Osamu Tezuka’s beloved work, Princess Knight (Ribbon no Kishi), takes the stage once again. This version isn’t a one-for-one adaptation by any means, and some purists may take issue with that. Princess Sapphire survived the fall of her beloved kingdom of Silverland by the skin of her teeth. She takes refuge in the neighboring kingdom of Goldland and warms to the people there. However, the same calamity that claimed her first home encroaches on her new home. We’ll see her take to the battlefield when The Ribbon Hero premieres on August 8th, 2026.
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Osamu Tezuka released the original Princess Knight manga series between January 1953 and January 1956. Kodansha published all three volumes in Shojo Club. Studio Mushi Production’s anime adaptation premiered on April 2nd, 1967.
The Ribbon Hero Cast
The titular heroine is as follows:
- Princess Sapphire — Saya (First voice role). The princess of Silverland. She uses her magic powers to face the calamity that destroyed her home.
Studios Twin Engine and Outline maintain a website, a TikTok account, and a Twitter (X) account to promote The Ribbon Hero. You can find more information about the series and the key visuals at those sites.
The Ribbon Hero Fights On
As previously stated, Osamu Tezuka’s seminal manga series only slightly inspired this anime movie. For instance, Silverland is in ruins in this movie, whereas Sapphire managed to save it in the manga version. Given how wildly different this anime looks, we really can’t guess who might be in or what might happen. Sapphire alone looks different from her original incarnation, and I can only guess that the evil-looking girl might be Hecate. It’ll be tragic if that creepy-looking thing in the car is Tink. The magical girl transformation is cool, though.
This iteration of Sapphire has lost her home to an unknown calamity. She barely survives the devastation and makes her way to the neighboring Goldland to rebuild what’s left of her life. The same calamity that brought ruin to Silverland began to appear in Goldland, threatening her new home and friends. Sapphire invokes a magic power to don a new suit and fight against the threat that took everything from her.
Will you stay indoors with an air conditioner and watch the premiere of The Ribbon Hero in July? Have you read the original manga series? Will Sapphire have her happily ever after again? Let us know in the comments below.
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It’s a very special time for us at J-List, because 30 years ago this week, we started the first anime and hentai shop selling to fans around the world. And we’ve been able to make it this far thanks to our wonderful customers. We’re celebrating with a huge 20% sale on all in-stock Japan products, through October 7th. Start browsing now!
