Though I Am an Inept Villainess TV Anime Premieres in 2026, Main Cast Revealed with New Teaser Visual and Voice Clips

The TV anime Though I Am an Inept Villainess has been confirmed for a 2026 broadcast. On September 22, it was announced that Manaka Iwami will voice Huang Lingling, and Natsumi Kawaida will play Zhu Huiyue. Alongside this news, a second teaser visual and a new video featuring their character voices were released.

Based on the light novel series written by Satsuki Nakamura with illustrations by Yuki Kana and published by Ichijinsha Novels, the story has also been adapted into a manga by Ei Ohitsuji, serialized in Monthly Comic ZERO-SUM. The novel won the “Light Novel Award” in the 2023 Cmoa Minna ga Erabu Digital Comic Awards and ranked first in the women’s light novel category of the BookLive! Annual Ranking 2023. The manga adaptation has also received recognition, including a nomination for the “Best Supporting Actress Award” at the Magademy Awards 2023 for Zhu Huiyue and the “Rakuten Kobo E-Book Award 2024” in the Must-Read Comic category.

The story follows two girls with starkly contrasting lives: Huang Lingling, a beautiful, intelligent, and beloved young woman known as "His Highness’ Butterfly," and Zhu Huiyue, who is consumed by inferiority complexes and despised by all as a villainess for her malicious behavior. Their fates intertwine in a dramatic court intrigue where their bodies are unexpectedly swapped, turning their lives upside down.

Cast Comments

Manaka Iwami (Huang Lingling)
“I will be voicing Huang Lingling in Though I Am an Inept Villainess. Once I started reading the original novel, I couldn’t stop— it was so engaging! I think everyone has experienced feeling that ‘the grass is greener on the other side,’ but this story reminded me of the importance of recognizing what we already have. Lingling may appear frail and in need of protection, but inside she is a strong and determined woman. Recording for the body-switch scenes was especially challenging, but that makes me even more excited to see how it turned out in the anime. Please look forward to it!”

Natsumi Kawaida (Zhu Huiyue)
“I am honored to voice Zhu Huiyue. When I first encountered this work, I was moved by Lingling’s strength and felt affection for Huiyue’s weakness. To play both sides of such deeply emotional characters is a true blessing. Although the role is challenging in ways I have never experienced before, I am tackling it with full dedication and love, working alongside Ms. Iwami as if we are climbing a wall together. I hope everyone will look forward to the broadcast!”

Source : ORICON NEWS