A 2026 premiere date has been announced for the upcoming Though I Am an Inept Villainess: Tale of the Butterfly-Rat Body Swap in the Maiden Court TV anime. A second teaser visual and some cast reveals arrived with the release date announcement. The latter includes Manaka Iwami and Natsumi Kawaida as main characters Kou Reirin and Shu Keigetsu, respectively.
Though I Am an Inept Villainess (Futsutsuka na Akujo dewa Gozaimasuga ~ Sugu Choso Torikae den~) is based on the light novel series written by Satsuki Nakamura and illustrated by Kana Yuki. The light novel series, which is published under the Ichijinsha Novels label, began in 2020 and will release its 11th volume on September 30, 2025 JST. There is a manga by Ei Ohitsuji. Both Yuki and Ohitsuji possess the original character design credit for the anime.
Synopsis:
In the Kingdom of Ei, five clans put forth their maidens as imperial consorts but only one will be crowned empress. Just when frail and beautiful “court butterfly” Kou Reirin seems poised to marry the crown prince, jealous “court rat” Shu Keigetsu steals her body! Reirin wakes up in the dungeons as the conspirator, and things look dire or do they? Now that she’s got a robust new body, not even the looming threat of execution can stop her!
