Frontier Lord Anime Adaptation Announced

Teaser visual

The light novel “The Frontier Lord Who Started With Zero Subjects” is being adapted into a TV anime, and the staff and cast, teaser visual, and anime adaptation announcement PV have been announced. Kenichiro Matsuda and Shion Wakayama will be providing the voices for the main characters.

The original light novel by Furou (original author) and Quinta (illustrator) is a sword and magic “territory development slow-life fantasy” that begins with a fateful encounter between the protagonist Diaz, who has become a new lord, and Alnar, the daughter of a blue-horned demon race. It has also been adapted into a manga by Yunbo.

Diaz (CV: Matsuda Kenichiro)

Arna (CV: Wakayama Shion)

Matsuda plays the protagonist Diaz, who is given the vast territory of Netzloth by the king as a “hero who saves the country,” while Wakayama plays Arna, the daughter of a demi-human demon race. The teaser visual shows Arna standing in Netzloth.

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PV for “#TheFrontierLordStartedWith0Subjects” to be animated!

The staff includes director Kenichi Imaizumi (Kingdom seasons 3-6), series composition by Kunihiko Okada (Countryside Old Man Becomes a Sword Saint, etc.), character design by Keiichi Tsuboyama (Fate/Grand Order, etc.), and animation production by animation studio42.

Comments from the original creators, director Imaizumi, and cast are as follows.

[Kenichi Imaizumi (Director)] I think one of the charms of this work is the straightforward humanity of the main character, Diaz. And the story is very heartwarming as the days he spends with the increasingly more unique subjects, all drawn to his charm. The way the empty grasslands are gradually developed is a fun experience that is reminiscent of the stories of the American Westward Expansion that I saw a long time ago. I hope that viewers will enjoy this work as if they were one of the subjects of this world.

[Kenichiro Matsuda (role of Diaz)]

My name is Matsuda Kenichiro, and I will be playing the role of Diaz. I read the work during the audition, and I felt it was an idyllic, very warm piece. I think the warmth comes from the personalities of Diaz and the people around him. As a cast member, I am looking forward to seeing how the anime will portray encounters with various races and cultures, and the trouble surrounding the territory. I will do my best to bring out the charm of Diaz, who is strong, kind, pure, and a little bit naive. Thank you very much!!

[Wakayama Shion (Aruna)]

I’m Shion Wakayama, and I’ll be playing the role of Aruna. I can’t contain my excitement at the thought of being able to watch my life with Diaz in the anime…! I’ll do my best to play the adorable Aruna, who is both his lover and wife (?)!

[Fuurou (original author)] It’s being made into an anime! It’s been a dream come true to make an anime! It was my dream to publish a book and have it adapted into a comic, and I’ve been able to achieve another one. Looking back, the past few years have been days spent running through them with my subjects 0… I never dreamed when I first started that it would reach such a milestone. It’s all thanks to you all that we’ve been able to get this far!! Thank you so much to everyone who supported us and helped us…! I’m a lowly person, but I’m doing my best to make the anime a good one, so I hope everyone can wait a little longer with excitement!!

[Kinta (original illustrator)]

Congratulatory illustration by Kinta

Congratulations on the anime adaptation! As a reader, I’m looking forward to seeing how the unique atmosphere created by the original text will be expressed in the anime!

[Yunbo (Manga adaptation)]

Yunbo’s congratulatory illustration

Animation! Congratulations! As a resident of Iruk Village (or so I think), I am very happy! I wish I could tell myself at the beginning of the serialization that “That manga will be made into an anime in the future” and “So draw it more seriously”! I strongly believe that this is all thanks to all the people involved in the work and all the readers who always support us. Thank you all so much! As a fan of Iruk Village (omitted), I am also looking forward to the start of the broadcast!

A Gentle Tale of Governance and Growth Begins Anew

The announcement of the TV anime adaptation of “The Frontier Lord Who Started With Zero Subjects” brings another refreshing addition to the slow-life fantasy genre. With Kenichiro Matsuda and Shion Wakayama voicing the leads, fans can expect a calm and heartwarming narrative centered around rebuilding a neglected land from scratch. In an anime landscape often dominated by high-stakes battles or isekai chaos, this series offers a welcome change—highlighting community building, personal development, and peaceful leadership. The choice of Matsuda, known for his dignified voice, suggests a strong, dependable protagonist, while Wakayama brings warmth and balance to the cast. This could be a hidden gem for fans of relaxing, character-driven stories.