Naomi Osaka reportedly set to voice lead character in upcoming adult anime series 

Naomi Osaka is coming to the small screen—well, her voice is, anyway.

The four-time Grand Slam singles champion will voice the title character in an upcoming adult anime series, "Allure: The Evening Primrose," based on the manga series of the same name. The entertainment website Deadline Hollywood reported the news in an exclusive on Tuesday, saying that the series will be co-produced by Osaka's production company Hana Kuma, and Rebel Maverick, led by the queer, Afro-Latinx writing and producing team of Matt Nicholas and Nastassja Kayln. The series will be adapted for television by Kenny Byerly.

Osaka will voice Akane Koizumi in the series, originally written by comic book writer Sinitus Tempo. Deadline describes Osaka's character as "a talented rookie assassin for the Adachi crime family, who longs to receive 'Allure,' a dangerous drug that enhances the abilities of elite killers known as 'Death Bringers.'

"However, when she and her team cross the Adachis and are marked for death, they must find a way to survive and fight back against the Death Bringers who are now pursuing them," the plot reads.

The news is the latest foray by Osaka into the entertainment world through Hana Kuma, which she launched in partnership with longtime agent Stuart Duguid and LeBron James' media venture, The SpringHill Company, in 2022. The company spun off on its own in 2023 with investment from SpringHill, "Fortnite" owner Epic Games, Boston Red Sox owner Fenway Sports Group, Japanese conglomerate The Kinoshita Group, and the investment firm Disruptive.

Hana Kuma's first project, the short film "Mink," which tells the story of Patsy Takemoto Mink, a Japanese-American woman from Hawaii who became the first woman of color elected to Congress, was nominated in the category of "Outstanding Short Documentary" at the 44th News and Documentary Emmy Awards last year.

Osaka said at the time of the company's launch that she hoped to amplify creators of color with the venture, leaning into global perspectives to create "unique" but "universal" storytelling.

"We will bring stories to life with this goal in mind: to make unique perspectives feel universal and inspire people along the way," she said.