The Person I Loved Asked Me to Die in My Sister’s Stead Gets Anime Adaptation

The popular light novel series The Person I Loved Asked Me to Die in My Sister’s Stead, known in Japan as Koishita Hito wa, Imōto no Kawari ni Shindekure to Itta., is officially receiving an anime adaptation.
Publisher TO Books made the announcement, confirming that the successful fantasy story by Mizuki Nagano will be brought to the screen.
Details regarding the format of the anime or its production staff have not yet been specified.

The narrative centers on Lady Wisteria, a woman whose deepest desire is to be worthy of Lord Bright, the man she cares for deeply.
The story takes a tragic turn when her younger sister, Rosalie, is chosen to serve as the guardian of the Predawn Realm, an underworld from which she can never return.

Lord Bright shockingly petitions Wisteria to take her sister’s place instead, citing Wisteria’s powerful magical ability and her resistance to the sinister miasma that endangers the mortal world.
Heartbroken but committed, Wisteria enters the underworld accompanied by the sacred sword, Sartis.

Two decades pass before a mysterious figure surfaces, confronting Wisteria and demanding the sword.
This stranger’s face bears an unsettling resemblance to Lord Bright, leaving Wisteria to question his identity and motives.
This dramatic and emotionally charged premise has captivated readers since its inception.
The series originated as a web novel written by Nagano, which began serialization on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website in November 2020.

The author concluded the story’s third part in September 2022, later removing the work from the website entirely.
TO Books began publishing the print volumes with illustrations by Saori Toyota in September 2021.
The series continues its run, with the eighth volume of the light novels scheduled for release on January 10.
An ongoing manga adaptation, illustrated by Maki Yamori, has also found significant success since its launch on TO Books’ Corona EX manga website in June 2022.

The sixth compiled book volume of the manga is also scheduled for publication on January 10.
Internationally, the manga is published in English by Tokyopop, which released the fourth volume in August 2025.
The manga’s consistent quality has been recognized in industry rankings, earning a place in Takarajimasha’s esteemed Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! guidebook for four consecutive years, spanning the 2023 through 2026 rankings.
This anime announcement signifies a major expansion for the property, moving the critically acclaimed story beyond the world of print media.
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