After various visuals that highlight its female leads, the upcoming Though I Am an Inept Villainess: Tale of the Butterfly-Rat Body Swap in the Maiden Court TV anime has received character visuals for two male members of the cast: Gyoumei and Shin-U.
Though I Am an Inept Villainess (Futsutsuka na Akujo dewa Gozaimasuga ~ Sugu Choso Torikae den~) will premiere sometime in 2026. It is based on the light novel series written by Satsuki Nakamura and illustrated by Kana Yuki, which has an initial premise that involves favored imperial consort Kou Reirin body-swapping with fellow consort Shu Keigetsu due to the latter’s plot.
The light novel series, which is published under the Ichijinsha Novels label, began in 2020 and has 11 volumes as of September 2025. There is a manga by Ei Ohitsuji. Yuki and Ohitsuji both have the original character design credit for the anime.
Seven Seas Entertainment describes the premise of the light novel series as such:
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!
Update: Amended description of the light novel series’ premise in the second paragraph.
Staff
• Director: Mitsue Yamazaki (Zenshu, Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle)
• Series composer: Yoshiko Nakamura (RPG Real Estate)
• Character designer: Ai Kikuchi (Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie)
• Animation production: Doga Kobo
Cast
• Manaka Iwami as Kou Reirin
• Natsumi Kawaida as Shu Keigetsu
Source: @futsutsuka_PR (1), (2)
