Since its debut in 1993, CLAMP's Magic Knight Rayearth has remained a beloved classic, remembered for its memorable heroines, imaginative fantasy world, and themes of friendship and willpower. Now, over thirty years later, the series returns with a brand-new television anime adaptation, introducing the magical world of Cefiro to a new generation when it premieres this October.

Ahead of the anime's advance screening at Anime Expo 2026, we sat down with Rie Takahashi and Saori Hayami, who voice Fuu Hououji and Princess Emeraude, respectively. Together, they reflected on inheriting these beloved characters, the enduring appeal of Magic Knight Rayearth, and the passion that has gone into reimagining one of shoujo manga's most iconic adventures for a new era.


──Magic Knight Rayearth is an adventure shoujo manga that began in 1993. When was your first introduction to the work?

Takahashi: My first encounter with the title was through the audition for this new anime. I was already familiar with the characters, but not the story itself. Since I was curious about the story, I felt like this was a wonderful opportunity.

Hayami: I must have watched the anime as a child, but I was so young at the time that I don't really remember it. However, I'm fairly sure I did watch it because some Rayearth pencils were still at my parents' house.



──The world of Cefiro is unique and creative in many ways. What was the most interesting or surprising thing you found about Cefiro?

Takahashi: First of all, the world itself amazed me—but explaining why would spoil too much. So if I had to choose something to say, it would be the flying fish soaring through the air.

Hayami: The scene where all sorts of creatures would suddenly appear really took me by surprise.



──What do you think is the appeal of your respective characters? Please tell us what you kept in mind when recording.

Takahashi: I think the charm of the character I play, Hououji Fuu-chan, is her ability to make decisions using her sharp insight no matter what situation she encounters. While recording, I was careful that her way of thinking about things didn't waver, that her logic remained consistent, even if that meant her presence felt different from Hikaru-chan and Umi-chan.

Hayami: One of Princess Emeraude's charms is the way she carries out her duty of praying for the sake of the world with a strong sense of responsibility. At the same time, I'm really drawn to the fact that she still has to deal with very human emotions inside of herself. I focused on how much of that complex inner world should be incorporated into the story, and adjusted it each episode while recording.



──Although Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu were unacquainted back in Tokyo, they quickly become very close in Cefiro. Takahashi-san, what are your impressions of Hikaru and Umi, and the three girls' friendship?

Takahashi: It made me realize that the strength of a friendship isn't measured by how long you've known someone. Even though they still have a lot to learn about each other, they've already built such a strong bond of trust, and I think that's really special.


──What was it like working with Hikaru and Umi's actresses?

Takahashi: The two actresses who played Hikaru and Umi have always loved Rayearth, so I felt like I could entrust my own acting to them, and performed in a way that wouldn't diverge from them. At first, the three of us were nervous about the characters we were playing, but as we continued acting, I think we developed a bond where we felt, "No one else could be our partner but you."


──Hayami-san, Princess Emeraude and Zagato both live in the world of Cefiro. We can't really talk too much about their relationship, but what was it like working with Zagato's actor, Ono Yuuki?

Hayami: Ono Yuuki-san is an actor I've known for a long time, but this time it felt a little new going back-and-forth as opposing counterparts. Ono-san was very motivated, approaching each episode's recording with great care, and seeing him like that also made me feel more determined and motivated.



──Power of will is a core theme of the story. What does this phrase mean to you?

Takahashi: I think it's very true. Since we receive voice acting work through auditions, I think it's kind of like the bigger your feelings of "I want to get it" or "I'm gonna get it" are, the higher your chances of success will become.

Hayami: I think that the power of will gives you confidence in yourself, which then drives you to take action. And it doesn't only motivate us personally, it's also a power that inspires those around us. For example, I strongly feel that Takahashi Rie-chan has an incredible power of will, and watching Rie-chan tackle things with such determination then fires us up, so we can tackle things together with her.



──The girls handle the prospect of being transported to another world with differing reactions. If you were suddenly transported from the Tokyo Tower, how do you think you'd react?

Takashi: For a moment, I'd want to find out if I could fly.

Hayami: I'd probably think, "Maybe I fell asleep with my VR goggles on?"



──Do you have any memorable moments you can share from the recording sessions with the other cast and staff?

Takahashi: During the voice recording for the first episode, feedback was given that "they're getting along too well, please make it feel a little more like they're meeting for the first time." There was a bit too much worry shown for the other person. So it was necessary to go back to a distance where the characters hadn't introduced themselves yet. To let the story unfold from there, that initial sense of distance was needed.

Hayami: What I remember most is how every time we had a voice recording session, the three main cast members would show up wearing clothes or accessories that matched their characters' colors. It made me feel warm and happy.

Takahashi: I ended up buying a lot of green clothes (laughs)

Hayami: I can see that.


──Are there any scenes that were impactful for you, or that you'd like fans to look forward to?

Takahashi: I love the scene where Fuu-chan comes face-to-face with herself. When I read it for the audition, I really came to like Fuu-chan's choice of words in that scene, so I was even more fired up during the actual performance.

Hayami: When it comes to Princess Emeraude, there's still so much that I can't say, but when she talks with Zagato, the atmosphere around these two has a uniqueness that's a bit unlike others, so I hope you'll pay close attention to these scenes.

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Interview was conducted through an interpreter and has been edited for clarity.

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Magic Knight Rayearth PV1