‘Though I Am an Inept Villainess’ Adds New Cast Ahead of January 2027 Return

Toho Co., Ltd. has unveiled new cast additions and a key visual for the second cour of its TV anime “Though I Am an Inept Villainess,” subtitled “The First Royal Outing” Arc, ahead of the show’s January 2027 return.

In Japanese television, a cour refers to a broadcast block of roughly three months, and anime seasons are often split into multiple cours that air separately rather than airing all at once.

Nakamura Yuichi will voice Keikou, the eldest brother of lead character Reirin, while Toki Shunichi takes on the role of Keishou, her second-eldest brother. Kobayashi Chiaki joins as Unran, a young village chief from the south whose role expands as the plot moves forward.

“Though I Am an Inept Villainess” is based on Nakamura Satsuki’s light novel series and premiered as a TV anime in July 2026. The story follows Reirin, whose ordinary life unravels after Keigetsu, shunned by her peers, turns to banned sorcery to trade their bodies, leaving each woman to cope with the other’s world. The anime’s first part closed with the disturbances tied to the body-swap curse largely resolved, and with Reirin and Keigetsu having grown closer after coming to understand each other through the experience.

The new arc picks up in early fall, as the Shu clan’s southern territory prepares to host the Harvest Festival, a ritual in which the Crown Prince and the Maidens pray for a plentiful harvest. Keigetsu presses ahead with preparations despite lacking a consort as guardian, while Reirin backs her efforts and looks forward to her first outing in a royal capacity.

Trouble strikes soon after the pair arrive for the ceremony. An accident disrupts the ritual, and Keigetsu, thrown off balance, sees her spell spiral out of her control, sending the two women back into each other’s bodies. In the chaos that follows, Reirin is abducted. Her brothers Kou Keikou and Kou Keishou step in as the search for an unidentified figure framing Keigetsu unfolds.

“The First Royal Outing” Arc is set to begin streaming in January 2027, though Toho has not yet confirmed an exact premiere date.

Earlier in the series, maidens representing the Five Clans competed for the Crown Prince’s affection, a rivalry that pushed a jealous Keigetsu to resort to banned sorcery and trade places with the popular Reirin. The swap gave Keigetsu no advantage, since she took on a frail body already near death, while Reirin, saddled with Keigetsu’s tarnished name, stood trial for wrongdoing she had no part in.