The Spring 2026 anime season brought a funny and action-packed romance to screens. Always a Catch!: How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince follows Maria Annovazzi, a martial arts prodigy who loses her family title and must find a husband fast. The series premiered on April 1, 2026 and has 12 episodes total. The finale will air on June 17, 2026.
Complete Episode Release Schedule
New episodes air every Wednesday in Japan. The show broadcasts on Japanese television and streams on Crunchyroll for international viewers. Here is the full list of episode release dates:
- Episode 1: April 1, 2026
- Episode 2: April 8, 2026
- Episode 3: April 15, 2026
- Episode 4: April 22, 2026
- Episode 5: April 29, 2026
- Episode 6: May 6, 2026
- Episode 7: May 13, 2026
- Episode 8: May 20, 2026
- Episode 9: May 27, 2026
- Episode 10: June 3, 2026
- Episode 11: June 10, 2026
- Episode 12: June 17, 2026
Each episode runs for about 23-24 minutes. As of June 11, 2026, the series is ongoing with Episode 11 airing today and the finale coming next week.
What the Story Is About
Maria Annovazzi grew up as the daughter of a duke. She believed she would one day inherit her father’s title. Because of this, she spent all her time learning martial arts and fighting skills. She did not think about marriage or romance at all.
Then everything changed. Her parents had a baby boy. Under the rules of succession, her baby brother became the new heir. Maria lost her claim to the dukedom. With no other options left in her homeland, she decided to find a husband.
She traveled to a neighboring kingdom to study abroad. Her plan was simple: find a rich nobleman and get married. But things went wrong very quickly. At her graduation ceremony, the crown prince of the kingdom stood up in front of everyone. He announced that his engagement to her was over.
There was only one problem. Maria did not even know she was engaged to anyone.
It turned out the prince had mistaken her for another girl. After clearing up the confusion, the prince watched Maria fight and defeat a whole group of bandits with her bare hands. Instead of being scared, he became very interested in her. The prince has a thing for strong women.
The show follows Maria as she deals with a prince who keeps chasing her, family drama back home, and her own struggle to balance love with her love for fighting.
Main Cast and Characters
The anime has a strong voice cast led by Yū Serizawa as Maria Annovazzi (also called Mimi). Serizawa is known for her roles in The Idolmaster and Zombie Land Saga.
Atsushi Tamaru voices Renato di Rubini, the crown prince who falls for Maria. He has appeared in Haikyuu!! and Food Wars.
Saori Hayami plays Aida Amethis, one of the supporting characters. Hayami is a very famous voice actress known for Demon Slayer and Fate/Grand Order.
The rest of the main cast includes:
- Shūichirō Umeda as Placido di Rubini (Renato’s brother)
- Taku Yashiro as Raimondo Cigata
- Natsuki Hanae as Ireneo
- Kaori Maeda as Eleonora Casciari
- Rumi Ōkubo as Rosalia Pinotti
- Tetsu Inada as Maria’s father
Yūko Kaida voices Queen Rubini, the mother of Renato and Placido. She joined the cast in Episode 6.
Additional characters introduced in Episode 5 include Goffredo (voiced by Daiki Hamano) and Macchio (voiced by Wataru Komada).
Where to Watch
Crunchyroll is streaming Always a Catch! for international audiences. The platform offers the series with English subtitles and other language options. You can watch it on the Crunchyroll website or through the Crunchyroll app on phones, tablets, and smart TVs.
The show is produced by animation studio Troyca (known for Re:Creators and IDOLiSH7). The original light novel is written by Mayo Momoyo and illustrated by Itsuki Mito. Square Enix publishes the English version on MangaPlus and in book format.
How to Watch From Different Regions
USA and Canada: Stream on Crunchyroll. New episodes become available every Wednesday shortly after the Japanese broadcast.
Europe: Crunchyroll offers the show with English subtitles in most European countries.
Australia and New Zealand: Crunchyroll streams the series in the region.
India and Asia: Crunchyroll is available and carries the show for Indian and other Asian viewers.
Japan: The anime airs on local television networks. Japanese viewers can also watch on streaming services like dAnime Store and U-NEXT.
Also Read:
Episode 6 Highlight: Maria Returns Home
Episode 6, titled “Return to the Homeland,” aired on May 6, 2026. In this episode, Maria returns to her homeland for the first time since her engagement. She is welcomed by her sisters, her baby brother, and her father, who has mixed feelings about her choices. The episode shows a fight between Maria and her father as a way for the two warriors to understand each other.
Also Read: ‘Gals Can’t Be Kind to Otaku!?’ Anime: Complete 12-Episode Schedule, Story and Streaming Guide
Looking for more Spring 2026 anime release calendars? Keep visiting VvipTimes for the latest updates.
