(C) Puni-chan, Naruse Akeno/KADOKAWA/”The Villainess is Adored by the Crown Prince of the Neighboring Country” Production Committee
The TV anime “The Villainess is Adored by the Crown Prince of the Neighboring Country” is scheduled to begin airing in January 2026. It has been revealed that Mai Fuchigami will play the protagonist Tiararose, Yuichiro Umehara will play Aquasteed, Takuya Sato will play Hartnight, and Yumiri Hanamori will play Akari. A key visual has also been released.
Hamana Takayuki (“Sorcerous Stabber Orphen: The Journey of the Wandering Sorcerer”) will serve as director, Narita Yoshimi (“Dance Dance Danseur”) will handle series composition, and Majiro (“Macross Delta”) will handle character design. Animation production will be handled by Studio Deen (“Sorcerous Stabber Orphen: The Journey of the Wandering Sorcerer”). The original work is a popular fantasy novel serialized by Puni-chan on “Let’s Become a Novelist” from 2016 to 2024, with the series having sold over 5.6 million copies in total. Having completed her bride training, Tiararose marries Hartnight, the crown prince of the Lapis Lazuli Kingdom, and is close to becoming queen when one day she remembers her past life. She was the villainous young lady who appeared in the otome game “Lapis Lazuli Ring” that she played in her past life. If the heroine manages to defeat Hartnight, a humiliating condemnation event awaits Tiararose. Then, Aquasteed, a playable character in the sequel game that she was unable to play in her past life, appears and proposes to Tiararose. There are currently 14 volumes of the published version (published by KADOKAWA). Fuchigami will play Tiararose, the protagonist who is destined for ruin as a villainous young lady but is instead proposed to by Aquasteed, while Umehara will voice Aquasteed, the crown prince of the Marineforest Kingdom who falls in love with Tiararose while studying abroad in the Lapis Lazuli Kingdom and proposes to her. Sato will voice Hartnight, the crown prince of the Lapis Lazuli Kingdom who is Tiararose’s fiance but has a change of heart as per the game’s storyline, and Hanamori will voice Akari, the heroine of “The Lapis Lazuli Ring” who seduces Hartnight with her angelic cuteness. Both will be reprising their roles from the audio drama which has been running since 2019 and the game version which was released in 2024.
Full comments from the cast, staff, and original author are below.
[Fuchigami Mai (Tiararose)]
(C) Puni-chan, Naruse Akeno/KADOKAWA/”The Villainess is Adored by the Crown Prince of the Neighboring Country” Production Committee
To see Tiararose and Aqua-sama in action! I can’t wait to see how that overly sweet atmosphere that makes you want to look away (lol) will be portrayed. I’m also incredibly honored to continue voicing the characters. This is a work filled with so much love, so I’ll do my best to bring you as much excitement as I can.♡ Please look forward to it.
[Yuichiro Umehara (voice of Aquasteed)]
(C) Puni-chan, Naruse Akeno/KADOKAWA/”The Villainess is Adored by the Crown Prince of the Neighboring Country” Production Committee
To see Tiararose and Aqua-sama in action! I can’t wait to see how that overly sweet atmosphere that makes you want to look away (lol) will be portrayed. I’m also incredibly honored to continue voicing the characters. This is a work filled with so much love, so I’ll do my best to bring you as much excitement as I can.♡ Please look forward to it.
[Yuichiro Umehara (voice of Aquasteed)]
(C) Puni-chan, Naruse Akeno/KADOKAWA/”The Villainess is Adored by the Crown Prince of the Neighboring Country” Production Committee
First of all, I’d like to congratulate you on the anime adaptation! I’m also very happy to be playing Hartnight in the anime. When I play the character of Hartnight in games, I naturally imagine his emotional fluctuations and roughness on my own from the scenario, but I’m excited and excited to be able to create the story together with my co-stars in this anime adaptation. I’ll do my best! Thank you very much!
[Yumiri Hanamori (Akari)]
(C) Puni-chan, Naruse Akeno/KADOKAWA/”The Villainess is Adored by the Crown Prince of the Neighboring Country” Production Committee
Congratulations on the anime adaptation! I first voiced Akari in the voice comic, then went on to record the game and finally got to play her in the anime! I’ll do my best to not be left behind by her recklessness, so I hope you’ll enjoy it!
[Takayuki Hamana (Director)] When I first read the original manga for “The Villainess is Adored by the Crown Prince of the Neighboring Country,” I was impressed by how carefully Tiara’s emotions were portrayed, and how realistic they felt. I’ve put a lot of effort into creating images that convey Tiara’s emotions so that viewers can experience that same feeling. We’re currently working on the series, hoping to deliver a variety of highlights, including romance, games, magic, and fairies. Please look forward to it.
[Yoshimi Narita (Series Composition)] This work is packed with the excitement of a girl’s game and the yearnings of women. I tried to make the depictions of romance and thrilling elements from the original even sweeter and more beautiful in the anime. I hope you’ll feel the same excitement as Tiara. Please be sure to check it out.
[Majiro (Character Design)] I’m honored to be in charge of the character design for “The Villainess is Adored by the Crown Prince of the Neighboring Country.” After reading the original, I was captivated by the characters’ delicate and charming emotional movements. I particularly tried to express the villainess’s inner changes and the careful depiction of her relationship with the crown prince through beautiful and elegant illustrations…! I hope that each gorgeous character has a soft, pleasant fragrance… I carefully designed each character so that their personality and feelings can be conveyed to viewers throughout the dramatic story. I hope that the anime adaptation will reach even more people and be loved!
[Puni-chan (Original Work)] Congratulations on the anime adaptation! So, “The Villainess is Adored by the Crown Prince of the Neighboring Country” is being made into an anime! Thank you to everyone who supported us. And I have nothing but gratitude for everyone who is currently working on the production. I am really looking forward to seeing Tiara and Aqua in the anime. Tiara eating sweets with a cute and happy look, Aqua’s sweet and cool scenes, Akari having fun…to put it mildly, there are just too many highlights…!? I’m getting nervous and excited. I hope you will join me in looking forward to it!
A Beloved Villainess Tale Set to Charm Audiences in 2024
The announcement of “The Villainess is Adored by the Crown Prince of a Neighboring Country” brings yet another addition to the growing trend of romance fantasy anime featuring strong-willed heroines. With Mai Fuchigami taking on the lead role, fans can expect a nuanced portrayal of a character often misunderstood in traditional narratives. The supporting cast—Yuichiro Umehara, Takuya Sato, and Yumiri Hanamori—adds further depth and star power to the production. Given the genre’s popularity among both Japanese and international audiences, this series has the potential to stand out, especially if it balances political intrigue with heartfelt romance.
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