Animation Video Released for Kanae Minato's Latest Work, Akeboshi (Morning Star)! Also Generating Buzz with Readings by Takahiro Sakurai and Saori Hayami

An animation video has been released for Kanae Minato's latest full-length novel, Akeboshi, which is scheduled to be released on November 27th.

The novel's story begins with a shocking incident: Yoshiyuki Shimizu, a currently serving Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and a highly respected literary figure, is stabbed to death by a man who rushed out from backstage during a ceremony for the National High School Cultural Festival. The arrested man is 37-year-old Akatsuki Nagase. Following his arrest, Nagase begins publishing a memoir in a weekly magazine, detailing his deep resentment toward a newly established religious group allegedly heavily involved with Shimizu. Simultaneously, a writer who attended the ceremony attempts to capture the Nagase incident in a novel. What is the view that emerges when nonfiction and fiction—these two narratives—converge?

Minato Kanae, who declares this work to be "The one I can definitively say I love the most out of my 29 books," calls Akeboshi the culmination of her writing career. The book is already garnering significant attention thanks to a star-studded reading by voice actors Takahiro Sakurai and Saori Hayami. The Audible audiobook hit No. 1 on the bestseller rankings (as of Nov 19, 2025), and a special free Kindle trial version offers the first 55 pages. The novel's world can be enjoyed visually and audibly even before the physical release.

The next way to experience Akeboshi is through the newly released "Animation Video." The video was published today across Futabasha's official accounts. Additionally, posters featuring comments from both Takahiro Sakurai and Saori Hayami, as well as an outline reading by Sakurai, are being displayed in bookstores nationwide.

Book Information

Title: Akeboshi
Author: Kanae Minato
Release Date: Thursday, November 27th
Retail Price (Pre-tax): ¥1,980 (¥1,800 + tax)