The MARRIAGETOXIN Project celebrated season 1 of the hit marriage battle-action anime at Anime Expo 2026. Bandai Namco Filmworks hosted the “MARRIAGETOXIN Road to the Best Marriage! at Anime Expo,” and the “Bandai Namco Filmworks Industry Panel.”
“MARRIAGETOXIN Road to the Best Marriage! At Anime Expo” introduced a stacked roster of special guests, including Motonobu Hori (Director), Haruki Ishiya (voice of Hikaru Gero), Shion Wakayama (Voice of Mei Kinosaki), Tatsuya Saito (Producer, Bones Film), and Ryoya Arisawa (Chief Producer, Bandai Namco Filmworks).
The special guests took the stage to roaring applause from attendees. Ryoya Arisawa cheered along with them, saying, “This is awesome!”
Motonobu Hori then shared his thoughts on what it was like adapting MARRIAGETOXIN to an anime. He explained that there needed to be a balance between telling the story and keeping the chaos. “We have to, at some level, make the story clear. But if we did that too much, it would become boring and dull. So, our struggle was to maintain the chaotic elements without over-explaining.”
When asked why these characters appeal to audiences, Haruki Ishiya agreed with Hori and added, “There is chaos in the series, but I believe this series also shows the everyday and the unreal reality. Gero has dualities of being cool and uncool, which are part of what makes Gero’s character so appealing.”
When asked about the challenges during production, Tatsuya Saito mentioned the closing sequence and Kinosaki’s design. “We thought a lot about the closing sequence and Kinosaki’s design. Kinosaki’s appearance is very cute, and we wanted to be sure to preserve that.”
Shion Wakayama, Haruki Ishiya, and Motonobu Hori reminisced over their favorite scenes from the first season.
Shion Wakayma:
“We’re hoping Bird’s Ball catches on in the USA! But, more seriously, MARRIAGETOXIN shows a lot of characters with unique colors and personalities, and the Bird Master is a lovable foe!”
Haruki Ishiya:
“All of Gero’s potential partners are all very independent, and at first, I thought, ‘Is Shiori Ureshino going to be okay?’ But through this episode, and particularly this scene, it really solidified that she grew into a very strong and independent person.”
Motonobu Hori:
“The hamsters are cooking here, so cute! And Ishiya’s heartfelt acting was another reason I chose this scene. We can emotionally connect with Gero’s character. When we experience some kind of trauma, some kind of difficulty in our current life, that comes from the way we were raised. The scene gives us that cool sense of story but also allows us to connect emotionally with the characters.”
Additionally, stunning, newly shot product visuals of the “S.H.Figuarts HIKARU GERO” and “S.H.Figuarts MEI KINOSAKI” figures from BANDAI SPIRITS were revealed. Both figures are currently available for pre-order and will be available across various regions including the U.S. and Europe in Spring 2027.
During the “Bandai Namco Filmworks Industry Panel,” Motonobu Hori, Haruki Ishiya, and Shion Wakayama discussed what they are looking forward to in the next season. Each of them expressed how excited they are for new characters to be introduced and how they will interact with Gero and Kinosaki.
Hori showed off a small, handmade cardboard cutout of Sirius that he created. Wakayama pointed it out excitedly and praised the team behind MARRIAGETOXIN, saying, “I am so happy and can feel the love toward Mei Kinosaki. This anime wouldn’t be as great without the support of the whole team!”
MARRIAGETOXIN follows Hikaru Gero, a master assassin whose newest mission is to find a wife in order to secure an heir for his family. The target of a recent mission, a marriage swindler named Mei Kinosaki, who Hikaru winds up asking for help to find that special someone! Hikaru, unfortunately, does not know the first thing about love or romance, as he’s spent most of his life training to be a top-tier assassin. Lucky for him, his newfound and unlikely partner is brilliant and agrees to help. The two become the most unlikely duo: assassin and marriage swindler, teaming up for the toughest mission of love.
Stream all of Season 1 of MARRIAGETOXIN on Crunchyroll. Season 2 is confirmed for 2027!
Source: Press Release
