The new Magic Knight Rayearth anime has confirmed two central casting choices: Rie Takahashi will voice Fuu Hououji, while Saori Hayami will voice Princess Emeraude. Both actresses also discussed how they approached the characters in an interview published by Crunchyroll News on September 3, 2026.
The project adapts CLAMP's manga, which follows 3 high school girls transported to the world of Cephiro. Further information can be followed through the JEU.VIDEO news section.
Two different connections to Magic Knight Rayearth
Rie Takahashi discovered the original manga around the time of her audition. For Fuu, she says she explored Cephiro through the character's personality rather than treating her apparent calm as the whole performance. Her description also emphasizes Fuu's more playful side: she is passionate about RPGs, can be caught off guard, and then quickly gathers her thoughts again.
Saori Hayami, by contrast, already knew Magic Knight Rayearth from childhood, although her memories of it had faded. After auditioning, she reread the manga to reconnect with its characters and atmosphere. The Crunchyroll News interview therefore places a recent discovery of the work alongside a personal rediscovery of it.
The adaptation is not defined by battles alone
Crunchyroll presents Magic Knight Rayearth as a blend of magical girl, isekai, fantasy, romance, mecha and JRPG elements. The casting announcement sits within a setting where combat exists alongside the heroines' friendship and emotional bonds.
Takahashi particularly highlights friendship and romance, while recalling that travel to another world was already part of the series' imagination in the 1990s. Those comments indicate the emotional and genre balance the adaptation wants to preserve, but they do not announce any change to the manga's story.
No release date or platform has been announced
The interview does not specify when the new anime will premiere or which service will distribute it. Viewers now know who will voice Fuu Hououji and Princess Emeraude, but information about the release window and the remaining cast and staff is still pending.
For now, Magic Knight Rayearth has two confirmed voices and two distinct relationships to the original work. The anime still has no announced launch window or confirmed platform, so the casting news marks a step in its presentation rather than a sign of imminent availability.
