Original Anime "Grow Up Show: Himawari Circus Troupe" Heads Into Episode 2 With a Rival Showdown

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"Grow Up Show: Himawari Circus Troupe" is an original anime produced by Aniplex and A-1 Pictures. Set in Japan's Showa 30s era (the late 1950s), a time when circuses were a central form of entertainment, it follows the Himawari Circus as they aim to compete in a major competition called the "Cirque Collection." A genius circus performer named Mizuka Tsurumaki also joins the story for reasons of her own. Episode 2 airs late at night on July 11, and its preview cuts — showing the troupe's planned performance venue being taken over by a rival group — have already caught fans' attention.

What To Know

Anime fans often pay close attention to original series like this one, since they don't have an existing fanbase to draw from — every episode has to earn its audience on its own. With Episode 2 introducing a rival troupe taking over the group's venue, fans get an early sense of the story's stakes and conflict, which matters a lot for how a new original show builds momentum.

This anime airs across a mix of regional Japanese broadcasters, including TOKYO MX, BS11, and AT-X — a common release pattern for late-night original anime in Japan, where a title's overseas streaming availability isn't always confirmed at broadcast time. The Showa 30s setting reflects a period of postwar Japan when traveling circuses were a major source of public entertainment, a nostalgic backdrop that occasionally resurfaces in anime art direction.

What Fans Are Saying

• "A circus troupe going up against a rival group? I'm hooked already."
• "Loving the Showa-era circus aesthetic — such a distinct setting."
• "Can't wait to see how the venue conflict plays out in episode 2."

Original Japanese

• 「ライバル団との対立、先が気になる」
• 「昭和のサーカスという設定が新鮮」
• 「第2話の展開、目が離せない」

Easy Japanese

アニプレックスのオリジナルアニメ『グロウアップショウ ～ひまわりのサーカス団～』の第2話が、7月11日深夜に放送されます。昭和30年代のサーカスを舞台にした物語です。