‘Spriggan’ manga adaptation has finally found its Captain Steve H. Foster

The much-anticipated adaptation of Hiroshi Takashige and Ryōji Minagawa’s Spriggan (Striker) manga has cast one of its principal roles. Actor Akio Ōtsuka will play Steve H. Foster, Captain of the Rosinante and special adviser for the ARCAM Corporation’s Marine Research and Development Department.

Ōtsuka is one of anime’s top voices, with a long history of roles in Lupin II, Black Jack, Bleach, and My Hero Academia.

Spriggan tells the story of Yū Ominae, a high school student who leads a double life as a “Spriggan,” an agent dedicated to protecting the relics of a long past highly advanced civilization from the sinister forces who attempt to steal and misuse them for personal gain and destruction.

Hiroshi Kobayashi will direct the series, with Hiroshi Seko of Attack on Titan acting as supervisor and screenwriter. Animator Shūhei Handa from Little Witch Academia will oversee character design and will also serve as chief animation director.

The Spriggan manga debuted in 1989. Writer Hiroshi Takashige and artist Ryōji Minagawa published the series in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in 1989 and then Shōnen Sunday Zōkan from 1992 to 1996. The story appeared as Striker in North America from 1998 to 1999, published in three volumes by Viz Media. The story was adapted into an anime feature film in 1998. The English dub, produced by ADV Films, was released in 2002.