The TV anime adaptation of the beloved light novel series, ‘Though I Am an Inept Villainess: Tale of the Butterfly-Rat Body Swap in the Maiden Court,’ has recently enchanted fans with a stunning new piece of seasonal artwork. This latest visual, themed around a serene ‘moon viewing,’ beautifully captures the essence of the series. It features the elegant Kou Reirin enjoying a traditional mooncake, while the mischievous Shu Keigetsu is adorably captivated by a rabbit, adding a touch of whimsy to the scene.
Fans eagerly awaiting the 2026 premiere of this period fantasy and romantic drama can look forward to Doga Kobo’s animation studio bringing this tale to life. Mitsue Yamazaki is at the helm as director, with Yoshiko Nakamura handling series composition and Ai Kikuchi crafting the character designs. Earlier reports confirmed the 2026 broadcast and revealed the lead cast, further building anticipation for this highly awaited series.
The captivating narrative of ‘Though I Am an Inept Villainess’ began its journey as a light novel series, first published in July 2020 on the Shosetsuka ni Naro website. Ichijinsha has since released ten volumes of the light novels under their Ichijinsha Novels imprint, penned by Satsuki Nakamura and beautifully illustrated by YukiKana. A successful manga adaptation, drawn by Ei Ohitsuji, also commenced in June 2021 within Monthly Comic Zero Sum and has eight volumes published to date.
For English-speaking audiences, Seven Seas Entertainment is bringing both the light novel and manga series to fans. They describe the enchanting premise: In the Kingdom of Ei, five noble clans vie for influence by presenting their maidens as imperial consorts, with only one destined to become empress. The delicate and beautiful ‘court butterfly,’ Kou Reirin, seems destined for the crown prince, until the envious ‘court rat,’ Shu Keigetsu, cunningly steals her body. Reirin awakens in the dungeons, wrongly accused as the conspirator. However, this dire situation takes an unexpected turn; now possessing a robust new body, even the looming threat of execution can’t deter her newfound resolve.