Shigeru Sagazaki’s popular light novel From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman is getting a full TV anime series from the folks behind High School DxD and Spice & Wolf.

Get ready for another insanely long title: Katainaka no Ossan, Kensei ni Naru: Tada no Inaka no Kenjutsu Shihan Datta noni, Taisei shita Deshi-tachi ga Ore wo Hottekurenai Ken (From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman: My Hotshot Disciples Are All Grown Up Now, and They Won’t Leave Me Alone) has announced (via Comic Natalie) the new anime series will broadcast from April 2025 on TV Asahi’s MAnimation network, and BS Asahi.

Originally released by Sagazaki on the user-generated novel site Shōsetsuka ni Narō in November 2020 and promptly got picked up by Square Enix who started publishing it as a light novel, with illustrations by Tetsuhiro Nabeshima. It has received seven volumes and is licensed in English by J-Novel Club.

The first teaser trailer, teaser visual, and main staff were confirmed – the latter of which includes: Akio Kazumi (Loner Life in Another World, Fist of the Blue Sky: Regenesis) directing at Passione and Hayabusa Film, a script by Kunihiko Okada, character design and chief animation directing by Satsuki Hayasaka (Higurashi: When They Cry – SOTSU), and music is being handled by Yasuharu Takanashi (Fairy Tail, Baki Hanma vs. Kengan Ashura.

Artwork by original novel artist Nabeshima and manga adaptation artist Kazuki Satou was also shared, with comments from both and the original author Sagazaki:

Comment from Shigeru Sagazaki:

“After I started posting on the web, I was immediately approached by Square Enix and then by Akita Shoten, and before I knew it, I was here. My novel “An Old Man from the Countryside Becomes a Sword Saint” has finally been adapted into an anime.

I would like to thank all of you who have continued to support us and help us reach this point. I would like to express my sincere gratitude. The director, the scriptwriter, and everyone else involved in the production have patiently listened to me, a man with no knowledge of animation. I have high expectations for this project, and I am sure that it will be a good one.

I have been living without a TV for the past ten years, and I am thinking of taking this opportunity to buy another one. I hope that the day will come when I will be able to enjoy this anime together with all of you who have supported my work up to now.”

Comment from light novel artist Tetsuhiro Nabeshima:

“Congratulations on the animation! I am now looking forward to seeing the movements and conversations of Beryl and her friends that could not be expressed in the illustrations. Thanks to all of you who picked up and read the original novel and manga. Thank you so much! As an old man myself, I hope I can support Beryl’s activities together with you!”

Comment from manga artist Kazuki Satou:

Congratulations on the anime adaptation of your novel “An Old Man from the Countryside Becomes a Sword Saint: I Was Just a Rural Sword Master, But My Biggest Disciples Won’t Leave Me Alone”. I am very much looking forward to seeing how Beryl’s sword works.

Here’s a synopsis on the series, plus the first trailer for the new anime:

Beryl Gardinant, a self-proclaimed “humble old man,” is a sword instructor at his dojo in a rural, backwater village. In his younger years, he dreamed of glory as a master swordsman, but those days are long behind him.

Out of the blue, he receives a visit from a famous former pupil who brings him world-shattering news – he’s been appointed as a special instructor for the knights of the Liberion Order! With his life now turned upside down, Beryl travels to the capital and reunites with some of his former students: elite knights, an ace wizard, and even an adventurer who’s attained the highest guild rank possible.

But why do they all want his tutelage?! As far as he’s concerned, they clearly don’t need him anymore.

Can Beryl live up to his new position? And will he ever get a moment’s peace away from his adoring students?!