ClariS and Yamazaki Bring the Music
ClariS (Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Nisekoi) will perform the opening theme "Hitokoto," while Ikusaburō Yamazaki sings the ending theme "Shinboshi" (心星). The pairing is an interesting split: ClariS brings pop polish honed across a decade of anime tie-ins, while Yamazaki is better known as a stage actor who starred in Japan's productions of Les Misérables and Mozart! His anime music credits are slim, making this an unusual crossover pick.
The main PV revealed by Anime Hack previews both songs for the first time. The trailer follows heroine Yuzu as she endures mistreatment from her sister Karin and those around her, intercut with Reiya's search for a bride. It closes on a striking beat: Yuzu in traditional dress, asking, "Will you love me...?" The accompanying key visual shows Yuzu and Reiya standing together as autumn leaves scatter around them.
In official comments, ClariS described "Hitokoto" as a song that carries Yuzu's emotions through "a sensual, bittersweet melody." Yamazaki said he was moved by the story's portrayal of "the strength within sadness and the beauty of loving someone" and expressed hope that "Shinboshi" would complement that tone. Original novelist Kureha noted that the OP evokes Yuzu's perspective while the ED captures Reiya's, creating a deliberate emotional pairing.
What Is The Ogre's Bride?
The Ogre's Bride is set in a version of Japan where humans and ayakashi (supernatural beings) coexist, and where powerful ayakashi sit at the center of society. Shinonome Yuzu is an ordinary high school girl who has spent her life compared unfavorably to her younger sister Karin, a fox spirit's chosen bride. That changes when she meets Kiryūin Reiya, the ogre who rules the ayakashi hierarchy.
The story began as a novel by Kureha, later adapted into manga by Jun Togashi. Published by Starts Publishing under its noicomi label, the manga has nine volumes out and has cleared 6.5 million copies in circulation. A live-action film adaptation also hit Japanese theaters in March 2026.
Saori Hayami (Yor Forger in Spy x Family, Shōko Nishimiya in A Silent Voice) leads the cast as Yuzu. Yūichirō Umehara (the titular Goblin Slayer) voices Reiya, and Manaka Iwami plays Karin. The anime is produced at Colored Pencil Animation Japan, directed by Kazuhito Ōmiya, with series composition by Yumi Kamakura and music by Masaru Yokoyama.
Looking Ahead
The Ogre's Bride premieres July 4, 2026 at 24:30 (12:30 a.m.) on TOKYO MX and BS11, with additional broadcast windows rolling out across Japanese regional stations through July 10. Streaming in Japan launches simultaneously on d Anime Store, ABEMA, U-NEXT, and Anime Hōdai.
For international viewers, Crunchyroll has the series listed in its Summer 2026 lineup. A first-episode advance screening event is scheduled for June 29 in Japan.
The source manga is available digitally in English on MangaPlaza, though no print English edition has been announced. Volume 10 of the Japanese manga releases July 10, just days after the anime premiere.