From Far Away (also known as Kanata Kara) has arrived. The anime adaptation of Kyoko Hikawa’s classic shoujo manga premiered in Japan on October 4, 2026, and is now streaming worldwide on Crunchyroll for audiences across North America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, and beyond. Episode 1, titled “Awakening,” introduces viewers to Noriko Tachiki, an ordinary schoolgirl whose life changes forever when a golden bird from her dreams leads her into a strange and dangerous fantasy world.
Exact Release Dates and Times for Every Major Region
The Japanese television premiere took place on October 4, 2026, at 24:00 JST (which is effectively 12:00 AM JST on October 5) on Tokyo MX. Other Japanese broadcasters follow with slightly delayed schedules: AT-X on October 7 (Wednesdays at 23:30 JST), ABC Television on October 10 (Saturdays at 26:30 JST), and WOWOW on October 13 (Tuesdays at 24:00 JST). Japanese streaming platforms U-NEXT, Anime Hōdai, and Anime Times began offering the series starting October 5.
For international viewers on Crunchyroll, Episode 1 is listed for October 4, 2026. The exact time has not been locked in by Crunchyroll, but episodes typically arrive between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM Pacific Time on simulcast day. Based on the Japanese broadcast time of 24:00 JST on October 4, here is the approximate worldwide release window:
- USA (Pacific Time): October 4, around 8:00 AM PT
- USA (Eastern Time): October 4, around 11:00 AM ET
- Canada: Same as USA (Eastern and Pacific coverage)
- United Kingdom: October 4, around 4:00 PM GMT
- Central Europe (Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland): October 4, around 5:00 PM CET
- India: October 4, around 8:30 PM IST
- Australia (Sydney): October 5, around 1:00 AM AEDT
- Japan and South Korea: October 5, around 12:00 AM JST/KST
- Brazil: October 4, around 12:00 PM BRT
Crunchyroll has confirmed availability in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, CIS, and the Indian Subcontinent. The series will also receive dubs in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu at a later date.
What Episode 1 “Awakening” Is About
Episode 1 adapts the opening chapters of Kyoko Hikawa’s manga. The story follows Noriko Tachiki, a high school student who has spent years dreaming of a beautiful fantasy world. Her friends think it is just her imagination. One morning, the golden bird from her dreams appears in the real world, and Noriko follows it. A sudden accident sends her spiraling into an unknown land filled with danger.
Noriko quickly discovers that this world is not the peaceful fantasy she imagined. Several kingdoms are desperately searching for a figure known as the “Awakening,” a person prophesied to possess the power to unleash the “Heavenly Demon” (also called the Sky Demon), a being capable of ruling or destroying the world. Minutes after her arrival, Noriko is attacked by a giant worm-like monster. She is saved by Izark Kia Tarj, a wandering swordsman who speaks a language she cannot understand.
What Noriko does not know is that Izark is hiding a dark secret. He is the Heavenly Demon in human form. He knows that the girl he just rescued is the Awakening, the very person he has been searching for. The two are bound together by an ancient prophecy, and their meeting sets a much larger story into motion.
You May Also Like:
Character Breakdown: Noriko Tachiki
Noriko Tachiki (voiced by Tomoyo Kurosawa) is an ordinary high school student with an unusual habit: she dreams of a fantasy world that feels more real than her daily life. Her journey begins when she follows the golden bird from her visions and is thrown into a world where no one speaks her language. Noriko has no idea about her role in the prophecy. She does not know she is the Awakening. She does not know that Izark, the man who saved her, is the very danger she is connected to. At this point in the story, Noriko is simply trying to survive and understand where she is.
Character Breakdown: Izark Kia Tarj
Izark Kia Tarj (voiced by Kentaro Kumagai) is a lone swordsman who rescues Noriko from a monster shortly after she arrives in his world. He is calm, capable, and carries the weight of a terrible secret. Izark knows he is the Heavenly Demon, a being destined to become the world’s greatest threat. He also knows that Noriko is the Awakening, the one who can trigger his transformation. Izark chooses to protect Noriko despite knowing what she represents. The tension between his duty, his secret, and his growing connection to Noriko forms the emotional core of the series.
Other Key Characters Introduced in Episode 1
- Rachef (voiced by Yūichirō Umehara): The young ruler of Rienka, a kingdom actively searching for the Awakening.
- Keimos Lee Goda (voiced by Eiji Takeuchi): A skilled warrior sent by Rachef to find the Awakening.
- Gaya (voiced by Kimiko Saitō): A character who appears early in the story as Noriko navigates the new world.
- Gōriya (voiced by Masashi Miyazawa): Another figure Noriko encounters.
- Agol (voiced by Yasusuke Nakano)
- Jīna Hāsu (voiced by Miku Itō)
Cast and Production Team Behind From Far Away
The anime is produced by Studio DEEN, one of Japan’s oldest animation studios. Noriyuki Abe (known for Bleach, Flame of Recca, and GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka) directs the series. Rika Takasugi handles series composition, Eiji Abiko is responsible for character designs, and Takeshi Hama (Cosmic Wave) composes the music. The original manga creator, Kyoko Hikawa, serves as the original story supervisor.
The opening theme song is “Tōkōkō” by Genin wa Jibun ni Aru (GNJB), and the ending theme is “Hikari no Gawa de” by Nanashi no Tarō.
What the Original Manga Means to Fans
From Far Away (Kanata Kara) was serialized in Hakusensha’s LaLa magazine from 1991 to 2002. The series was collected into 14 volumes and has over 4 million copies in circulation. In 2004, the manga won the Seiun Award for Best Science Fiction Comic, a major honor in Japanese speculative fiction. The anime adaptation was produced to mark the 35th anniversary of the manga’s first publication. An official English version of the manga is available through VIZ Media.
Where to Watch From Far Away Episode 1
- Crunchyroll: Available in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, CIS, and the Indian Subcontinent.
- Japan: Tokyo MX (October 4, 24:00 JST), AT-X (October 7, 23:30 JST), ABC Television (October 10, 26:30 JST), WOWOW (October 13, 24:00 JST).
- Japanese Streaming: U-NEXT, Anime Hōdai, Anime Times (starting October 5).
Also Read: Overgeared Episode 2 Worldwide Release Date and Exact Streaming Times for USA, UK, India and More; Plus Episode 1 Full Recap
Stay tuned to VvipTimes for more anime release updates, streaming guides, and episode breakdowns from the Fall 2026 season.
Leave a Reply