The TV anime Futsutsuka na Akujo de wa Gozaimasuga: Hinomiya Chōso Torikae-den held its first-ever public event — a special advance screening with a stage greeting — on June 21 at TOHOシネマズ Hibiya in Tokyo. Taking the stage after the screening were voice actresses Natsumi Kawaiida (Zhu Huiyue), Kana Hishikawa (Lili), and Faranaze Nikerai (Huang Dongxue), joined by special supporters and former Takarazuka top musumeyaku Madoka Hoshikaze and Juna.

A Video Message from the Absent Lead

Manaka Iwami, who voices lead character Huang Reilin, was unable to attend in person, so a pre-recorded video message was screened for the audience. Iwami called the body-swap drama “the biggest draw of the series” and revealed that she and Kawaiida had encouraged each other from the very first recording session as they built their characters together.

Iwami also described her approach to voicing Huiyue after the swap — speaking through Reilin’s body: “Huiyue carries an inferiority complex about her circumstances and tends to blame others. When she’s inside Reilin’s body, I was careful never to forget the voice of that body, always conscious that the sound comes from Reilin’s vocal cords while conveying Huiyue’s inner passion.”

Highlights from Episodes 1 and 2

During the episode recap talk, Kawaiida named the body-swap scene between Reilin and Huiyue as her favourite moment in episode 1. “Everything starts here,” she said, “and it’s the only scene where I speak as pure Huiyue, so it holds a special place for me.” Hishikawa, a self-confessed Dongxue fan, chose the scene where Dongxue shouts “Be quiet!” at the caged Huiyue, praising the stark contrast in Nikerai’s vocal tone. Nikerai laughed it off: “I wasn’t consciously doing anything different — I only realised how much it changed when I watched the broadcast version!”

For episode 2, all three cast members singled out Hishikawa’s performance as Lili. Hishikawa reflected: “I usually want to redo a scene after recording, but this time I managed to ride the tension and focus — I’m satisfied with the whole episode.” Nikerai was particularly struck by an improvised moment for Lili that the script marked only with “!?”, saying: “The sound she made was fascinating — you could genuinely feel the ‘what on earth is this?!’ energy.”

What to Watch For on Air: “Huiyue’s Off-Shoulder Look”

Asked what viewers should pay attention to in the broadcast, Kawaiida immediately answered: “Huiyue’s off-shoulder outfit. Once the swap happens, she won’t be wearing it anymore — so please take a good look at those shoulders while you can.” Hishikawa urged fans to turn the volume all the way up to experience the score: “The moment the music starts, you’ll be pulled straight into the world of Futsutsuka. Imagine yourself as one of the residents of that inner palace.”

Flip-Card Game: Who Would You Swap With?

The trio played a character-selection game using flip cards, with matching answers earning signed poster prizes. For “Which character would you swap bodies with?”, Kawaiida chose Chenyu (“because he’s cool”), Hishikawa chose Dongxue, and Nikerai chose Reilin — no match, but the panel awarded one poster anyway for the equal strength of feeling behind each answer.

“Who would you take to a deserted island?” produced a clean sweep: all three chose Reilin, citing her survival skills and unshakeable mental fortitude, earning poster number two. The final question — “Who would you want as a friend?” — saw Kawaiida pick Huiyue, Hishikawa pick Lili, and Nikerai pick Wenao, again diverging but winning a third poster on the same “equal passion” logic. All signed posters will be given away via the anime’s official X account.

Takarazuka Stars Step Out in Character Costumes

The event’s showstopping moment came when special supporters Madoka Hoshikaze and Juna — both former top musumeyaku of the Takarazuka Revue — appeared in faithful recreations of Reilin’s and Huiyue’s costumes respectively. The accuracy and elegance of the outfits left Kawaiida speechless: “I’d actually pay money to see this,” she blurted out.

Hoshikaze, wearing Reilin’s costume, shared her impressions of the anime: “Because I was in Reilin’s outfit, I naturally focused on her. She has a fragile, delicate quality that makes you want to protect her, yet her spirit is bolder and more resilient than anyone’s — that contrast is wonderful.” Juna, experiencing this kind of collaboration for the first time, reflected on Huiyue: “She feels so deeply human. There are moments that resonate with those of us living real lives.” Kawaiida and Nikerai then peppered the pair with fan-like questions — “Is the costume heavy?” and “Are you hot?” — drawing laughter from the audience.

Kawaiida’s Closing Words

In her closing remarks, Kawaiida said: “Iwami and I poured our hearts into every episode of this series, side by side. I’m so happy that people can finally watch it. These characters are truly alive — please follow their journey in the broadcast.”

Anime Details

Broadcast

Futsutsuka na Akujo de wa Gozaimasuga: Hinomiya Chōso Torikae-den premieres on July 12, 2026 at 23:45 on TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, and affiliated stations.

Staff

• Original Work: Satsuki Nakamura (Ichijinsha Novels)
• Original Character Design: Yukiya, Biyōei
• Director: Mitsue Yamazaki
• Series Composition: Yoshiko Nakamura
• Character Design: Ai Kikuchi
• Color Design: Kei Ishiguro
• Art Director: Seina Yaguchi (studio Pablo)
• Director of Photography: Yui Fukuoka
• Editor: Mutsumi Takemiya
• Music: Yukari Hashimoto
• Animation Studio: Doga Kobo

Cast

• Huang Reilin: Manaka Iwami
• Zhu Huiyue: Natsumi Kawaiida
• Yong Yaoming: Shin Furukawa
• Chenyu: Yuichiro Umehara
• Lili: Kana Hishikawa
• Huang Dongxue: Faranaze Nikerai
• Huang Jinxiu: Rei Igarashi
• Zhu Yamei: Ai Kayano
• Jin Qingjia: Mai Nakahara
• Lan Fangchun: Inori Minase
• Xuan Gecui: Yui Ishikawa