From Alley to Ancient Era: 'Turkey!-Time to Strike-' Rewrites the Sports Anime Playbook

Prepare for an unprecedented strike as Turkey!-Time to Strike- bowls over expectations, launching viewers into an extraordinary fusion of high school sports and feudal Japanese history. Premiering in July 2025, this groundbreaking anime challenges conventional genre boundaries by catapulting its protagonists from the polished lanes of modern bowling into the brutal battlefields of the Sengoku period.
At the heart of this captivating narrative is Mai Otonashi, the formidable captain of the Ikkokukan High School Bowling Club. After achieving the coveted 'Turkey' a perfect string of three consecutive strikes Mai finds herself confronted by the infamous 'Snake Eyes,' an insurmountable split that threatens her winning streak. Yet, her biggest challenge awaits far beyond the alley. In a shocking twist, Mai and her entire team are inexplicably transported back to the Warring States era, where the stakes are no longer just pins but survival itself. This ingenious temporal displacement injects a thrilling layer of depth, transforming what could have been a standard sports drama into an unpredictable saga that will undoubtedly resonate with fans of historical fiction and intricate time-travel narratives.
The initial three episodes have already ignited robust discussion, earning a respectable community rating of approximately 3.5 out of 5 stars per episode. Critics universally applaud the series' audacious departure from typical sports anime tropes, lauding its innovative and compelling narrative choices. The meticulously rendered Sengoku period setting provides a rich, historically charged backdrop, enhancing the drama and offering a fresh perspective that has particularly captivated history buffs.

Turkey!-Time to Strike- masterfully balances the vibrant energy and tight-knit camaraderie of the Ikkokukan team comprising Mai, Rina, Sayuri, Nozomi, and Nanase with profound themes of struggle, unwavering perseverance, and remarkable adaptation in the face of unfamiliar and perilous circumstances.
A collaborative effort from Bakken Record, Tatsunoko Production, with significant contributions from Pony Canyon and Nippon Television Network, this anime epitomizes a bold genre-bending approach, seamlessly weaving together elements of sports, compelling drama, and science fiction. Its entirely original storyline, coupled with its strategic release on Crunchyroll and YouTube, has firmly established Turkey!-Time to Strike- as a standout title for the highly anticipated summer 2025 anime season. As the series continues to unfold, audiences can anticipate a riveting exploration of the profound clash between contemporary youth culture and ancient warfare, as our protagonists strive to redefine victory both on the lanes and in the annals of history.
Credits
Turkey!-Time to Strike-
Author
Original Anime
Cover Art
N/A
Studio
Bakken Record, Tatsunoko Production
Publisher
Pony Canyon
Producers





