The anime adaptation of Satsuki Nakamura's light novel series 'Though I Am an Inept Villainess' premieres July 12 on TV Tokyo, Netflix in Asia, Crunchyroll globally, and Hulu, after a production delay from its original April date.
The anime adaptation of Satsuki Nakamura's light novel series 'Though I Am an Inept Villainess' is set to premiere on July 12, 2026, after a two-month delay from its original April date. The series will air on TV Tokyo and its affiliates at 11:45 p.m. JST, and will stream on Netflix in Asia, Crunchyroll in multiple regions including North America, Europe, and Oceania, and Hulu. The delay was attributed to production issues, but the staff has since released a full trailer, key visual, and confirmed the music lineup.
Mitsue Yamasaki directs the adaptation at Doga Kobo, with series composition by Yoshiko Nakamura, character designs by Ai Kikuchi, and music by Yukari Hashimoto. The lead cast includes Manaka Iwami as protagonist Kou Reirin and Natsumi Kawaida as Shu Keigetsu. Additional cast members announced include Ai Kayano, Inori Minase, Yui Ishikawa, Makoto Furukawa, and Yuichiro Umehara. The opening theme is 'Sunny' by milet, and the ending theme is 'Shooting Star' by Rokudenashi, with lyrics and music by Eve.
The light novel series began in December 2020 under Ichijinsha's imprint and has 12 volumes as of March 2026. A manga adaptation by Ei Ohitsuji runs concurrently in Monthly Comic Zero-Sum. Combined sales of the novels and manga exceed four million copies. The novel won top honors in the light novel category at the 2023 Everyone's Choice Electronic Comic Awards. Seven Seas Entertainment publishes both the novels and manga in English under the full title 'Though I Am an Inept Villainess: Tale of the Butterfly-Rat Body Swap in the Maiden Court.' Toho Entertainment Asia has added the series to its distribution slate, expanding its Asian portfolio alongside titles like 'Frieren Season 2' and 'The Apothecary Diaries.'
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Jun 30
J:COM STREAM, the video streaming service from J:COM, announced its summer 2026 anime distribution lineup on June 30. The slate includes four highlighted titles: Mushoku Tensei III: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu, starting distribution on July 9; Though I Am an Inept Villainess: Tale of the Butterfly-Rat Body Swap in the Imperial Court, beginning July 13; It's Been 10 Years Since I Said, 'Leave This to Me and Go Ahead,' and It Became a Legend., starting July 9; and Youjo Senki II, the first new season in nine years, starting July 12. Mushoku Tensei III itself premieres on TV on July 4, with episodes 1 and 2 airing consecutively as the Eris Training Arc. The third season adapts from light novel volume 13 onward, following Rudeus after his marriage. J:COM STREAM offers these titles as part of its subscription, either standalone or bundled with the J:COM TV Shin Standard package.
Jun 28
The staff for the Though I Am an Inept Villainess anime released a subtitled promotional video on Sunday that announces and previews the ending theme song "Shooting Star" by Rokudenashi. Eve wrote the lyrics and music. The anime premieres July 12 on TV Tokyo, Netflix in Asia, Crunchyroll globally, and Hulu.
Jun 15
TOHO Entertainment Asia (TEA) has added the anime adaptation of Though I Am an Inept Villainess to its lineup. The series premieres July 12, 2026, on Netflix and other platforms in Asia. A new trailer released June 9 features cast highlights with Ai Kayano and Inori Minase, and the opening theme "Sunny" by milet.
Jun 9
The upcoming anime adaptation of Satsuki Nakamura's light novel series Though I Am an Inept Villainess released a full trailer on Tuesday, announcing five additional cast members and the opening theme song "Sunny" by singer-songwriter milet. The anime is set to premiere on July 12 on TV Tokyo after a production delay from its original April date.
May 30
Crunchyroll and Toho Global released the first trailer for the anime adaptation of the light novel 'Though I Am an Inept Villainess' on April 16, 2026. The series is set to debut in July 2026. Mitsue Yamasaki directs the adaptation at Doga Kobo, with series composition by Yoshiko Nakamura, character designs by Ai Kikuchi, and music by Yukari Hashimoto. The story follows Kou Reirin, a noblewoman who wakes up in the body of a disgraced villainess inside an imperial court where rival clans compete to produce the next empress. The light novel by Satsuki Nakamura won top honors in the light novel category at the 2023 Everyone's Choice Electronic Comic Awards and has ranked highly in BookLive's annual listings. Combined sales of the novels and manga exceed four million copies. Newly announced voice cast members include Makoto Furukawa and Yuichiro Umehara, joining previously announced leads Manaka Iwami and Natsumi Kawaida.
May 25
The television anime adaptation of Satsuki Nakamura's light novel series "Though I Am an Inept Villainess" will premiere on July 12 at 11:45 p.m. JST on TV Tokyo and its affiliates, the staff announced on Monday. A new key visual was also released. The series was originally scheduled for an April debut but was delayed due to production delays. Studio Dōga Kōbō is producing the anime, with Mitsue Yamazaki directing. Manaka Iwami voices the protagonist Kou Reirin, and Natsumi Kawaida voices Shu Keigetsu. Crunchyroll will stream the series in multiple regions including North America, Europe, and Oceania. The light novel series, which began in December 2020 under Ichijinsha's imprint, has 12 volumes as of March 2026. A manga adaptation by Ei Ohitsuji runs concurrently in Monthly Comic Zero-Sum. Seven Seas Entertainment publishes both the novels and manga in English under the full title "Though I Am an Inept Villainess: Tale of the Butterfly-Rat Body Swap in the Maiden Court." The story follows Kou Reirin, a frail imperial consort candidate who is body-swapped by a rival and must navigate court intrigue in a new, stronger body.