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Season 1 – Sanda

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – Sanda Oct 2025 Action Fantasy Drama Adventure Anime Play Trailer Watchlist
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In future Japan, children have higher social status than adults due to declining birth rates; here, Santa Claus has been sealed by a curse, leaving Christmas a legend until Sanda Kazushige realizes he has a connection to the mythical Santa.
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Sanda — Season 1

Critics Reviews

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Isaiah Colbert io9.com Oct 15
It’s refreshingly unorthodox and hilarious, and just unsettling enough to keep viewers tapping their fingers to see what it’ll do next. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Nathan J. @TribianiRamoray Dec 20 Rating: 6.8/10 A visually chaotic series thriving on Science SARU's animation, but struggling with narrative balance. Highlights - Unique Premise: Fascinating world-building with generational gaps and youth fetishization. - Great Animation: Fluid, squash-and-stretch style fits the grotesque story perfectly. - Dynamic Fights: Creative use of Santa's powers, like growing skis. Criticisms - Frantic Pacing: Complex story feels rushed in 12 episodes. - Tonal Whiplash: Swings from comedy to body horror to drama. - Underdeveloped Characters: Some supporting cast feel like set dressing. Verdict A visual spectacle worth watching for animation and novelty, but the story's messiness holds it back. See more Read all reviews
Sanda — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Ayumu Murase

Kazushige Sanda

Hiroki Touchi

Santa Claus

Umeka Shoji

Shiori Fuyumura

Anna Nagase

Ichie Ono

Yuki Shin

Hitoshi Amaya

Misato Matsuoka

Nico Kazao

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Oct 3, 2025 Everything's Bright, Am I Aging? On a Dec. 25 without Christmas, Sanda is attacked by classmate Shiori; mistaking it for love, he awaits her confession, but hears something else. Details Episode 2 Aired Oct 11, 2025 Candies, Canes, Kisses and Blades Amaya learns Sanda is Santa, restrains him and Shiori to force a kiss; Santa refuses, unlocks sled power to escape; headmaster Oshibu appears! Details
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Sanda — Season 1

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Season Info

Director
Tomohisa Shimoyama
Screenwriter
Kimiko Ueno
Network
TBSJP
Genre
Action, Fantasy, Drama, Adventure, Anime
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date
Oct 3, 2025