The official website for the upcoming anime adaptation of Aki Akimoto’s Mechanical Marie (Kikaijikake no Marie) manga has announced that voice actors Yūichirō Umehara and Daishi Kajita will join the series cast. The announcement, made on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, also revealed a new key visual for the highly anticipated romantic comedy.
Umehara will lend his voice to the character Roy, a close aide to Arthur’s father who was instrumental in scouting Marie as a “mechanical maid.” Kajita is cast as Maynard, Arthur’s older stepbrother, who harbors resentment towards his younger sibling’s success and frequently dispatches assassins to eliminate him. Both actors have reportedly commented on their new roles.
Anticipated October 2025 Premiere
The Mechanical Marie anime is set to premiere in October 2025, broadcasting on Tokyo MX, ytv, and BS Fuji. This adaptation of Aki Akimoto’s popular manga was initially announced on August 5, 2024.
Production Details and Previous Cast Announcements
The anime is being produced by studios Zero-G and Liber, with Junji Nishimura (known for Bakuon!!, 1989 Ranma ½, and The Fire Hunter) directing the series. Mariko Kunisawa (Berserk of Gluttony) is handling the series scripts, while Yōko Kikuchi (The Demon Prince of Momochi House) is designing the characters. The musical score is a collaboration between Yasuharu Takanashi (Fairy Tail) and Johannes Nilsson (Gushing Over Magical Girls).
Previous cast announcements for Mechanical Marie include Nao Tōyama as the titular Marie, Haruki Ishiya as Arthur, Ami Koshimizu as Marie-2, and Chiaki Kobayashi as Noah.
The Intriguing Premise of Mechanical Marie
The story of Mechanical Marie follows Marie Evans, a former martial arts prodigy who, despite being human, takes on the undercover role of a “mechanical maid” in the mansion of Arthur Louis Zetes. Arthur, a wealthy heir, is known for his deep-seated distrust and disdain for humans, seeking a perfect robot maid. Marie, burdened by debt and possessing a naturally expressionless face, seamlessly fulfills her duties while secretly protecting Arthur from a barrage of assassins. The comedic and romantic tension arises as Arthur, who surprisingly dotes on inanimate objects, comes dangerously close to uncovering Marie’s true identity, leading to a “nerve-wracking mix of thrills and close calls.”
The original Mechanical Marie manga, written and illustrated by Aki Akimoto, began as a one-shot in Hakusensha’s LaLa magazine in March 2020, before being serialized from June 2020 to June 2023. Six tankōbon volumes were released, and a sequel series, Mechanical Marie+, commenced serialization in LaLa in April 2025. Yen Press has also licensed the series for English publication, with the first volume set to be released in February 2025.
