The Nigashita Sakana wa Oukikatta ga Tsuriageta Sakana ga Oukisugita Ken (The fish I missed was big, but I caught another fish was too big/ 逃がした魚は大きかったが釣りあげた魚が大きすぎた件 ) light novel series by Momoyo Mayo has been green-lit for a TV anime adaptation, which will premiere in the Spring of 2026. The anime’s official website has revealed a teaser trailer and visual for the show.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWkf9A-sEVM]
In addition, both the novel’s illustrator, Mito Itsuki, and the artist behind the manga adaptation, Nagato Kaki, have released illustrations in celebration of the anime news and the franchise’s success.
Oguro Akira is directing the anime at TROYCA studios, and the anime will star:
- Serizawa Yuu as Maria Annovazzi
- Tamaru Atsushi as Renato de Rubini
- Hayami Saori as Aida Amethis
- Umeda Shuuichirou as Placido di Rubini
- Yashiro Taku as Raimondo Cigata
Author Momoyo started the original story in October 2020 on the Shousetsuka ni Narou website, and Square Enix published the first novel with illustrations by Mito in August 2021. The series’s sixth novel will be released on November 7th, 2025.
The novel series was adapted into a manga by Nagato in April 2022 on Square Enix’s Manga UP! service, and Square Enix published the manga’s first tankoubon volume in July 2022. The manga’s ninth volume will also be released on November 7th, 2025.
Square Enix Manga & Books published the manga adaptation in print under the title Always a Catch!, and it will release the manga’s fifth volume on December 9th, 2025 and the sixth volume on March 24th, 2026. The manga is also released digitally in English on Square Enix’s Manga UP! Global, Kadokawa’s BookWalker Global and Comikey.
Square Enix Manga & Books describes the manga story below:
“Maria, the daughter of a duke, grew up believing she would one day inherit her father’s dukedom. Accordingly, she focused her attentions on honing her martial arts prowess, while thoughts of marriage fell by the wayside. But the arrival of a baby brother in her family means she’s losing her role as heir! Now that she’s decided it’s time to marry after all, she’s arrived a little late to the game! Are there even any eligible bachelors left?
Upon going to study abroad in a neighboring country where she might still stand a chance at getting hitched, she’s bewildered when the crown prince there declares before all that his engagement to her is null and void! Wait…what engagement?!
Apparently, he’s mistaken her for the wrong girl! But once that’s all cleared up and he catches sight of her knocking out a whole pack of bandits, it turns out that this prince may have a thing for ass-kicking young ladies after all…”
