The anime will premiere on 7 July, 2026.
If you grew up playing the Street Fighter video games (especially Street Fighter IV and Street Fighter 6), then we have a hilariously adorable anime recommendation for you this Summer. The upcoming yuri anime “Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games”, based on Eri Ejima’s manga, premieres on 7 July, 2026 on Crunchyroll.
Ahead of the debut, GosuANIME was given access to the first episode, and we have much to tell about the series that already seems like one of the heavy hitters of the next season.
Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games
Premiere date: 7 July, 2026
Animation studio: Diomedéa
Streaming service: Crunchyroll
What is Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games about?
After reading the introduction, you might be wondering what does yuri have to do with Street Fighter? Well, we are happy to tell you that Eri Ejima’s manga, and its upcoming anime adaptation are a blend of two very different genres: Girls’ Love and Fighting Games.
Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games follows Aya Mitsuki, a new student in a prestigious girls’ academy. She is a scholarship student who wants to blend with the high class ladies by copying their delicate mannerisms. And nobody is more delicate and ladylike than Mio Yorue, the White Lily of the Orchid Class whose graceful aura mesmerises the girls around her, including Aya. Despite being a new student, the White Lily is much more ladylike and poised than Aya could ever be.
However, Aya’s dream following in the school heartthrob’s footsteps comes to a crash when she finds Mio playing the popular online fighting game Street Fighter 6 in one of the abandoned classrooms. But it’s not just that, while playing, the elegant and refined White Lily turns into a trash-talking goblin. Aya runs away after promising Mio that she won’t reveal her secrets. That night, she learns from her roommate that their school prohibits students from playing games, and girls can even get suspended if they are caught.
Wanting to put the mess behind her, Aya continues with her classes the next day, but it’s not easy with the White Lily of the school constantly staring daggers at her. She confronts Mio after classes are over, but is overwhelmed by a passionate White Lily cornering her and asking if she also plays SF6 and if she is willing to play with Mio. Aya refuses, remembering how she quit these games to become a lady, but Mio refuses to listen. When Aya gives in and finally plays against Mio, she feels alive for the first time in a long time. But their battle to keep their contraband gaming habits is only going to get harder.
The premise of the anime is quite entertaining, especially where these two ladies go all out playing Street Fighter 6. The SF games are also referenced quite often in the series, which would be nostalgic for those who play them. But is the series actually worth your time?
Is the voice acting in Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games good?
Although we were only able to watch the first episode, the series already left a mark with its voice acting. Both Ikumi Hasegawa as Aya and Kana Ichinose as Mio are great in their roles. Their voices are sweet and elegant when the characters are posing as ladies in the academy, but flip completely while passionately talking to each other in the abandoned classroom. The change is very well executed. It actually caught me off guard when Mio suddenly started cursing out her in-game opponent and it actually made me laugh. I can’t wait for more characters to also reveal their moe-gap selves soon so I can enjoy some more contrasting voice performances.
How is the music in Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games?
So far in the first episode, there haven't been many chances for the music to shine, as I believe the romantic moments are yet to come. But the background music has been seamless and perfect in the first episode, making its presence known without overwhelming the audience. I am eagerly waiting for Kana Hashiguchi to work her magic in the music of this series.
How is the animation in Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games?
Although a lesser-known studio, Diomedéa is known for animating gems such as Ahiru no Sora and Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions. Thankfully, they didn’t let us down with the first episode of Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games. The animation is smooth, colourful, and oftentimes flashy. The studio was able to capture the varying emotions on the main characters perfectly as well. The sequences involving SF6 gameplay also blended seamlessly with the rest of the story.
Although it remains to be seen whether the animation of the series retains its quality over the episodes, we can say with confidence that it won’t let you down.
Should you watch Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games?
Watching the first episode of the anime, we couldn’t find a single concrete reason you might want to skip this series. From the voice acting to the animation, to the storytelling, everything is great. The gameplay is smooth, and the dialogue is lively and funny. Despite not having a super complicated or deep plot, the show doesn’t feel boring.
If you are a fan of the Street Fighter games, then you should definitely watch Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games. The series acts as a reminder that no matter what appearances you have to put up in your day to day lives, it shouldn’t stop you from doing things that give you joy, even if your source of happiness is a fighting game. But even if you’re not an SF fan, this series will hook you in with its compelling characters and adorably hilarious storyline. And sometimes, it’s all about having fun.
Who are the cast members of Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games?
The cast of the anime includes:
- Ikumi Hasegawa as Aya Mitsuki
- Kana Ichinose as Mio Yorue
- Sayaka Senbongi as Yu Inui
- Shino Shimoji as Tamaki Ichinose
- Maria Naganawa as Arisa Fujimiya
- Aru as Flamberge
Who are the production staff of Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games?
The staff of the series includes:
- Original creator: Eri Ejima
- Director: Shota Ihata
- Series Composition: Wataru Watari
- Character Design: Mayuko Matsumoto
- Art Setting: Maho Takahashi
- Art Director: Scott MacDonald
- Colour design: Yuki Hayashi
- Director of Photography: Yasuyuki Ito
- Editor: Toshihiko Kojima
- Sound Director: Yayoi Tateishi
- Music: Kana Hashiguchi
- Animation Production: Diomedéa
- Gaming Recording Assistance: FAV gaming