Though I Am an Inept Villainess
Japanese light novel series
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Though I Am an Inept Villainess: Tale of the Butterfly-Rat Body Swap in the Maiden Court[a] is a Japanese light novel series written by Satsuki Nakamura. The series originated on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website in July 2020, before being acquired and published in print with illustrations by Kana Yuki by Ichijinsha beginning in December of that same year. A manga adaptation, illustrated by Ei Ohitsuji, began serialization in Monthly Comic Zero Sum in the same month.
| Though I Am an Inept Villainess | |
First light novel volume cover | |
| ふつつかな悪女ではございますが ～雛宮蝶鼠とりかえ伝～ (Futsutsuka na Akujo de wa Gozaimasu ga: Sūgū Chōso Torikae Den) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Novel series | |
| Written by | Satsuki Nakamura |
| Published by | Shōsetsuka ni Narō |
| Original run | July 15, 2020 – present |
| Light novel | |
| Written by | Satsuki Nakamura |
| Illustrated by | YukiKana |
| Published by | Ichijinsha |
| English publisher | |
| Imprint | Ichijinsha Novels |
| Original run | December 28, 2020 – present |
| Volumes | 12 |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Satsuki Nakamura |
| Illustrated by | Ei Ohitsuji |
| Published by | Ichijinsha |
| English publisher |
|
| Magazine | Monthly Comic Zero Sum |
| Original run | December 28, 2020 – present |
| Volumes | 10 |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Mitsue Yamazaki |
| Written by | Yoshiko Nakamura |
| Music by | Yukari Hashimoto |
| Studio | Doga Kobo |
| Licensed by |
|
| Original network | TXN (TV Tokyo), AT-X |
| Original run | July 12, 2026 – present |
| Episodes | 4 |
Set in a fictional kingdom based on Imperial China, the story follows a beloved but physically frail imperial consort candidate whose body is forcefully swapped with that of her widely despised, jealous rival. Instead of despairing over the situation, she is thrilled to finally possess a healthy, robust body and uses her unbreakable spirit to navigate the dangerous political conspiracies brewing within the palace.
An anime television series adaptation produced by Doga Kobo premiered in July 2026.
Plot
In a kingdom, there is a secluded palace where the unmarried daughters of the five great noble families are gathered and trained to become future queens. Kou Reirin, the princess of one of these families, is known as the "Butterfly" for her extraordinary beauty, elegance and kindness, while Shu Keigetsu, the princess of another noble house, is despised throughout the imperial court and cruelly nicknamed the "Court Rat". Consumed by jealousy, Keigetsu resorts to an ancient Taoist art to exchange their bodies during a sacred ceremony.
Reirin finds herself trapped inside the body of the woman everyone despises, while Keigetsu inherits Reirin's status and admiration. Unable to reveal the truth due to the spell robbing her the ability to speak about it, Reirin chooses to remain true to herself despite the circumstances. Through her kindness, dignity and resilience, she gradually transforms the Court's perception of Keigetsu, while Keigetsu comes to realize that the happiness she had always envied carries an unexpected price.
Characters
- Kou Reirin (黄玲琳)
- Voiced by: Manaka Iwami[2] (Japanese); Brianna Knickerbocker[3] (English)
- The titular "court butterfly" and the maiden from the Kou clan. She is renowned for her beauty and her kind disposition, but she has a frail constitution and a weak body. She is the subject of Shu Keigetsu's rage and jealousy towards her as she plots to steal her body.
- Shu Keigetsu (朱慧月)
- Voiced by: Natsumi Kawaida[2] (Japanese); Rebecca Wang[3] (English)
- The titular "court rat" and the maiden from the Shu clan. She was ridiculed by her clan's court ladies for being made the maiden out of pity by the clan's noble consort and makes Reirin the subject of her rage and jealousy. She secretly learned forbidden magic to swap bodies with Reirin to steal her status and reputation but gives up her healthy and strong body in exchange for Reirin's frail body.
- Ei Gyōmei (詠 尭明)
- Voiced by: Makoto Furukawa[4] (Japanese); Kaiji Tang[3] (English)
- Crown Prince of the Ei Kingdom.
- Shin-u (辰宇)
- Voiced by: Yūichirō Umehara[4] (Japanese); Aleks Le[3] (English)
- Captain of the Eagle Eyes and the younger half-brother of Gyōmei.
- Leelee (莉莉)
- Voiced by: Hana Hishikawa[4] (Japanese); Lizzie Freeman[3] (English)
- A court lady of the Shu clan who serves Keigetsu.
- Kō Tōsetsu (黄 冬雪)
- Voiced by: Farahnaz Nikray[4] (Japanese); Mori Calliope[3] (English)
- A court lady of the Kou clan who serves Reirin.
- Shu Gabi (朱 雅媚)
- Voiced by: Ai Kayano[5] (Japanese); Grace Lu[3] (English)
- Kin Seika (金 清佳)
- Voiced by: Mai Nakahara[5] (Japanese); Emi Lo[3] (English)
- Maiden from the Kin clan.
- Kou Kenshū (黄 絹秀)
- Voiced by: Rei Igarashi[5]
- Ran Hōshun (藍 芳春)
- Voiced by: Inori Minase[5]
- Maiden from the Ran clan.
- Gen Kasui (玄 歌吹)
- Voiced by: Yui Ishikawa[5]
- Maiden from the Gen clan.
Media
Light novel
Written by Satsuki Nakamura, Though I Am an Inept Villainess: Tale of the Butterfly-Rat Body Swap in the Maiden Court began publication on the novel posting website Shōsetsuka ni Narō on July 15, 2020.[6][7] The series was later acquired and published in print by Ichijinsha with illustrations by YukiKana on December 28, 2020.[8] As of March 2026, twelve volumes have been released.[9]
In March 2022, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they have licensed the series for English publication.[10]
Volumes
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | December 28, 2020[8] | 978-4-75-809323-1 | October 18, 2022[11] | 978-1-63-858637-1 |
| 2 | June 2, 2021[12] | 978-4-75-809370-5 | November 1, 2022[13] | 978-1-63-858767-5 |
| 3 | November 2, 2021[14] | 978-4-75-809412-2 | March 21, 2023[15] | 978-1-63-858976-1 |
| 4 | April 4, 2022[16] | 978-4-75-809453-5 | July 11, 2023[17] | 978-1-68-579652-5 |
| 5 | October 4, 2022[18] | 978-4-75-809497-9 | December 19, 2023[19] | 979-8-88-843085-9 |
| 6 | April 4, 2023[20] | 978-4-75-809542-6 | January 16, 2024[21] | 979-8-88-843117-7 |
| 7 | October 3, 2023[22] | 978-4-75-809587-7 | July 30, 2024[23] | 979-8-88-843817-6 |
| 8 | April 2, 2024[24] | 978-4-75-809632-4 | February 4, 2025[25] | 979-8-89-160669-2 |
| 9 | October 2, 2024[26] | 978-4-75-809680-5 | August 26, 2025[27] | 979-8-89373-969-5 |
| 10 | April 2, 2025[28] | 978-4-75-809719-2 | May 5, 2026[29] | 979-8-89561-928-5 |
| 11 | September 30, 2025[30] | 978-4-75-809758-1 | September 22, 2026[31] | 979-8-89765-996-8 |
| 12 | March 31, 2026[9][32] | 978-4-75-809801-4 978-4-75-809802-1 (SE) | — | — |
Manga
A manga adaptation illustrated by Ei Ohitsuji, began serialization in Ichijinsha's magazine Monthly Comic Zero Sum on December 28, 2020.[33] As of March 2026, the series' individual chapters have been collected into ten tankōbon volumes.[34]
Seven Seas Entertainment is also publishing the manga in English.[10]
Volumes
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 28, 2021[35] | 978-4-75-803626-9 | November 8, 2022[36] | 978-1-63-858686-9 |
| 2 | December 27, 2021[37] | 978-4-75-803689-4 | April 18, 2023[38] | 978-1-68-579477-4 |
| 3 | June 30, 2022[39] | 978-4-75-803760-0 | June 20, 2023[40] | 978-1-68-579582-5 |
| 4 | December 28, 2022[41] | 978-4-75-803838-6 | December 26, 2023[42] | 979-8-88-843075-0 |
| 5 | June 30, 2023[43] | 978-4-75-803905-5 | May 21, 2024[44] | 979-8-88-843770-4 |
| 6 | December 28, 2023[45] | 978-4-75-803977-2 | December 17, 2024[46] | 979-8-89-160670-8 |
| 7 | June 28, 2024[47] | 978-4-75-808540-3 | May 13, 2025[48] | 979-8-89-373296-2 |
| 8 | February 28, 2025[49] | 978-4-75-808655-4 | December 16, 2025[50] | 979-8-89561-730-4 |
| 9 | September 30, 2025[51] | 978-4-75-808811-4 | August 4, 2026[52] | 979-8-89765-374-4 |
| 10 | March 31, 2026[34][53] | 978-4-75-809809-0 978-4-75-809810-6 (SE) | — | — |
Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced on March 17, 2025. It is produced by Doga Kobo and directed by Mitsue Yamazaki, with Yoshiko Nakamura handling series composition, Ai Kikuchi designing the characters, and Yukari Hashimoto composing the music.[54] The series was originally scheduled to premiere in April 2026,[2][55] but was later delayed due to production progress issues, eventually premiering on July 12, 2026, on TV Tokyo and its affiliates.[56][4][57] The opening theme song is "Sunny", performed by Milet,[5] while the ending theme song is "Hōkiboshi" (ホウキボシ; Shooting Star), performed by Rokudenashi.[58]
Crunchyroll is streaming the series alongside Hulu in the United States and Disney+ in Canada, Latin America, and Europe.[59][60] Netflix and Bilibili Asia are streaming the series in Asia.[61][62] An English dub produced by Bang Zoom! Studios premiered on July 26, 2026.[3][b]
Episodes
| No. | Title [64][65] | Directed by [c] | Written by [c] | Storyboarded by [c] | Original release date [66] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Though I Am an Inept Villainess" Transliteration: "Futsutsuka na Akujo de wa Gozaimasu ga" (Japanese: ふつつかな悪女ではございますが) | Sumie Noro | Yoshiko Nakamura | Mitsue Yamazaki | July 12, 2026 | |
|
In the Ei Kingdom during the Double Sevens Festival, the Shu clan's maiden Keigetsu knocks the Kou clan's maiden Reirin unconscious. Reiren then finds herself incarcerated and inside Keigetsu's body upon awakening. Reirin attempts to tell the truth to her personal court lady Tousetsu, but the spell's effect silences her when she speaks it. Unable to plead her innocence, her verdict is to be decided by the Lion's Judgment. After Tousetsu gives Reirin a poison pill and leaves, Keigetsu telepathically explains the forbidden spell she cast and her jealousy that led her to using it. Afterwards, Reirin realizes that Keigetsu's body is very healthy in contrast to her frail original body. At the Lion's Judgment, Reirin's cousin, the Crown Prince Gyoumei, harshly reprimands Reirin for calling him cousin in Keigetsu's body. Reirin is locked in a cage with a lion that refuses to attack, but does so after Shin-u, Captain of the Eagle Eyes, provokes it on Gyoumei's order. The lion faints after eating the dead rat Reirin hid after it ingested the poison pill. Having survived the judgment, she is ruled innocent, but Gyoumei warns that her hostilities towards "Reirin" will continue to haunt her. | ||||||
| 2 | "Will I Be Living Here?" Transliteration: "Koko de, Kurasu no Desu ka?" (Japanese: ここで、暮らすのですか？) | Sho Kitamura | Yoshiko Nakamura | Mitsue Yamazaki & Moe Suzuki | July 19, 2026 | |
|
After causing a commotion in the inner palace, Reirin is banished by the Shu clan's noble consort Gabi and escorted by Keigetsu's court lady Leelee to an abandoned storehouse at the border to live in. Upon arriving, Reirin expresses her excitement of being free from her busy life and frail body. Shin-u and Bunkou are sent by Gyoumei to monitor "Keigetsu" and are surprised to see her farming so enthusiastically. Meanwhile, Leelee, deprived of food as punishment for serving "Keigetsu", makes a deal with the Kin clan's court lady Gayou to torture and report on her master in exchange for food. Leelee returns to Reirin's home to find out that she quickly created a farm and gets fed. That night, an ailing Keigetsu looks back at her life as Gabi made her a maiden out of pity after her parents committed suicide and was disrespected by her clan's court ladies, leading her to direct her jealousy towards Reirin. Keigetsu gets swarmed with work and exaggerates her illness to avoid it. Meanwhile, Leelee sneaks out of Reirin's home in the middle of the night only to return after being evicted from her living space. | ||||||
| 3 | "Shoulders Back, Look Forward" Transliteration: "Mune o Hiroge, Shisen wa Mae ni" (Japanese: 胸を広げ、視線は前に) | Ai Hasegawa, Yukiko Tsukahara & Mitsue Yamazaki | Yoshiko Nakamura | Tetsuhito Saitō | July 26, 2026 | |
|
Four days since swapping bodies, Reirin continues to enjoy her new life while preparing to meet Keigetsu at the Ghost Festival ritual in three days. Leelee begins to suspect that "Keigetsu" is not the same person she knows with her failed attempts to torture her. Leelee returns to report to Gayou, and disappointed by her effort, she orders Leelee to assassinate her or be accused of stealing her hairpin. Meanwhile, Gyoumei tell Shin-u that he suspects something after noticing "Reirin" acting differently since the Double Sevens Festival. Bunkou alerts Shin-u about Leelee's attempt to assassinate "Keigetsu". At Reirin's home, Leelee damages Reirin's garment, and then attacks Reirin before she is stopped by Shin-u. Reirin makes up a story to defend Leelee's actions, and Shin-u leaves convinced that "Keigetsu" is not the same person he knows. Afterwards, Reirin tells Leelee that she will always have a place with her, and Leelee cries as she prepares to tell her the truth about Gayou. Meanwhile, Keigetsu continues to be bedridden having had a fever in Reirin's body for five days straight. | ||||||
| 4 | "My Miracle Comet" Transliteration: "Watakushi no, Hōkiboshi" (Japanese: わたくしの、ほうき星) | Ka Hee Im | Yoshiko Nakamura | Ka Hee Im | August 2, 2026 | |
|
With her fever worsening, Keigetsu speaks telepathically with Reiren again asking for help, while Leelee is away to return the hairpin to Gayou after telling Reirin that the Kin clan's maiden Seika ordered "Keigetsu's" harassment. Reirin tells Keigetsu to adjust her breathing to feel better, as well as direct her to the proper medicine. Reiren explains that she views the comet as a miracle comet since she had wished to get healthy. After the conversation, Leelee returns having failed to find Gayou to return the hairpin, and Reirin decides to take on Seika herself at the Ghost Festival hosted by the Kin clan by making extravagant garments for herself and Leelee. Meanwhile, as Gyoumei learns about "Reirin's" worsening condition, Shin-u tells him about "Keigetsu's" sudden personality change, which furthers Gyoumei's animosity towards "Keigetsu". The next day, Reirin has a new garment made for Leelee overnight for the Ghost Festival. Reirin inadvertently speaks about dressing Leelee in gamboge gold worn by Kou's upper court ladies, and Leelee becomes suspicious. At the Ghost Festival, Reirin and Leelee arrive while Seika silently expresses her anger towards "Keigetsu" for interfering with her plan to become noble consort when "Reirin" becomes empress. | ||||||
| 5 | "Who Is That Girl?" | TBA | TBA | TBA | August 9, 2026 | |
Reception
Along with Jin Kizuki's Shinya Eigyō Kujiratei: Gozen 0-ji no Napolitan, the series won the grand prize in the light novel category at NTT Solmare's "Minna ga Erabu!! Denshi Comic Taishō 2023" competition in 2023.[67] The series has 3 million copies in circulation.[68]
In the 2022 Next Manga Award, the manga ranked seventh in the print category.[69] In the 2023 edition of the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! guidebook, the series ranked seventeenth on the list of the top manga for female readers.[70]
See also
- I'll Never Set Foot in That House Again!, another light novel series with the same illustrator
Notes
- Production staff information is taken from the ending credits of each episode.