Always a Catch! is airing its first season, with 11 episodes released as of June 11, 2026, and the story deepening around Mimi's romance with Renato and the introduction of the mysterious Zaira.
Always a Catch! premiered on April 4, 2026, introducing Maria "Mimi" Annovazzi, a martial prodigy and heir who loses her status after her younger brother's birth and is sent to Rubini to find a marriage match. The premiere sets up her struggle to fit into elite society while maintaining her down-to-earth personality, and the show distinguishes itself by centering comedy and plot on a physically strong, emotionally expressive heroine who is not punished for her masculinity.
Episode seven pays off multiple story threads: Mimi's hairpin becomes a weapon, Renato executes a move called Number 38 to protect her, and the missing villager Veronica is revealed to have run off with a local lord's son. Episode 11 focuses on Renato's jealousy toward his cousin Ireneo, reframing Ireneo from a romantic rival into a tragic figure shaped by political pressure and loneliness. Mimi understands Ireneo's position, but Renato has him thrown in the dungeon for a simple social interaction.
In an interview with Anime News Network, the production team discussed Mimi's design, including her brass knuckle hair ornament and lack of noble lady training, and how her unrestrained behavior sets her apart from other villainess characters. The anime adaptation of Mayo Momoyo's light novel series cast Kana Hanazawa as the mysterious woman Zaira, who debuted in episode 10 and appears to hold a grudge against Maria.
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Episode 11 of Always a Catch! focuses on Renato's jealousy toward Ireneo, his cousin, over his relationship with Mimi. The episode explores Ireneo's backstory, revealing the political pressure and loneliness behind his playboy persona. Mimi understands Ireneo's position, but Renato has him thrown in the dungeon for a simple social interaction.
The anime adaptation of Mayo Momoyo's light novel series Always a Catch! has cast Kana Hanazawa as the mysterious woman Zaira, who appears to hold a grudge against Maria. The character debuted in the 10th episode, which aired on Thursday in Japan.
Always a Catch! premiered on April 4, 2026, introducing Maria "Mimi" Annovazzi, a martial prodigy and heir to her family who loses her status after the birth of a younger brother. Sent to Rubini to find a suitable marriage match, Mimi struggles to fit into elite society while maintaining her down-to-earth, expressive personality. The episode opens with a prince publicly ending an engagement Mimi did not know existed, setting off a chain of events that frees her from societal expectations. The premiere contrasts Mimi with her more conventional friend and distant relative Aida, who is engaged to a Rubini princess. The episode balances comedy with plot development, using Mimi's wide emotional range and masculine-leaning demeanor to highlight her outsider status. The art style and music support the tone, and the episode ends with Mimi weighing the freedom of spinsterhood against the duty of marriage.
In an interview with Anime News Network, the production team behind Always a Catch! discussed the design and personality of heroine Mimi, focusing on her brass knuckle hair ornament, her lack of noble lady training, and how her unrestrained behavior sets her apart from other villainess characters.
Episode seven of Always a Catch! brings Mimi's hairpin into action as a weapon. The story gathers threads from earlier episodes: Mimi's encounter with bandits and villagers, the move she taught Renato, and the villagers sent to Raimondo. Renato executes Number 38 to protect Mimi, which addresses Duke Annovazzi's doubts about him. The episode also reveals that the missing villager Veronica ran off with a local lord's son, and Mimi helps the couple escape.