Hello, I Am a Witch and My Crush Wants Me to Make a Love Potion! is making its global debut today, Monday, October 5, 2026, and it brings a bittersweet twist to the usual fantasy romance formula. The story follows Rose, a reclusive witch living by a lake, whose quiet life is turned upside down when the royal knight she has secretly loved for four years, Harij Azm, asks her to brew a love potion for someone else. The premiere episode introduces this painful request and the unusual arrangement that follows.
Episode 1 Release Date and Where to Watch Worldwide
The first episode arrives on October 5, 2026, on Japanese television and international streaming platforms. Crunchyroll is handling the worldwide simulcast outside Japan, with subtitles available in multiple languages.
In Japan, the anime airs on AT-X, Tokyo MX, BS NTV, and RKB Mainichi Broadcasting on October 5, with MBS following on October 6. Japanese streaming services d Anime Store, U-NEXT, and Anime Hōdai also begin streaming on October 5, while other Japanese platforms start on October 10.
For global viewers, Crunchyroll is the primary destination. The platform confirmed the simulcast for the Fall 2026 season, bringing the episode to audiences in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, India, and most European countries on the same day as the Japanese broadcast.
Exact Streaming Times by Time Zone
The Japanese television broadcast is scheduled for 21:30 JST on October 5. Crunchyroll’s simulcast typically goes live shortly after the Japanese airing. According to Crunchyroll’s German schedule, the episode becomes available at 14:30 CEST on October 5.
For viewers in other regions, here are the estimated release times for Monday, October 5:
- USA (Eastern Time): 8:30 AM EDT
- USA (Pacific Time): 5:30 AM PDT
- Canada: Same as US Eastern and Pacific times
- United Kingdom: 1:30 PM BST
- Central Europe (Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland): 2:30 PM CEST
- India: 6:00 PM IST
- Japan: 9:30 PM JST
- Australia (Sydney): 11:30 PM AEDT
- Brazil: 9:30 AM BRT
Crunchyroll updates its seasonal schedule weekly, and subscribers can check the platform directly for the exact minute the episode goes live in their region. The anime is available with Japanese audio and subtitles in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, and other languages, with an English dub confirmed for a later date.
What Happens in Episode 1
The premiere episode, titled “The Witch and the Love Potion That Causes Heartbreak,” sets up the central conflict in under 24 minutes. Rose, known as the “Good Witch of the Lake,” lives a solitary life in a forest cottage, brewing medicines and potions for the villagers who trade with her. For four years, she has harbored feelings for Harij Azm, an aristocratic royal knight she first met when he was injured and she treated his wounds.
When Harij appears at her door with a request for a love potion, Rose’s heart breaks. Another woman has captured his attention, and he wants the potion to win her over. Rose cannot refuse him. Instead, she devises a plan to delay the potion’s completion by sending Harij on a series of quests to gather rare and difficult ingredients. Her hope is simple: each ingredient hunt means another visit from the knight she loves.
The episode establishes the core dynamic that will drive the series. Rose is not a powerful sorceress in the traditional sense. She is a lonely woman who has found purpose in her quiet work, and Harij’s request forces her to confront the reality that her feelings will never be returned. Yet she chooses to help him anyway, not out of selflessness, but because the alternative—saying no and losing even the brief moments she has with him—is worse.
Rose: The Witch Who Cannot Say No
Rose is voiced by Mikako Komatsu, known for her roles as Shirayuki in Snow White with the Red Hair and Bishamon in Noragami. Rose is defined by her isolation and her quiet strength. She has lived alone for years, and her only regular human contact comes from a merchant named Tien who trades supplies for her medicines. Her feelings for Harij are a secret she has kept for four years, and the episode makes it clear that she never expected them to be acknowledged, let alone acted upon.
The love potion request shatters the comfortable distance she had maintained. Rose is not angry at Harij. She understands that he has no idea how she feels. The pain comes from the sudden closeness of a relationship she can never have. Her decision to send him on ingredient quests is an act of quiet desperation. She is stealing time, and she knows it.
Harij Azm: The Knight Who Does Not See
Harij Azm, voiced by Yohei Azakami, is a royal knight of noble birth. The episode presents him as earnest and somewhat oblivious. He comes to Rose because he trusts her skill as a potion-maker, and he does not notice the effect his request has on her. Azakami previously voiced Guel Jeturk in Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, bringing a similar earnestness to the role.
The episode hints that Harij is not cruel. He simply does not see Rose as anything more than a witch he has known for years. His request for a love potion is a transaction, not a confession. The tension of the series will come from whether his frequent visits, as he gathers ingredients for Rose, will change how he sees her.
Tien and Billaura: Supporting Characters
Two new cast members were revealed in the final trailer before the premiere. Hiro Shimono, known for voicing Zenitsu in Demon Slayer, plays Tien, a merchant who regularly visits Rose to trade supplies. Tien is one of the few people who interacts with Rose on a regular basis, and he provides a small window into the outside world for the secluded witch.
Akira Sekine voices Billaura, a princess of the Kingdom of Marjan who has known Harij since childhood and regards him as an older brother. Billaura’s connection to Harij may become important as the story develops, especially if she is the woman for whom the love potion is intended.
Staff and Production Details
The anime is produced by Diomedéa, with Keizo Kusakawa directing. Kusakawa previously directed Parallel World Pharmacy, and his experience with fantasy adaptations is evident in the episode’s visual style. Wataru Watari, known for OreGairu, handles series composition, while Masakazu Ishikawa designs the characters. Hayato Matsumura composes the music.
The opening theme, “Kanawanai” (I Can’t Compare), is performed by Centimillimental, and the ending theme, “Mada Uso ni wa Naranai” (It’s Still Not a Lie), is by Rainy. Both songs are previewed in the main trailer released on September 14, 2026.
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How the Story Differs from Typical Romance Anime
The twist that sets this series apart is simple. Rose already knows how to make a love potion. She likely created one long ago. The ingredient quests are not about delaying the potion’s creation. They are about delaying the moment when Harij will take the potion and use it on someone else. Every day he spends searching for ingredients is another day she can pretend he is coming to see her.
This premise creates a slow-burn romance built on a lie of omission. Rose is not deceiving Harij in a malicious way. She is protecting herself from a future where he no longer has a reason to visit. The series will follow their evolving relationship as the ingredient hunts bring them closer, and Harij begins to see the witch behind the potions.
Episode Length and Season Structure
The first episode runs for approximately 24 minutes, the standard length for a television anime. The season is expected to have 12 episodes, airing weekly on Mondays. Crunchyroll will simulcast each episode as it airs in Japan, with subtitles available within hours of the Japanese broadcast.
Streaming Availability by Region
Crunchyroll is the exclusive international streaming platform for Hello, I Am a Witch and My Crush Wants Me to Make a Love Potion! The anime is available in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East. In India, Crunchyroll streams the anime with English and Hindi subtitles, and an English dub is planned.
Japanese viewers have additional options through d Anime Store, U-NEXT, and Anime Hōdai, which all begin streaming on October 5. Other Japanese services will follow on October 10.
The story of Rose and Harij continues weekly on Crunchyroll. Stay tuned to VvipTimes for more anime coverage, release schedules, and episode breakdowns.
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