BALLOON Label’s First BL Light Anime Arrives in January

The official website for the light anime adaptation of Tenma Asahi’s light novels, with the lengthy title that translates to In Order to Love My Most Beloved Step Brother, I’ll Live a Long Life!, confirmed on Thursday that the series will debut in January 2026. A key visual was shared alongside the date.

The project carries some industry significance, as it is the very first release from Balloon, a new boys love animation label. Balloon was formed earlier this year by IMAGICA Infos together with Dai Nippon Printing, CYBIRD, and Blue Rights.

Yusuke Morishita is directing, with Izumi Tezuka overseeing the scripts, and IMAGICA Infos and Imageworks Studio handling the animation. Dai Nippon Printing and Imagica’s Animation ID are producing.

The story follows a protagonist named Alba, who is reincarnated as the step brother of a character from a game they adored, setting up a romance shaped by that unusual situation.

It all arrives in the increasingly busy boys love space, where this fresh label is clearly hoping to make its mark.

My take: Launching a label with a reincarnation flavored romance is a confident first step, and more dedicated boys love animation is welcome. I am curious to see what the light anime format brings to such a character focused story.