Kaeru Chohokiteki's Witch and Mercenary light novels will receive a TV anime adaptation from Studio 8-Bit in 2027, airing on NTV with Shinpei Ezaki directing.
Kaeru Chohokiteki's fantasy light novel series Witch and Mercenary is getting a TV anime adaptation set to premiere in 2027. Studio 8-Bit will produce the series, which will air on NTV with Shinpei Ezaki helming the project as director.
Ezaki, whose directorial credits include Vivy -Fluorite Eye's Song- and Hanebad!, leads the production. Taishirou Tanimura handles series composition, while Keita Matsumoto serves as character designer. Akiko Fujita is the sound director, and Rei Ishizuka composes the music through Lantis.
The two lead roles have already been cast. Saori Hayami, known for her extensive voice work across anime, will voice Siasha, while Taito Ban takes on the role of Zig Crane. The pairing of a seasoned veteran like Hayami with Ban sets a strong foundation for the show's central dynamic between its titular witch and mercenary.
The light novel series began as a web serial on Shosetsuka ni Naro in June 2021, running through December 2022. Micro Magazine picked up the series for print publication, releasing the first volume in May 2023 with illustrations by Bench Kanase. The seventh volume launched on January 20, 2026, indicating the series has built a substantial narrative foundation ahead of its anime debut.
The story follows a witch named Siasha and a mercenary named Zig Crane as they depart for unknown lands in search of peace, facing lost magic and vicious monstrosities along their journey. Seven Seas Entertainment licenses the novels in English, giving international readers access to the source material well before the anime arrives.
A manga adaptation by Makoto Miyagi has also been running on Kodansha's Magazine Pocket since January 2024, with English publication through K MANGA. The multi-format expansion signals strong publisher confidence in the property.
Studio 8-Bit brings significant experience in the fantasy anime space. The studio is known for producing That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, one of the most commercially successful isekai franchises, along with titles like Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation in its early production stages. Their handling of world-building-heavy fantasy properties makes them a natural fit for Witch and Mercenary's adventure-driven narrative.
Alongside the announcement, the official anime website launched a voice drama and short story series supervised by Chohokiteki, giving fans supplementary content while they wait for the 2027 premiere. A teaser visual has also been released, offering the first look at the anime's art direction. A specific premiere date within 2027 has not yet been announced, nor has a streaming platform for international distribution been confirmed.
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