NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan has confirmed that the world premiere of the upcoming anime adaptation of A Wild Last Boss Appeared! will take place at Anime Expo 2025 on July 5 at 10:30 a.m. PDT. The announcement comes as part of the studio’s larger showcase at the convention, which also includes a second anime premiere and appearances by top producers.
A Wild Last Boss Appeared! is based on the light novel series written by Firehead and illustrated by YahaKo, which originally debuted in 2015 on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website. The story quickly gained popularity for its isekai twist, gender-swap premise, and MMORPG-inspired worldbuilding, eventually being picked up for print publication by Earth Star Entertainment. A manga adaptation followed in 2017, with both the novel and manga currently licensed in English by J-Novel Club.
The story centers around Lufas Maphaahl, a legendary female tyrant and conqueror from the MMORPG Exgate Online. After being defeated in a player-led campaign 200 years earlier, she suddenly reawakens in the real world or so it seems and the twist? She’s being piloted by the consciousness of a male gamer who’s now trapped in her body.
Her return doesn’t go unnoticed. The world, still haunted by her terrifying legacy, is thrown into disarray as monsters once vanquished during her rule begin to resurface. With her old allies scattered, enemies watching, and her identity now a secret to protect, Lufas begins a journey to uncover the truth of her resurrection and reclaim her place in a world that both reveres and fears her.
Cast, Crew, and Studio Details
Ami Koshimizu will voice the enigmatic protagonist Lufas Maphaahl, while Yuri Usui will play Dina, a key supporting character.
The anime is being directed by Yūya Horiuchi (Nijiyon Animation) at Studio Wao World, with WOWMAX handling production. The series scripts are overseen by Kazuyuki Fudeyasu, whose past credits include Is the Order a Rabbit? and Girls’ Last Tour. Character designs are in the hands of Maiko Ebisawa, a talented animator known for work on Wonder Egg Priority and Sword Art Online: Alicization.
Additional sub-character design is provided by Takashi Kobayashi (Time Travel Girl) and Shōta Ueno (Seirei Gensouki - Spirit Chronicles).
NBCUniversal’s Anime Expo Lineup
In addition to A Wild Last Boss Appeared!, NBCUniversal will also host the world premiere of Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota, a separate anime series, on July 3 at 12:00 p.m. PDT.
Producers Genta Ozaki and Ryō Hino from NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan are slated to attend Anime Expo, providing fans with behind-the-scenes insights and commentary on the company’s growing anime portfolio.
Set to officially premiere in October 2025, A Wild Last Boss Appeared! has long been a fan-favorite among readers of niche isekai stories. With its mix of dramatic character arcs, gender-bending dynamics, and epic fantasy world-building, the anime has the potential to break out beyond its light novel origins and make a serious impact this fall.
The choice to debut the series at Anime Expo, one of the largest anime conventions in the world, signals NBCUniversal’s confidence in the title and its global appeal. For fans of Overlord, Log Horizon, or That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, this could be one to watch closely as you might enjoy it!
Whether you're a longtime fan of the novels or just discovering Lufas for the first time, Anime Expo 2025’s world premiere is the first place to go to get your first taste of it.
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