The highly anticipated anime adaptation of Sai Naekawa’s manga, This Monster Wants to Eat Me (also known as Watashi o Tabetai, Hito de nashi or Kono Kaibutsu ga Ore wo Tabeta), is officially slated to premiere on October 2, 2025. The announcement was accompanied by the release of a main trailer that not only showcased the upcoming series but also offered a preview of its opening theme song.
Broadcast Details and Global Streaming
The dark yuri story will begin its television broadcast on AT-X on October 2 at 10:30 p.m. JST, with subsequent airings on Tokyo MX, Sun TV, and BS NTV. For international viewers, Crunchyroll has secured the streaming rights and will offer the series as it airs worldwide, excluding Asia.
Theme Song Reveals
The newly released main trailer prominently features the opening theme song, titled “nie” (“Sacrifice”), performed by Yoshino. Additionally, it was revealed that Reina Ueda, who voices the character Hinako, will perform the ending theme song, “LiLy.”
A Haunting Premise: Hinako and the Mermaid
This Monster Wants to Eat Me delves into a compelling and unusual relationship. The story centers on Hinako Yaotose, a high school student plagued by a dark past and a persistent feeling of drowning. Her monotonous life takes a drastic turn when she encounters a mermaid named Shiori Oumi, who attempts to devour her.
After passing out during the struggle, Hinako awakens to find herself rescued by the very mermaid who sought to eat her. However, this protection comes with a chilling condition: Shiori promises to shield Hinako from other yokai until Hinako matures into the “perfect meal” for her. Due to her own complicated feelings about her past, Hinako accepts this bizarre fate, setting the stage for an unlikely and potentially perilous bond between monster and prey.
Key Cast and Production Team
The anime boasts a talented voice cast bringing the complex characters to life. Reina Ueda leads as the protagonist Hinako Yaotose. She is joined by Yui Ishikawa as the enigmatic mermaid Shiori Oumi and Fairouz Ai as Miko Yashiro.
The production is handled by Studio Lings, with Infinite overseeing the general production. The series sees Naoyuki Kuzuya (known for Saiyuki Gaiden) serving as chief director, while Yūsuke Suzuki (Duel Masters Win) is directing the anime. Mitsutaka Hirota (Bibliophile Princess) is responsible for overseeing and writing the series scripts, ensuring the adaptation captures the essence of Sai Naekawa’s original manga. Character designs are by Nozomi Ikuyama, and the music is composed by Keiji Inai.
The manga, written and illustrated by Sai Naekawa, has been serialized in ASCII Media Works’ Dengeki Maoh magazine since August 2020 and is licensed for English release by Yen Press. With its intriguing premise and confirmed premiere date, This Monster Wants to Eat Me is set to be a noteworthy addition to the fall anime season.
