The official website for the television anime adaptation of Tomato Soup's A Witch's Life in Mongol (Tenmaku no Jādūgar) manga has revealed the show's July 4, 2026 premiere date, a new promotional video, and an expanded cast and staff lineup. The fantasy historical drama will debut with a one-hour special featuring the first two episodes.
Opening Theme
Japanese pop band SEKAI NO OWARI will perform the opening theme song "Stella." The band's ethereal, orchestral pop sound — heard in previous anime openings like Hunter × Hunter's "Kyouran Hey Kids!!" — promises to match the sweeping historical scope of the series.
Cast and Characters
The series features a rich ensemble cast bringing a sprawling historical epic to life:
- Miyu Irino as Shira, a boy captive of the Mongol Empire
- Jun Saitō as Muhammad, Fatima's brilliant son
- Akira Sekine as Shitara (Sitara), a lonely displaced girl
- Houko Kuwashima as Fatima, the Persian physician and Muhammad's mother
- Ryōta Suzuki as Tolui, fourth prince of the Mongol Empire
- Kenji Nojima as Jochi, eldest son of Emperor Genghis Khan
- Ami Koshimizu as Töregene, Ögedei's sixth wife who harbors complicated feelings about the empire
- Hiro Shimono as Ögedei, third son of Emperor Genghis Khan
- Daisuke Namikawa as Chagatai, second son of Emperor Genghis Khan
Staff and Production
The creative team behind the series represents a convergence of some of the most distinctive talents in modern animation:
- Chief Director: Naoko Yamada (A Silent Voice, The Heike Story, The Colors Within) — her first chief director role for a TV series since The Heike Story
- Director: Abel Góngora (DAN DA DAN Season 2, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, Star Wars: Visions "TO-B1")
- Character Design/Animation Chief: Kenichi Yoshida (Eureka Seven, Gundam: Reconguista in G)
- Series Scripts: Kanichi Katō (Black Clover, The Eminence in Shadow)
- Music: Kōshirō Hino
- Studio: Science SARU
Premiere Details
The anime premieres on July 4, 2026 at 11:00 p.m. JST (10:00 a.m. EDT) on TV Asahi's "IMAnimation W" programming block, with additional broadcasts on BS Asahi and 23 affiliate stations. The first two episodes will air consecutively as a one-hour special.
The series will also have a world premiere screening of the first three episodes on June 13 at United Cinemas Aqua City Odaiba in Tokyo. Additionally, the anime has been selected for competition in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2026 (TV Films category), and will have its U.S. premiere at Anime Expo 2026 on July 3, with Naoko Yamada and Abel Góngora in attendance.
About the Manga
Tomato Soup's manga launched on Akita Shoten's Souffle website in September 2021 and is published bimonthly. The series topped the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2023 ranking for female readers, was nominated for the 16th and 17th Manga Taisho Awards, and won the grand prize (Comic Division) at the 55th Japan Cartoonists Association Awards. Yen Press publishes the manga in English.
"The time: the thirteenth century. The place: Yeke Mongol Ulus, the greatest empire the world has ever known. The woman: Fatima, hailing from Persia, where medical technique and scientific knowledge have been perfected beyond all precedent. Fatima's desire for a stage where she can put her knowledge to work has brought her to the palace of the Mongols, where she falls under the wing of Töregene..."
Community Reception
The announcement has been met with significant enthusiasm across the anime community. The combination of Naoko Yamada's directorial vision with Science SARU's signature fluid animation style has created considerable anticipation. On MyAnimeList discussion forums, fans have expressed excitement about the historical setting — a relatively rare genre for anime — and the strong female lead in Fatima. The involvement of SEKAI NO OWARI for the opening theme has also been a major talking point, with the band's dedicated fanbase cross-pollinating with anime circles. The selection of the series for competition at the prestigious Annecy Festival further validates the high expectations surrounding the production.
What This Means
Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia represents one of the most intriguing projects of the Summer 2026 season. With a chief director of Naoko Yamada's caliber paired with Science SARU's distinctive visual approach — known for blending traditional and digital techniques — the series has the creative pedigree to be a standout. Its focus on a female Persian physician navigating the Mongol Empire's court politics offers a fresh narrative angle in the historical anime space. The July 4 premiere date, coinciding with Anime Expo's U.S. premiere the day before, positions the series for significant international attention from the outset.