Toho Global today shared news regarding the upcoming anime adaptation of Though I Am an Inept Villainess, unveiling the series’ first promotional video featuring a sneak peek of footage and confirming a July 2026 release on Crunchyroll, along with new cast announcements.
The new series is adapted from the light novel by Satsuki Nakamura, which secured the Light Novel category award at the Everyone’s Choice 2023 Electronic Comic Awards and ranked highly in BookLive’s 2023 annual women’s light novel rankings. The franchise has continued to grow in popularity, with the original novel and manga together exceeding 4 million copies in circulation.
In honor of the anime’s impending launch, the recently released trailer showcases the imperial court setting where five clans vie to produce the next empress, following Kou Reirin (voiced by Oshi no Ko‘s Manaka Iwami), a cherished noblewoman who unexpectedly discovers that she has been swapped into the body of a condemned villainess.
“We are thrilled to bring Though I Am an Inept Villainess in partnership with Crunchyroll to present it globally for fans everywhere,” stated Yoichi Kawamura, the director of TOHO Global. “We eagerly anticipate connecting this story with anime fans worldwide and sharing its universe with new audiences everywhere.”
- Used Book in Good Condition
- George Trombley (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 376 Pages - 08/22/2014 (Publication Date) - Learn From Zero (Publisher)
- Ken Fukuyama, Yuki Fukuyama (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 246 Pages - 10/11/2022 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Sumiko Uo (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 6 Pages - 01/01/2005 (Publication Date) - BarCharts Publishing Inc. (Publisher)
The anime also introduces significant characters brought to life by a newly revealed voice cast, including Makoto Furukawa (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime) as Ei Gyoumei, Yuichiro Umehara (Golden Kamuy) as Shin-u, Hana Hishikawa (Delicious Party Pretty Cure) as Leelee, and Farahnaz Nikray (Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway) as Kou Tousetsu. They join Iwami and Natsumi Kawaida as Shu Keigetsu.
“I’m honored to be part of this project and to portray such a compelling character,” shared Furukawa during the announcement. Umehara described the series as a narrative rich in emotional depth and strong connections, while Hishikawa and Farahnaz expressed their enthusiasm about bringing their characters to life.
The series is directed by Mitsue Yamazaki (Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle), with series composition by Yoshiko Nakamura (Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World-), character design by Ai Kikuchi (Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie), music by Yukari Hashimoto (Witch Watch), and animation production by the Tokyo studio Doga Kobo (Oshi no Ko, Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian).
