Romelia War Chronicle is a new anime series that premiered on Crunchyroll on Saturday, October 3, 2026. It is based on a novel series by Ryo Ariyama that began serialization in August 2019. The story follows Countess Romelia von Graham, voiced by Yuna Nemoto, as she confronts the remnants of the Demon King's army.
Romelia War Chronicle has also been adapted into a manga series, with six volumes released in Japan. The fourth volume of the English edition is scheduled for release on December 1, 2026.
At Otakon 2026, held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., I had the honor of interviewing Yuna Nemoto, the voice of Romelia; novelist Ryo Ariyama; editor Hiroyuki Hamada; and Pony Canyon producer Yuki Watanabe.
Q1. What was your most memorable experience working on Romelia War Chronicle?
Ryuuza Media: What was your most memorable experience working on Romelia War Chronicle?
Ryo Ariyama: One memory that stands out for me is the character Elizabeth. She is initially portrayed as a villain, but later in the series I began thinking about how to make readers like her and see her as a more sympathetic character. That is an experience I remember very fondly.
Yuki Watanabe: This may be a memory that has not happened yet. We were invited all the way to Washington, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone's reactions once the anime begins airing. Imagining how audiences will respond may ultimately become my fondest memory of this project.
Yuna Nemoto: One of the most interesting aspects of Romelia is that she holds a leadership role in an army. She gives orders and delivers speeches that encourage and inspire those around her. Portraying that side of her was a particularly memorable experience for me.
Hiroyuki Hamada: Novels are not as widely read as they were at their peak, and that is true not only in Japan but overseas as well. When I think about Romelia War Chronicle, I am deeply moved by how it has developed from a novel into a manga and now an anime, allowing people around the world to discover it. I fondly remember the many discussions I had with Ariyama-sensei about how the story should develop. We sometimes clashed over the direction of the work, but those discussions helped shape it into what it is today. Seeing the series gain international recognition is something very precious to me.
Q2. Can you talk about the basic plotline of the anime?
Ryuuza Media: Can you talk about the basic plotline of the anime without revealing any spoilers?
Ryo Ariyama: The story of Romelia War Chronicle begins after Romelia and her companions defeat the Demon King. Despite their victory, Romelia's fiance breaks off their engagement, and she is expelled from the hero's party. Rather than receiving a triumphant welcome, she returns home and realizes that defeating the Demon King has not ended the conflict. The remnants of his army are still at large, and the kingdom remains vulnerable. Romelia therefore decides to build and develop an army of her own to protect the people from the threats that remain. That is the basic premise of Romelia War Chronicle.
Ryuuza Media: That sounds great!
Q3. What was the voice-recording process like?
Ryuuza Media: What was the voice-recording process like?
Yuna Nemoto: Romelia War Chronicle has a large cast, so there were times when as many as 30 voice actors were gathered in the recording booth with only four microphones. Everyone had to remain completely quiet while someone else was performing and move carefully so as not to get in anyone's way. We also had to make sure that we could reach the microphones and still see the screen. It was a unique experience to record with such a large cast. At the same time, working together under those conditions helped us create a very close-knit, family-like atmosphere among the cast.
Q4. Did you create the character movements or record the voices first?
Ryuuza Media: Did you create the character movements or record the voices first?
Yuki Watanabe: I would say it depends on the situation. In Japanese anime production, voice actors usually record while watching the visuals on a screen, but those visuals are often not yet fully animated. In many cases, we record using storyboards or partially completed footage. Of course, it would be ideal to record with the finished animation, but working with incomplete visuals also gives the production team a certain degree of flexibility. The animators can adjust the characters' mouth movements and actions to better match the recorded dialogue, while the voice actors can adapt their performances to the intended direction of the scene. In that sense, the voice performance and animation are developed together.
Q5. How was the original idea conceived?
Ryuuza Media: How was the original idea conceived?
Ryo Ariyama: The short answer is that it came to me in a dream. At the time, two major story trends were popular. One involved a character being expelled from their party, and the other involved a character being rejected by their fiance. Those two ideas came together in my dream, and before I knew it, I had written the first page.
Hiroyuki Hamada: I think it is very characteristic of Ariyama-san that the story did not immediately turn into a romance.
Q6. Are the manga and the anime closely connected?
Ryuuza Media: Are the manga and the anime closely connected?
Ryo Ariyama: Rather than focusing only on how closely the anime follows the manga, I would like to talk about the process of adapting the novel into manga form. When I first read the manga, I noticed many additions and creative choices that I found very interesting and enjoyable. I think that adaptation process is one of the most fascinating aspects of the project.
Yuki Watanabe: The anime is a two-cour series with more than 20 episodes, and we carefully structured it so that some of the most exciting moments come toward the end. The manga also currently has a Gaiden side story. Although the side story itself was not directly adapted into the anime, we incorporated several elements from it. Readers who are familiar with the side story may notice those references and think, “Ah, I see what they did there.” Please keep an eye out for them.
Q7. Is there something you would like to share about working on this project?
Ryuuza Media: Is there something you would like to share about working on this project?
Yuki Watanabe: One thing I would like to share is that, through this project, we became very close friends, almost like brothers.
Ryo Ariyama: Writing this novel has given me more than I ever expected. I have been surprised by how many valuable experiences and relationships have come from this work.
Yuna Nemoto: One of the most valuable things I gained from this project was the relationships I was able to build with so many people. It was something very meaningful that I could take away from the experience. We were also able to grow as voice actors. We progressed from simply reading the lines to developing a greater awareness of techniques specific to anime voice acting, such as controlling our breathing. Through the production, we learned many of the subtle techniques involved in performing for anime.
Hiroyuki Hamada: You heard earlier that they are now such close friends that they consider each other brothers, but their relationship did not begin that way. When I first reviewed Ariyama-sensei's manuscripts, I made so many corrections in red ink that the pages themselves seemed to turn red. At the time, we wondered whether we would even be able to continue to a second volume. As the series progressed, however, I saw tremendous growth in his writing, and our working relationship steadily improved. Today, I trust his writing so much that I rarely feel the need to mark up his manuscripts in red. The message I would like to share is that even when things begin on a difficult note, you should not give up, because they can get better.
Ryuuza Media: Thank you. Thank you all so much.
