Though I Am an Inept Villainess is a new seasonal anime that premiered on July 12, 2026. I had the opportunity to both interview Hana Hishikawa, the voice of Leelee, and attend the series’ panel.
Both experiences were fantastic, but let’s begin with the interview featuring Hana Hishikawa.
Q: What first drew you to this project, and what excited you most about joining the cast?
A: “What I was most impressed by was is the structure of the story itself, and how it richly portrayed the two main characters. Really, just everything about the story is so beautifully detailed.”
Q: Can you tell us a little about the character you portray and what makes her unique?
A: “My character Leelee does come off as a bit more strict and forbidding kind of character, but when you get to look at her for who she is you start to realize that Leelee herself has a lot of difficulty accepting herself. And because of that it makes her feel very human. Something I think is unique to her is well her red hair, and the fact she was raised very differently from many of the others in the palace.”
Q: Though I Am an Inept Villainess has an unusual premise involving a body swap. What do you
think makes this story stand out from other fantasy or villainess series?
A: “I think one of the most unique qualities of this story is the way it’s concluded. During the beginning of the story we see Keigetsu the one who seeks out magical abilities in order to do the body change when she finally does achieve her goal she slowly comes to realize over time that maybe it’s not what she wanted, and soon comes to regret her decision. So seeing how Keigetsu come to that conclusion is something that I think makes this series unique.”
Q: Many stories in this genre revolve around misunderstandings and hidden motives. How
does this series put its own unique spin on those themes?
A: “Something specific to this story is the way the main character Reirin who originally is supposed to be a victim of this body change actually comes to quickly adapt into her new body taking this new change in body without and sadness or suffering literally jumping up and down, and back and forth in her cell she was placed in. So just the way Reirin is able to occupy her new being as to say is something that makes this particular story unique.”
Q: Are they any things we should keep an eye out for while watching this anime?
A: “The depiction of the pupil of the eyes is very carefully done. There was a lot of attention to that visual dimension. So I would encourage spectators to keep an eye on that particular area.
Q: If you could convince someone to watch the series in one sentence, what would you say?
A: “Energy! It’ll give you a lot of energy!”
Q: What message would you like to share with fans who are eagerly waiting for Though I Am an Inept Villainess?
A: “So one of the things that this series does so well is it gives you the energy to start afresh every new day that comes. And whether the viewers are studying or working I hope that they’ll be able to feel the energy this series gives.”
That concludes our 15-minute interview with Hana Hishikawa. We would have loved to ask her even more, but unfortunately that was all the time we had. Now, onto the next part of this article: the panel. It began with a screening of the first two episodes of the series.
Overall, both episodes were phenomenal and left me wanting more by the end of the second. Since the first episode will have already aired by the time this article is published, I can confidently say this is a series to watch. I highly recommend it, especially if you’re looking for something to fill the void while waiting for the next season of The Apothecary Diaries.
Afterwards, during the panel, we got to see Hana Hishikawa (voice of Leelee), Makoto Furukawa (voice of Ei Gyomei), along with some amazing cosplayers. The guests shared more of their thoughts on the series before taking part in a few lighthearted minigames, where they tried to guess the meanings of some modern slang terms.
Final Thoughts:
It is always a pleasure to interview such wonderful guests and attend fun, engaging panels. I hope this interview and panel review gave you a burst of excitement as well! With that said, I once again encourage you to check out the series for yourself. In my opinion, the main character has a similar energy to Maomao from The Apothecary Diaries, and I cannot wait to see where the story goes next. You can stream the series now on Crunchyroll. Be sure to check out the trailer below.
All photos credits to my own camera, Crunchyroll, and the official website for the series.
© Satsuki Nakamura, Ichijinsha / Inept Villainess Project
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