Crunchyroll announced the official English dub cast and production crew for the new Magic Knight Rayearth television anime on October 21, 2026, setting the stage for international audiences to experience CLAMP’s classic fantasy adventure in English. The streaming platform confirmed that the localized edition will stream with its ongoing Japanese simulcast, which debuted on TV Asahi earlier in the month. Voice director Jonathan Rigg leads the Rayearth adaptation team, and returning actors also joined the roster for the second season of Sasaki and Peeps [1].
Magic Knight Rayearth English Voice Cast
The newly announced English cast brings fresh voices to the high school trio transported from Tokyo Tower to the fantasy world of Cefiro. Rebecca Chiara Marano stars as the fiery swordswoman Hikaru Shidou. Bryn Apprill voices the fencing champion Umi Ryuuzaki, and Kelly Greenshield rounds out the central team as the thoughtful Fuu Hououji. In supporting roles, Caitlin Glass plays Princess Emeraude, whose kidnapping by the high priest Zagato threatens Cefiro with total collapse, but Bradley Gareth voices Zagato. Jacob Hopkins takes on the mentor role of the mage Clef, who teaches the heroines how magic functions in this unfamiliar world [1].
Several other familiar figures from the original story have English voices in place. Erin Nicole Lundquist plays Alcyone, Zagato’s devoted servant who attacks the girls early in their journey across the foreign territory. Christopher Wehkamp voices the royal swordsman Lafarga, Cassie Ewulu plays the dancer Caldina, and Sarah Roach voices the beast-tamer Ascot as these antagonists test the heroines during their search for the legendary Rune Gods [1].
Crunchyroll handles the localization at its own recording facilities. Jonathan Rigg serves as voice director, Jessica Sluys adapted the script under supervisor Ben Phillips, and Marilyn M. Reyes oversaw adaptation preparation. Justin Cook, Michael Harcourt, and Nathanael Harrison manage the studio production side with producer Samantha Herek [1].
Production Background of the Remake
The creative team behind the Japanese animation wanted to honor the source material while building an adaptation that speaks to new viewers. Director Yui Miura made his full series directorial debut on the project at E&H Production after serving as an episode director on Ninja Kamui. Studio founder and creative producer Sunghoo Park, known for directing the first season of Jujutsu Kaisen, picked Miura for his skill in framing clear, character-driven scenes without unnecessary clutter. Park explained in an interview with Japanese news outlet Mantan Web that TMS Entertainment producer Takuma Kishida first brought the pitch to his studio, asking if the time was right to revisit CLAMP’s classic [2].
Park recalled growing up in South Korea when the 1994 television series enjoyed strong popularity among fans of giant robots. It stood out because mecha shows rarely centered on three teenage girls who fight with both magic and machines. He felt that the core message of three friends choosing their own destiny could connect with younger people who didn’t grow up during that broadcast era. The animation studio then committed to the demanding production schedule [2].
Miura deliberately avoided the storytelling habits that dominate contemporary fantasy shows. Many current stories give their protagonists unfair cheat powers that solve every crisis without real struggle, but CLAMP’s heroines have to get hurt, make mistakes, and push through difficult trials to grow into true protectors. That earned progression made the story worth telling again for today’s audience [2].
Art and Music Direction
The visual design balances 1990s proportions with computer graphics for giant robot combat. Character designer Satomi Watabe worked to preserve the rich line density and silhouettes of CLAMP’s original illustrations rather than stripping down detail for easier action sequences. Kodansha editorial guidance helped the team with character color palettes, ensuring that Hikaru’s crimson, Umi’s deep blue, and Fuu’s emerald green matched the author group’s intention. Meanwhile, mecha director Hiroki Mutaguchi built the Mashin suits almost entirely in three-dimensional computer models to give them greater physical weight on screen [2].
Miura also focused on pacing. Instead of cutting quickly between rapid movements, he allowed key scenes to pause on expressive layouts that highlight character emotion. He incorporated ink spattering techniques and animated background textures to make the screen feel like turning manga pages. Key animator Masanao Akai handled the demanding magical attacks [2].
Music plays a central role in framing the atmosphere of Cefiro. Composers Yuki Kajiura, Takumi Ozawa, and Shiho Terada crafted an orchestral score that accompanies the journey. Vocalist Toaka performs the opening theme Otome no Tsurugi, and Yurina Kawaguchi sings the ending song Hoshiakari [3]. The premiere episode also surprised longtime viewers by including Naomi Tamura’s 1994 hit Yuzurenai Negai as an insert track [4].
Sasaki and Peeps Season 2 Cast
In addition to the fantasy remake, Crunchyroll revealed the English dub lineup for the second season of Sasaki and Peeps. The comedic supernatural series follows a tired salaryman whose mundane routine unravels after he buys a pet bird that turns out to be an otherworldly sage named Peeps. Tyson Rinehart reprises his lead role as the weary protagonist Sasaki, and Erin Nicole Lundquist returns as the voice of Peeps. When the Japanese broadcast returned to television screens, October 7 brings Sasaki and Peeps back for Season 2 on Tokyo MX, BS NTV, and AT-X, paving the way for this English release. Taylor Murphy returns as Neighbor, and Hollis Beck reprises the role of Abaddon as the two worlds collide in Sasaki’s small apartment [1].
The rest of the returning ensemble includes Robin Clayton as Shizuka, Ray Hurd as Müller, and Lisette Monique Diaz as Elsa. Reagan Murdock plays Akutsu, Julie Cleburn voices Hoshizaki, and Charles Nguyen portrays Adonis. Supporting roles feature Jennifer AuBuchon as Magical Pink and Randy Pearlman as King. These characters constantly pull Sasaki into chaotic disputes between magical creatures, government agents, and rival factions from parallel dimensions [1].
Caitlin Glass serves as the voice director for the second season with assistant directors Kevin D. Thelwell, Seth Magill, and August Cline. Matthew Greenbaum wrote the English adaptation, guided by supervisors Ben Phillips and Jarrod Greene. The anime adapts Buncololi’s original light novel series with illustrations by Kantoku, which Kadokawa launched in January 2021 before releasing its 13th volume in March [1].
Magic Knight Rayearth Global Release Schedule
International distribution for the new Magic Knight Rayearth anime covers multiple streaming regions through Crunchyroll’s Fall 2026 simulcast lineup. The platform confirmed availability for North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, and parts of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Viewers in South Korea and Southeast Asia can also follow subtitled broadcasts through regional agreements. However, Crunchyroll’s current catalog listing excludes the Indian Subcontinent, meaning local audiences in India must look to other licensing options like Medialink’s Ani-One Asia streaming channel [3].
A major detail confirmed ahead of the premiere is that the television broadcast runs for two consecutive cours. Instead of stopping after a single thirteen-week season, the series will continue into early 2027 without taking a seasonal break. Production listings on Wikipedia indicate a planned run of twenty-one episodes for this retelling, giving the story enough room to develop its magical world and resolve the tragedy surrounding Princess Emeraude [4].
This modern production offers an accessible entry point for newcomers who never saw the original 1994 television show from TMS Entertainment. Media Blasters first brought that vintage anime to North America on VHS, but Discotek Media later released a complete Blu-ray edition in 2017 [5]. Viewers don’t need to study those older releases to understand the current reboot. With Jonathan Rigg directing the English cast and Yui Miura overseeing animation, the revival brings CLAMP’s world to modern viewers with fresh energy [1].
- ONLINE NEWS Mateo, A. (2026, October 21). Magic Knight Rayearth, Sasaki and Peeps 2nd Season Anime Reveal English Dub Debuts, Casts. Anime News Network. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Mantan Web. (2026, October 12). Magic Knight Rayearth: Interview with Director Yui Miura and Producer Sunghoo Park. Mantan Web. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Bhosale, R. (2026, September 20). Magic Knight Rayearth 2026 Release Date and Streaming. AnimeSparks. [Article Link]
- WEBSITE Wikimedia Foundation. (2026, October 21). Magic Knight Rayearth (2026 TV series). Wikipedia. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Pineda, R. A., & Loo, E. (2026, March 28). New Magic Knight Rayearth Anime’s Teaser Reveals Cast, Staff, October Debut. Anime News Network. [Article Link]
