The original novel series is written by Satsuki Nakamura.
It was announced back in February that the upcoming anime “Though I Am an Inept Villainess” has been delayed from April to July 2026. In a new update, Crunchyroll has revealed that it will stream the anime as it releases in July.
Though I Am an Inept Villainess
Premiere date: July 2026
Studio: Doga Kobo
Streaming platform: Crunchyroll
Where will Crunchyroll stream Though I Am an Inept Villainess?
As per the update from Crunchyroll, the platform will stream the anime in multiple territories across the world, including: North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, CIS and Indian Subcontinent.
Who are the cast and staff of Though I Am an Inept Villainess?
The cast members of the upcoming anime so far includes:
- Manaka Iwami as Kou Reirin
- Natsumi Kawaida as Shu Keigetsu
- Makoto Furukawa as Ei Gyōmei
- Yūichiro Umehara as Shin-u
- Hana Hishikawa as Riirii
- Farahnaz Nikray as Kō Tōsetsu
Mitsuke Yamazaki is directing the anime at studio Doga Kobo, with Yoshiko Nakamura handling series composition. Ai Kikuchi designs the characters for the series. Other production staff members include:
- Colour Key Artist: Kei Ishiguro
- Art Director: Seina Yaguchi
- Compositing Director of Photography: Yui Fukuoka
- Editing: Mutsumi Takemiya
- Music: Yukari Hashimoto
- Casting: Makoto Tanimura
- Sound Effects: Yuika Shiraishi
- Audio-Recording Engineer: Toshihiro Hayano
- Recording Assistant: Ryō Kaneko
- Sound Production: Tohokushinsha Film Corporation
What is Though I Am an Inept Villainess about?
The anime is based on the light novel series of the same name written by Satsuki Nakamura, which originally began publishing in the ūser-generated website Shōsetsuka ni Narō in July 2020. Ichijinsha began publishing it in print in December of the same year with illustrations by YukiKana. A manga adaptation illustrated by Ei Ohitsuji began publishing in the Monthly Comic Zero Sum magazine in December 2020. Seven Seas Entertainment publishes both the novel and the manga in English. Crunchyroll describes the story as:
As maidens from the Five Clans battle for the Crown Prince’s heart, jealous Keigetsu uses forbidden magic to swap bodies with the beloved Reirin. Switching places does not guarantee happiness for Keigetsu with her new body's ill health leaving her hanging on the verge of death. Meanwhile, Reirin, now wearing the face of a scorned outcast, must answer for Keigetsu’s crimes in a dangerous trial.
The unlikely pair become increasingly entangled in each other’s lives and they will need to work together to survive after discovering the dark conspiracies brewing beneath the palace's genial surface. To confront the deadly threats lurking in the shadows, Reirin must embrace her new identity and defy their expectations of the court's inept villainess.