The staff for the television anime of Mayo Momoyo's Always a Catch! (Nigashita Sakana wa Ōkikatta ga Tsuriageta Sakana ga Ōkisugita Ken) light novel series announced on Wednesday that it has cast Kana Hanazawa as the mysterious woman Zaira, who harbors a grudge against protagonist Maria. The character made her debut in the anime's 10th episode, which aired on Thursday in Japan.
Cast and Production
Kana Hanazawa joins a star-studded cast that includes Yū Serizawa as Maria Annovazzi, Atsushi Tamaru as Renato di Rubini, Saori Hayami as Aida Amethis, Shūichirō Umeda as Placido di Rubini, Taku Yashiro as Raimondo Cigata, Natsuki Hanae as Ireneo, and more.
Akira Oguro (Giant Beasts of Ars) is directing the anime at TROYCA. Michiko Yokote (Call of the Night) is handling series scripts, and Isamu Suzuki (Shinobi no Ittoki) is designing the characters.
Story
Square Enix Manga & Books publishes the manga adaptation in English and describes the story:
"A zany romantic comedy starring a duke's daughter, who's more of a fighter than a lady, and a prince who happens to be into that! Maria, the daughter of a duke, grew up believing she would one day inherit her father's dukedom. Accordingly, she focused her attentions on honing her martial arts prowess, while thoughts of marriage fell by the wayside. But the arrival of a baby brother in her family means she's losing her role as heir! Now that she's decided it's time to marry after all, she's arrived a little late to the game!"
Music
HoneyWorks feat. Airi Suzuki perform the opening theme song "Chikai wa Kyun to." Singer Yoshino performs the ending theme song "DEAD OR LOVE."
Community Reception
The addition of Kana Hanazawa — one of anime's most prolific and beloved voice actors — has generated notable buzz among fans of the series. The show, which premiered on April 1, 2026, has been building a steady audience on Crunchyroll and other streaming platforms. The romantic comedy's unique premise — a martial arts-trained noblewoman navigating a mistaken-identity marriage plot — has drawn comparisons to The Apothecary Diaries and My Happy Marriage for its blend of romance and strong-willed female protagonist.
Video
What This Means
The mid-season casting of a major voice actor like Kana Hanazawa signals strong production momentum and suggests the mysterious Zaira will play a significant role in the story's second half. With TROYCA's strong track record (IDOLiSH7, Re:Creators) and a veteran creative team led by Akira Oguro and Michiko Yokote, Always a Catch! continues to be a standout romantic comedy in the Spring 2026 season.