The official website for the upcoming television anime adaptation of Suisei’s light novel series, Yūsha Party ni Kawaii Ko ga Itanode, Kokuhaku Shite Mita (informally known as There Was a Cute Girl in the Hero’s Party, So I Tried Confessing to Her), has announced two new cast members: Momo Sakurai and Aimi Ozawa. The series is set to premiere on January 6, 2026.
Sakurai, a member of the idol group ≠ME, will voice the character Shike, while Ozawa, from ≒JOY, will take on the role of Misaki. Both voice actresses, along with Iori Noguchi, will also perform a special ending theme song titled “YES! Summer Love♡.”
Anime Adaptation Details and Premiere
The romantic comedy isekai anime is eagerly anticipated, with its premiere scheduled for January 6, 2026, at 11:00 p.m. JST on Tokyo MX, followed by broadcasts on BS11, AT-X, Hokkaido Broadcasting, and RKB Mainichi Broadcasting. Crunchyroll will stream the series globally, excluding Asia, but including India and the Indian Subcontinent.
The anime adaptation is produced by Gekkou, with Tomonori Mine directing and Yasutaka Yamamoto serving as chief director. Yukie Sugawara is handling the series composition and script, while Mina Oosawa is responsible for character designs. The music for the series is being composed by Satoru Kousaki and MONACA. Yoshino will perform the opening theme, “Lavish!!”, and Hiyori Omiya will perform the ending theme, “Kimi Kouryaku Game.”
Unveiling the Plot and Previously Announced Cast
The story of There Was a Cute Girl in the Hero’s Party, So I Tried Confessing to Her centers on Yoki, a man who dies in a traffic accident and is reincarnated as a low-ranking demon in a fantasy world. Eschewing the path of a Demon Lord, he works as a subordinate in the Demon Lord’s castle. His life takes an unexpected turn when a Hero’s party attacks the castle, and he finds himself captivated by the priestess, Cecilia, falling in love at first sight. He then decides to confess his feelings, leading to an unusual romantic comedy.
The previously announced main cast members include:
- Kōhei Amasaki as Yōki
- Kana Hanazawa as Cecilia
- Ryōhei Kimura as Yūga
- Yūko Natsuyoshi as Mikana
- Toshiki Masuda as Duke
- Minami Tanaka as Seek
- Iori Noguchi as Happiness
- Ayumu Murase as Raven
The Journey from Web Novel to Anime
The original light novel series, written by Suisei and illustrated by La-na, began its serialization on the Shousetsuka ni Narou website in July 2013. Futabasha later published three volumes under its Monster Bunko imprint between October 2014 and August 2015. A manga adaptation, illustrated by Kairi, started in January 2021 on Futabasha’s Gaugau Monster service, with 12 volumes released as of July 2025. The manga adaptation is credited as the original work for the anime series.
This adaptation marks a significant step for the popular romantic comedy series, bringing its unique blend of fantasy and heartfelt confessions to a wider anime audience.
