Fans of classic shoujo‑fantasy and quirky contemporary slice‑of‑life anime have reason to celebrate this week. Crunchyroll announced that two beloved series will launch English‑language versions on Japanese television on October 7, complete with full voice casts and a slate of seasoned dub staff.
Magic Knight Rayearth returns to the small screen after more than two decades, this time with an English dub produced by Crunchyroll. The series follows high‑school friends Hikaru, Umi and Fuu, who are whisked away from a school field trip to the mystical realm of Cefiro. There, a dying world depends on their newfound powers as the titular Magic Knights to rescue Princess Emeraude and halt the collapse of the land.
The dub lineup includes Rebecca Chiara Marano as Hikaru, Bryn Apprill as Umi, and Kelly Greenshield as Fuu. Veteran voice actors Caitlin Glass and Bradley Gareth take on Emeraude and Zagato respectively, while Jacob Hopkins, Erin Nicole Lundquist, Christopher Wehkamp, Cassie Ewulu, and Sarah Roach round out the supporting cast. The production team is led by voice director Jonathan Rigg, with adaptation oversight from Ben Phillips and Jessica Sluys. Crunchyroll serves as the studio, and its producers Justin Cook, Michael Harcourt and Nathanael Harrison are credited as studio producers.
Broadcasting will occur within TV Asahi’s late‑night “IMAnimation W” block, airing at 11:45 p.m. JST (10:45 a.m. EDT). For international fans, the English dub will be streamed on Crunchyroll’s platform shortly after the Japanese telecast, making the classic series accessible to a new generation.
Magic Knight Rayearth originally began as a manga by the all‑female creator group CLAMP, serialized in Kodansha’s Nakayoshi from 1993 to 1996. The manga inspired two anime seasons in the mid‑1990s and a 1997 OVA project. The series has maintained a cult following, prompting the recent push for a modern dub and renewed visibility.
Meanwhile, the surreal comedy‑fantasy Sasaki & Peeps is also stepping into the spotlight with its second season, which will debut on October 7 at 11:00 p.m. JST on Tokyo MX, BS NTV, and AT‑X. The story follows a weary office worker named Sasaki who, after impulsively adopting a bird, discovers the creature is actually a sage from another world who grants him otherworldly abilities.
The new English dub features Tyson Rinehart as Sasaki and Erin Nicole Lundquist returning as the sage‑bird Peeps. Additional voices include Taylor Murphy, Hollis Beck, Robin Clayton, Ray Hurd, Lisette Monique Diaz, Reagan Murdock, Julie Cleburn, Charles Nguyen, Kirsty Johnson, Cory Phillips, Jennifer AuBuchon, Randy Pearlman, Rowan Gilvie, Eli Farmer, and T.J. Anthony.
Dub production is again overseen by Crunchyroll, with studio producers Justin Cook, Michael Harcourt and Nathanael Harrison sharing duties. Adaptation supervision comes from Ben Phillips and Jarrod Greene, while Matthew Greenbaum handles the adaptation script. Voice direction is led by Caitlin Glass, who also reprises her role as a voice actor on the series.
The original light‑novel series, illustrated by Kantoku and published by Kadokawa since January 2021, has earned critical acclaim, winning both the Tankōbon and Novel categories in the 2022 Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! guide. Yen Press currently releases the novels in English, expanding the franchise’s reach beyond Japan.
Both dubs underscore Crunchyroll’s continued investment in bringing niche and classic titles to a global audience. By pairing seasoned voice talent with careful adaptation, the streaming giant aims to satisfy longtime fans while inviting newcomers to experience these distinct worlds.
For more details on the Magic Knight Rayearth anime, see the entry on Anime News Network. Information on the upcoming second season of Sasaki & Peeps can be found in the original announcement. Additional background on the CLAMP collective is available here.
Featured image: ©CLAMP・ST／講談社・TMS・テレビ朝日
Source: Anime News Network