Osamu Tezuka's iconic shojo manga, "Princess Knight" (Ribon no Kishi), which began serialization in 1953, is a landmark work in Japanese manga history. This April, Netflix announced it's producing a brand-new animated film, "THE RIBBON HERO," reimagining the classic with a fresh new look.
Today, the official team dropped the main visual, first trailer, and lead voice actor announcement. It's set to premiere globally and exclusively on Netflix on August 8, 2026.
"Princess Knight" hails from the 1950s and is a monumental piece in Japanese manga history, often credited as the first shojo manga to adopt a continuous story format.
The story centers on Sapphire, the beautiful princess of Silverland. Raised as a prince from childhood, Sapphire possesses both a "brave blue heart" (masculine) and a "gentle red heart" (feminine). The gods originally commanded her masculine heart be returned, but Sapphire fiercely resisted. Living as both a man and a woman, she dons both male and female attire, even donning a mask to fight evil as the Phantom Knight.
For this new anime, Yuuki Igarashi steps into the director's chair. He garnered significant attention for his high-quality solo animation work on the first ending theme of "Jujutsu Kaisen." His directorial debut, "The Elder and the Butterfly" from "Star Wars: Visions," earned critical acclaim both domestically and internationally for its intricate storytelling and powerful action sequences. This film marks his first time directing a full-length animated feature.
Character original designs come from popular illustrator Kei Mochizuki, known for their work on "Fate/Grand Order" & "Touken Ranbu ONLINE." They're joined by equally popular illustrator Mai Yoneyama. Kazunari Arakaki handles the animated character designs, while animation production is a joint effort between director Igarashi's OUTLINE team and TWIN ENGINE, the studio behind "The Orbital Children."
The newly unveiled main visual looks like a stunning oil painting. Front and center is Sapphire in her transformed state, gripping a long sword with a determined gaze. In the middle, we also catch a glimpse of pre-transformation Sapphire with her signature red bow, alongside three new characters. The official team hints that "thoughts" and Sapphire's reason for wielding her sword will be crucial to the story.
▼ Check out Sapphire's character designs (transformed & pre-transformation) below!
The first trailer, released concurrently, kicks off with a devastated kingdom and wounded soldiers, setting a somber tone as a battered Sapphire cries out in anguish. But just as she hits rock bottom, fate intervenes – enveloped by ribbons, she gains transformative powers and resolves to "fight for those in distress."
Amidst the hopeful scenes, a mysterious character with a sinister smile also makes an appearance. The trailer culminates with the declaration, "Ribbon Knight, appearing!", marking the birth of a new hero and leaving us wondering if she can truly bring light back to the world.
▼ Check out the official trailer for "THE RIBBON HERO" below!
In other news, the voice actor for protagonist Sapphire has been revealed as Saya from the comedy duo "Lalande." This marks her first time voicing a lead character in a full-length animated film. Saya shared that she was initially hesitant about the offer, having always admired the intricate detail involved in anime production.
However, the director convinced her by pointing out the many overlaps between Sapphire's upbringing and life experiences and her own, which ultimately led her to accept the role. She also candidly admitted that, not being a professional voice actor, she anticipates potential criticism but has poured her heart into portraying the character.
"THE RIBBON HERO" hits Netflix globally and exclusively on August 8 this year. Many details are still under wraps, so fans eager for more should keep an eye out for future announcements!