expressed surprise or pivotal moments within a long take in the anime, we made sure that the colors were bolder and even more vivid. I think our producer was even surprised to see that we were using purple for the shadows in the characters’ necks. Additionally, to make sure that the audience doesn’t feel overly gloomy in dark scenes or rooms, I always have the production team thinking about the colors.

In the opening animation, we’ve put the abnormal coloring from the music video and the pale colors that give off a shojo manga vibe together, depicting two contrasting worlds, so that might have made the overall color palette seem even more vivid.

'Tamon's B-Side' Season 2 Will Come Down To One Big Factor

"I’d like to continue trying out various new possibilities with this team we have."

COLLIDER: With Season 1 resonating so strongly with audiences, is there anything you can share about the prospects for a Season 2?

NAGAOKA: I was honestly very surprised to hear that this series was popular amongst anime fans overseas, but it makes me very happy. I believe we did our very best to make sure that each episode was enjoyable, but also that the whole season was enjoyable and didn’t become boring. For example, I always paid careful attention to the pauses between lines, the speed of the events happening in the story, and dramatic shot compositions. Also, to make sure the romcom aspects didn’t seem too repetitive, I tried to figure out some natural ways to show our characters growing, like through changes in their expressions and such. I also added a lot of information onscreen to make it feel more high-end, and I worked very hard to make sure every character made a lasting impression. I think all the hard, careful work we put in was able to get through to an overseas audience despite the differences in our languages and cultures, which also gave me a lot of confidence. I’d like to continue trying out various new possibilities with this team we have. Us getting a Season 2 or not really depends on everyone’s support, so it would make me very happy if everyone could continue showing their support.

COLLIDER: How do you and your team bring your own unique perspective to Yuki Shiwasu’s work?

NAGAI: I think we were able to maintain the romcom aspects while still reinforcing F/ACE being idols and showing what they’re like at work. I think we were able to vividly showcase the world these characters live in a little more through the anime.

NAGAOKA: I believe our team’s perspectives and uniqueness truly shine with how we created and added in anime-original parts. We probably did have the option to also just follow the manga completely faithfully without adding in any of the performance scenes or anime-original scenes. But our team decided to completely bring the idol group F/ACE to life, both in body and spirit. We were going to create their music and give them proper performance scenes. The reason we came to that decision is because the most important thing about this series is for the anime viewers to accept Utage’s way of life as something they can agree with and accept, and we want them to be able to relate to her. J.C. STAFF and the producers trust each other very much, so I knew that we could make this happen. Other than that, regarding the anime-original scenes... to put it simply, they’re just scenes that I wanted to see more of, or I wanted to know exactly what they said. In the scene in episode 11 where Natsuki asks Asuka out, I asked Shiwasu-sensei to come up with what he would say for the anime. Also, Ouri’s line at the end of episode 9 is something I added when I was making the storyboards. I just really wanted to hear Ouri say “Damn it,” the moment that he realized he was in love. Even if you contrast it with the opening scene of the episode, I thought it was very effective. With all of our anime-only scenes, we’ve received a lot of reactions and support from the fans, so as someone directly involved in the anime production, it’s very encouraging.

COLLIDER: Do you have a favorite episode from this first season? What makes it stand out to you?

NAGAOKA: I think episode 4 with the summer festival turned out far better than I could’ve ever imagined. Within the very colorful festival and fireworks, and the very Japanese scenery, we see Utage and Tamon’s emotions delicately wavering, and then Ouri gets thrown into the mix, so you also feel the tension of this love triangle. The balance between the visual of the quiet emotions and the sudden dynamic events felt really nice. It turned into an episode I can rewatch over and over, and it still makes me smile.

NAGAI: It would have to be the episode where Ouri caught a cold (Episode 5). This episode really showed where each character stood, and I also think it was the episode where Tamon’s identity as an idol started to take on a life of its own. On top of that, the gags and the contrast were really impactful, and the battle for the center position was also going on... so everything was pretty hectic, and I think it was a lot of fun to watch. I really love this episode a lot.

COLLIDER: Collaboration often involves different creative perspectives. How do you and your team navigate moments when your visions for a scene or character don’t fully align?

NAGAI: With Tamon-kun, our team all seemed to agree on what he should be like, so we were able to proceed without any issues. The completed visuals often did a lot of the heavy lifting as well, so I was happy to see that.

NAGAOKA: We went through a series of trial and error, but I think it was very important for us to be able to create the “F/ACE OFF” music video before making the anime series. I think that allowed each of the creators to have a much better understanding of who F/ACE was to them. Also, carefully creating the apartments for each F/ACE member was as important a process. A lot of the story for Tamon’s B-Side happens within their apartments, but they all live in apartments with the same floor plan, and there’s nothing seasonal. That’s exactly why I had lengthy discussions with the art director Yu-Li-san, and the members in charge of the backgrounds until we were all satisfied that each of the apartments felt like the members actually lived in them. For the 3DCG performance scenes, we first shot the choreographer in multiple angles, which I then turned into a storyboard, and then we did some motion capture. SANZIGEN Inc. is in charge of that side of production. Apparently, they had a little trouble applying what was in the storyboards into the camera work at first, but they are experts in making 3DCG animation look 2D and one of the best companies in Japan when it comes to that technology and technique, so I was very impressed with the final product. Also, with this project, after talking to both animation producers from J.C. STAFF, Yuji Matsukura-san and Kosuke Matsuo-san, we decided to use the 3D layout method. This method involves constructing the space itself using CG, which helps prevent inconsistencies that often arise when dozens of creators are involved and ensures a consistent visual style. In the end, I believe that this helps raise the overall quality of the project.

Tamon's B-Side

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Followed

Comedy

Anime

Romance

Release Date

January 4, 2026

Network

Tokyo MX

Cast

• 
  Saori Hayami

  Utage Kinoshita
• 
  Kakeru Hatano

  Tamon Fukuhara
• 
  Shoya Chiba

  Natsuki Ishibashi
• 
  Tasuku Hatanaka

  Ouri Sakaguchi

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

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