The TV anime Hotaru no Yomeiri, based on the manga by Tachibana Oreko — a series that has surpassed a cumulative 5 million copies in print — is set to begin broadcasting on October 9, 2026.

The story follows Kirigaya Satoko, a young noblewoman with a terminal illness, and Goto Shinpei, a mysterious assassin tasked with killing her. Thrown together by a fateful encounter, the two find themselves entangled in an unpredictable romance amid brutal circumstances — a love-suspense series unlike any other.

Ahead of the premiere, Lynn (voice of Satoko) and Uchiyama Koki (voice of Shinpei) sat down for an interview covering everything from their initial reactions to the casting, to how they approached their characters, and the moments that left the biggest impression on them.

“I Just Had to Go for It” — Facing the Pressure of a Beloved Manga

With the source manga boasting millions of devoted readers, both voice actors acknowledged the weight of the project from the start. Lynn was candid about the pressure she felt.

“There’s definitely pressure. Every reader has their own ideal Satoko and their own ideal Shinpei in their head. Giving those characters a single definitive form in animation is a real challenge. I just want to play a Satoko that as many people as possible can accept.”

Uchiyama took a more pragmatic stance, acknowledging that a range of reactions is inevitable — and that the only option was to commit fully.

“There are going to be all kinds of responses, and that’s natural. In the end, my feeling was: I just have to go for it. I hope the anime lives up to what the original fans are expecting.”

Tachibana Oreko’s Artistry: “The Eyes Say Everything”

Both actors were struck by the manga’s visual style. Lynn said the thing that captivated her most was the way Tachibana draws eyes.

“The linework is delicate and beautiful, but what really got me was the eyes. Shinpei’s eyes often have no light in them at all — but the moment his emotions stir, a glimmer appears. You can feel exactly when something shifts inside him just from that. I found that way of drawing incredibly compelling.”

Uchiyama noted that while the story delves into the darker, messier side of human emotion, the artwork itself remains strikingly beautiful and refined. He was also drawn to how dramatically Shinpei’s expressions can shift — from menacing, to warm and cheerful, to almost childlike and round-eyed — giving the character a wide range of emotional registers.

Building the Characters: Resolve, Mystery, and Hidden Warmth

Lynn described Satoko as someone who has lived with the knowledge of her own mortality since childhood, and has channeled that awareness into an unshakeable sense of purpose — always asking what she can do for her family and her father.

“No matter what terrible situation she’s thrown into — being kidnapped, caught up in life-or-death violence — she always finds a way through on her own strength. The one thing I wanted to hold onto throughout my performance was that unwavering feeling of ‘I’m going home, for my father.'”

For Uchiyama, the challenge of playing Shinpei lay in balancing the character’s many contradictory qualities: the menace and unpredictability that define him on the surface, and the purer, almost innocent side that occasionally breaks through.

“I was conscious of keeping that sense of ‘you never quite know what he’s thinking’ alive. But there are also scenes where he shows something childlike and genuine. If I can make each of those facets feel compelling in its own right, I think that’s how you get close to the Shinpei in the manga.”

“Get Together Already!” — Impressions of Each Other’s Performances

Lynn said that Uchiyama’s voice gives Shinpei — a character who could easily feel fantastical — a sense of real, lived-in humanity. When Shinpei says things like “I like you” or “I’m right here,” she said, the words land with genuine emotional weight.

“Recording together is so much fun. And honestly — I just want these two to get together already! (laughs)”

Uchiyama, meanwhile, praised Lynn for capturing both sides of Satoko simultaneously: the refined elegance of a girl from a distinguished family, and a gritty, almost rough-edged inner strength.

“Both of those qualities come through so clearly. Every episode we record together, I feel that strength from her all over again.”

Hotaru no Yomeiri premieres October 9, 2026.