{"site":"Yomimono","license":"CC BY 4.0 (citation required)","generated_at":"2026-05-26T18:24:15.731Z","story":{"id":"r_b6fba3ae24ec4f3ca3dbd255","slug":"ribbon-hero-anime-film-sets-august-8-netflix-release-casts-comedian-saya-as","url":"https://yomimono.id/ribbon-hero-anime-film-sets-august-8-netflix-release-casts-comedian-saya-as","headline":"THE RIBBON HERO Anime Film Sets August 8 Netflix Release, Casts Comedian Saya as Sapphire","summary":"Netflix has announced an August 8 worldwide streaming date for the anime film THE RIBBON HERO, based on Osamu Tezuka's classic manga Princess Knight. The lead role of Sapphire will be voiced by Saya, a comedian from the duo Lalande, in her first feature-length voice acting role. The announcement came alongside the release of a teaser trailer and a key visual. The film is directed by Yuki Igarashi, known for his work on Star Wars: Visions and Jujutsu Kaisen season 1 ending animation, in his feature directorial debut. Animation production is handled by studio OUTLINE, with production by Twin Engine. The story follows Princess Sapphire, who loses her homeland Silverland to a calamity called Nergal and later gains the power to transform into the Ribbon Knight to protect her new home, Goldland. Saya said in a statement that the director told her Sapphire's background overlapped with her own, which helped her decide to take the role. She acknowledged that she expects criticism for being a non-professional voice actor but said she focused on conveying Sapphire's inner voice. The film also features script cooperation by Junko Komura, known for writing several Super Sentai and Kamen Rider series.","why_it_matters":"The casting of a comedian with no feature-length voice acting experience as the lead in a major Netflix anime based on a Tezuka classic signals a deliberate break from the industry's usual reliance on professional voice actors.","published_at":"2026-05-26T16:30:08.000Z","source_count":8,"sources":["Crunchyroll News","Eiga Natalie","Denfaminicogamer","KAI-YOU","Anime Hack","Anime Anime","Anime Corner","MyAnimeList"],"citations":[{"source":"Crunchyroll News","title":"THE RIBBON HERO Anime Film Confirms August 8 Worldwide Release","url":"https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2026/5/26/the-ribbon-hero-anime-film-august-8-worldwide-release-teaser-trailer-visual-lead-cast"},{"source":"Eiga Natalie","title":"Laland's Saya Voices the \"Ribbon Knight\" in Netflix Film \"THE RIBBON HERO\" Trailer","url":"https://natalie.mu/eiga/news/673488"},{"source":"Denfaminicogamer","title":"Details Unveiled for Netflix Film 'THE RIBBON HERO' Based on Osamu Tezuka's 'Princess Knight': Sapphire Gains Power to Transform and Battles Calamity; Comedian Saya from 'Lalande' Voices Protagonist Sapphire","url":"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/2605262s"},{"source":"KAI-YOU","title":"Netflix Film 'THE RIBBON HERO' Trailer Unveiled, Protagonist Sapphire Voiced by Lalande's Saya","url":"https://kai-you.net/article/95502"},{"source":"Anime Hack","title":"\"THE RIBBON HERO\" Sapphire role to be played by \"Lalande\" Saya; main visual and first trailer also revealed","url":"https://anime.eiga.com/news/126604"},{"source":"Anime Anime","title":"Osamu Tezuka's \"Princess Knight\"-Based Film \"THE RIBBON HERO\" to Start Streaming on August 8! First Look at Transformation Scene \"Ribbon Knight, Appears\"","url":"https://animeanime.jp/article/2026/05/26/99295.html"},{"source":"Anime Corner","title":"THE RIBBON HERO Anime Reveals Trailer, Key Visual, Main Cast, August 8 Worldwide Premiere","url":"https://animecorner.me/the-ribbon-hero-anime-reveals-trailer-key-visual-main-cast-august-8-worldwide-premiere/"},{"source":"MyAnimeList","title":"'The Ribbon Hero' Reveals Lead Cast, Additional Staff, Trailer","url":"https://myanimelist.net/news/74274163"}],"license_url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","entities":{"anime_titles":["THE RIBBON HERO リボンヒーロー"],"manga_titles":["リボンの騎士"],"studios":[],"people":["サーヤ","香村純子","手塚治虫"],"type":"announcement","domain":"anime","is_roundup":false}}}