Remember staying up late to catch those early 2000s rom-com anime series that perfectly balanced humor, heart, and just the right amount of sci-fi weirdness? Well, dust off those nostalgic memories because Onegai Teacher! (Please Teacher!) is officially making a return, and this time, they’re asking fans to help make it happen.
Production company Genco, Inc. just launched a crowdfunding campaign on Motion Gallery’s website with an ambitious goal: raise 25 million yen (roughly $160,000 USD) to produce a brand new animation video for the beloved franchise. They’re calling it a “reboot” of the Onegai series, and honestly, the timing couldn’t feel more right for fans who grew up with Mizuho-sensei and her students.
The campaign window runs until March 28, 2026, giving fans plenty of time to jump in and support the project. If everything goes according to plan, production kicks off this December, with the team aiming to wrap things up by April or May 2026.
Where you’ll actually get to watch it
Here’s something cool about this project—it’s not going straight to streaming limbo. Once completed, the new video will get limited theatrical screenings in Tokyo, which is pretty standard. But here’s where it gets special: they’re also planning screenings at Lake Kizaki in Nagano, the actual real-world location that inspired the stunning backdrop of the original anime series. Imagine watching this alongside fellow fans with that iconic lake view right there. That’s the kind of immersive experience that makes anime fandom so special.
And for the collectors out there (we see you), Bandai Namco Filmworks will be handling a physical Blu-ray release. Physical media isn’t dead, folks.
The original dream team returns
This is where things get really exciting. The creative minds behind the original series are coming back to ensure this reboot stays true to what made fans fall in love with it in the first place.
Yasunori Ide, who directed both Please Teacher! and its companion series Please Twins, is returning to the director’s chair, this time working with Studio M2. Taraku Uon is back handling character design duties, so you can expect those familiar faces to look just right. Background art is being managed by Kusanagi, and as a special treat, Atsuko Nakajima—a key animator from the original series—will be creating an exclusive illustration for the project.
When you’ve got the original crew reassembling like this, it’s usually a good sign that the project is being treated with respect rather than just being a quick cash-grab nostalgia play.
A quick trip down memory lane
For those who might be newer to anime or just missed this gem during its original run, Please Teacher! first aired back in 2001, followed by Please Twins in 2003. Both series centered around high school romances set against the picturesque Lake Kizaki backdrop, mixing everyday teenage drama with science fiction elements that kept things interesting.
The franchise even inspired a spiritual successor in 2012 called Waiting in the Summer (Ano Natsu de Matteru), which carried forward that same blend of romance, coming-of-age storytelling, and sci-fi charm that made the originals so memorable.
Whether you’re a longtime fan ready to revisit this world or someone curious about what made this series such a beloved part of early 2000s anime culture, this crowdfunding campaign represents a genuine chance to bring something special back to life. Sometimes the best way forward is taking a step back to revisit what worked—and what better way than with the people who created the magic in the first place?
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