My Stepmother and Stepsisters Aren’t Wicked

My Stepmother and Stepsisters Aren't Wicked is a sweet comedy that turns an old fairy tale upside down. It started as a webcomic by the artist Otsuji on Pixiv Comic's Comic Pool site in November 2020. In English, the manga is published by Seven Seas Entertainment. The anime was made by the studio Newon and directed by Keisuke Inoue. It aired from July 8 to September 26, 2026, on Tokyo MX, MBS, BS Asahi, and other channels, with 12 episodes.

Most people know the story of Cinderella. A girl loses her parent and goes to live with a stepmother and stepsisters. The new family is cruel. They make her clean, cook, and suffer, and they treat her like a servant. This anime starts with a setup that looks just like that. Then it plays a joke on the viewer, and on the heroine too.

The story takes place in Japan in the past, and the setting feels like the early twentieth century, with old-style clothes and grand homes. Miya Nakamura is a quiet, shy girl. She is so anxious around people that talking to strangers is very hard for her. After her mother dies, she learns a big secret. Her father is a rich man from an important family, and she was born outside his marriage. Now, his family agrees to take her in, and she must go and live with the wealthy Kounokura family.

Miya expects the worst. She has read the stories, so she is sure she knows what will happen. Her new stepmother, Teru, and her stepsisters, Arisa and Marika, look proud and a little scary. Miya is ready to be bullied and worked hard every day. But that is not what happens at all. The three women are kind to her. In fact, they adore her. They want to dress her up, care for her, and make her feel at home.

Much of the comedy comes from misunderstandings. Because Miya is so nervous, she often thinks that a kind act is really a mean one. Her new family's strong looks and serious faces do not help. The stepmother and stepsisters, for their part, sometimes do not know how to show their love, so their good plans can look strange from the outside. Each episode lets us see both sides, and the gap between what Miya fears and what is really happening is very funny.

Under the jokes, the show has a gentle heart. It is about a lonely girl slowly learning that she is wanted and safe. It is also about a family choosing to love someone new. The mood is soft and cozy, much like the style called iyashikei, which means a calm, healing show. If you want an easy, warm comedy about family and kindness, with lots of cute moments, this one will put a smile on your face.