The dark fantasy yuri anime landscape is about to get a powerful new addition. I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day (Kimi ga Shinu made Koi wo Shitai) has unveiled its first key visual and confirmed a July 2026 premiere date, according to Anime News Network. This highly anticipated adaptation brings Nachi Aono’s emotionally charged manga to life, promising a story that explores love and survival in one of the most brutal settings imaginable—a military orphanage where young girls are trained as magical weapons of war.
A Haunting Tale of Love Amid Bloodshed
Set in a world dominated by conflict, I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day follows the story of Sheena Totsuki, a 14-year-old girl living in a mysterious orphanage that doubles as a boot camp for magical child soldiers. Unlike her fellow students who have been conditioned to kill without hesitation, Sheena yearns for peace and struggles to accept her circumstances. Her world changes forever when she encounters Mimi Kagari, a mysterious immortal girl covered in blood who represents the facility’s ultimate secret weapon.
The series explores the forbidden romance that blossoms between these two young women against the backdrop of war and death. As Anime News Network reports, the anime is being produced by ROLL2 Studio, the same team behind Love Is Indivisible by Twins, with direction by Takudai Kakuchi, who previously helmed In the Heart of Kunoichi Tsubaki and Tokyo Autumn Session.
All-Star Voice Cast Brings Characters to Life
The anime has assembled an impressive voice cast that showcases some of the industry’s most talented performers. Leading the ensemble is Rie Takahashi as Sheena Totsuki. Takahashi, known for her versatile performances in series ranging from Re:Zero to Konosuba, brings her considerable talent to the role of the pacifist protagonist struggling with her role as a weapon.
Rina Hidaka voices Mimi Kagari, the enigmatic immortal child soldier at the heart of the story. Hidaka’s experience with complex characters makes her an ideal choice for this mysterious role. The cast is rounded out by Asami Seto as Lizzy Seiran and Yui Ishikawa as Ali Maud, both accomplished voice actors who will bring depth to the supporting characters navigating this dark world.
Creative Team Promises Quality Production
Behind the scenes, the anime benefits from a powerhouse creative team. Jukki Hanada, celebrated for his work on beloved series like Bloom Into You, Love Live! School Idol Project, and Sound! Euphonium, is handling series composition and scripts. Hanada’s track record with character-driven narratives and his experience with yuri storytelling in Bloom Into You makes him particularly well-suited for this project.
Kyoko Yufu is designing the characters, bringing her experience from Delicious Party♡Precure and Seirei Gensouki – Spirit Chronicles to create visually distinctive designs that capture the manga’s aesthetic. Meanwhile, Yukari Hashimoto will compose the music, adding another layer of emotional depth to the production. Hashimoto’s recent work on A Sign of Affection demonstrates her ability to craft soundscapes that enhance intimate character moments.
From Page to Screen: The Manga’s Journey
Nachi Aono’s original manga launched in Ichijinsha’s Comic Yuri Hime magazine in August 2018, where it ran until January 2020. The series then transitioned to online serialization on both PixivYurihime and Ichijin Plus, allowing it to reach a wider audience and explore its mature themes with greater freedom. As of March 2025, eight volumes have been collected, with a side story volume releasing on January 29, 2026.
Kodansha USA has been publishing the manga in English under the title I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day, making it accessible to Western audiences. The publisher describes it as “spiritual kin to the likes of Revolutionary Girl Utena, Otherside Picnic, and Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury“—a comparison that speaks to the series’ blend of action, fantasy, and LGBTQ+ themes.
Dark Fantasy Meets Yuri Romance
What sets I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day apart in the yuri genre is its unflinching approach to darker themes. The series doesn’t shy away from depicting the horrors of war and the psychological toll it takes on child soldiers. Yet within this brutal setting, it finds space to explore tender moments of connection and the transformative power of love.
The orphanage setting serves as both a prison and a crucible where the characters’ relationships are forged under extreme pressure. Every day brings the possibility of death, making each moment of intimacy and vulnerability between Sheena and Mimi all the more precious and meaningful. This juxtaposition of violence and tenderness creates a unique emotional landscape that has resonated with manga readers and promises to translate powerfully to animation.
ROLL2 Studio’s Growing Portfolio
ROLL2 Studio, founded in November 2017 by Kazuaki Oji (a former WHITE FOX member), has been steadily building its reputation in the anime industry. While still a relatively young studio, ROLL2 has shown versatility in handling different types of projects. Their work on Love Is Indivisible by Twins in 2024 demonstrated their capability with romantic comedy, and now they’re tackling the more serious and atmospheric I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day.
The studio has also provided production assistance on major titles like The Apothecary Diaries, Shangri-La Frontier, and Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, gaining valuable experience that will serve them well in bringing this ambitious project to life. The July 2026 premiere date suggests the studio is taking its time to ensure quality production values.
The Yuri Genre’s Evolution
The announcement of I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day comes at a time when yuri anime is experiencing something of a renaissance. Recent years have seen increased diversity in how girls’ love stories are told, moving beyond school-based slice-of-life narratives to explore more varied settings and themes. Series like Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury proved that audiences are hungry for yuri stories in different genres, including action and science fiction.
I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day continues this trend by placing its romance within a dark fantasy war setting. The series tackles mature themes including the ethics of child soldiers, the nature of immortality, and how love can survive—and even flourish—in the most desperate circumstances. This willingness to engage with heavier subject matter while maintaining the emotional core of a romance story represents the genre’s growing sophistication.
What to Expect in July 2026
While specific details about episode count and broadcast schedule haven’t been announced yet, the newly revealed key visual offers fans their first glimpse of how the anime will look. The visual showcases the main characters in a composition that hints at both the intimacy between Sheena and Mimi and the dangerous world they inhabit.
Director Takudai Kakuchi previously demonstrated his skill with character-focused storytelling in In the Heart of Kunoichi Tsubaki, another series set in an all-female environment with its own unique challenges. His ability to balance action sequences with quieter character moments will be crucial in adapting Aono’s manga, which requires careful handling of both its visceral combat scenes and its tender romantic developments.
The involvement of Jukki Hanada as series composer is particularly encouraging for fans hoping for a faithful adaptation. Hanada’s work on Bloom Into You, widely considered one of the best yuri anime adaptations, showed his understanding of how to translate the genre’s nuances to the screen. His scripts are known for their emotional intelligence and respect for source material, qualities that will be essential for capturing the manga’s delicate balance of brutality and beauty.
A Story for Our Times
Beyond its genre elements, I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day resonates with contemporary concerns about how conflict affects the most vulnerable members of society. The series’ exploration of children weaponized for war carries uncomfortable real-world parallels, while its central message about finding hope and connection even in the darkest circumstances offers a counterpoint to despair.
The relationship between Sheena and Mimi represents more than just a romance—it’s an act of resistance against a system designed to strip away their humanity. Sheena’s inability to accept death as routine and Mimi’s mysterious immortality create a dynamic where both characters challenge the war machine’s assumptions about what these girls should be. Their love becomes a form of reclaiming agency in a world that views them as disposable tools.
Looking Ahead
As the July 2026 premiere approaches, I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day stands poised to make a significant impact on the anime landscape. With its combination of talented staff, accomplished voice actors, and compelling source material, the series has all the ingredients for success. Whether it will join the ranks of classic yuri anime remains to be seen, but the foundation is certainly there.
For fans of dark fantasy, yuri romance, or simply well-crafted character drama, this is definitely a series to watch. The anime promises to deliver an emotionally intense experience that doesn’t compromise on either its action or its romance, offering a story about finding light in the darkest places and the transformative power of love in the face of death itself.
As Anime News Network reports, fans can look forward to more information about the anime as the premiere date draws closer. With the key visual now revealed and the main cast confirmed, anticipation will only continue to build for what promises to be one of summer 2026’s most talked-about anime debuts.
