"Rayearth": New Voice Actresses Overwhelmed by CLAMP Illustration – Report from AnimeJapan

At this year's "AnimeJapan 2026" in Tokyo, a highly anticipated talk event for the new TV anime series "Magic Knight Rayearth" took place on March 28. The highlight of the event was the appearance of the three main voice actresses, who were officially introduced in a teaser trailer: Ayane Sakura as Hikaru Shidou, Rumi Okubo as Umi Ryuuzaki, and Rie Takahashi as Fuu Hououji.

The three actresses, who describe themselves as big fans of the original creators CLAMP, shared their emotional reactions to being cast on stage. Sakura reported that she screamed with joy after the decisive call from her manager. Okubo, on the other hand, admitted to having cried silently with happiness upon hearing the news that she would voice her favorite character, Umi. Takahashi, who was originally unfamiliar with the work, confessed that she was even more motivated to audition due to her colleague Okubo's enthusiasm.

However, the most moving moment of the event was a surprise for the voice actresses: After a personal message from CLAMP was read aloud, a newly drawn illustration created specifically for the occasion was revealed. This unscripted revelation caused both Sakura and Okubo, who had previously seemed composed, to burst into loud, emotional screams. While Takahashi was visibly overwhelmed by her colleagues' reaction, the audience responded to the scene with laughing approval.

"Magic Knight Rayearth" is based on the manga of the same name by CLAMP, which was serialized in the magazine "Nakayoshi" from 1993 to 1995. The story follows the three schoolgirls Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu, who are summoned to the world of Cephiro to save it as legendary Magical Knights. This new adaptation is being produced for the 30th anniversary of the original anime series from the 1990s and will begin airing on TV Asahi in Japan from October 2026.