The Reincarnated as a Sword anime has revealed the character design for Stephan, a wraith joining the second season's cast with Shiori Izawa in the role. The official character settings were released while Season 2 is on the air in Japan, introducing an undead servant whose politeness hides an unusual origin.
Stephan is a wraith serving as the undead familiar of the necromancer Jean, and the character's backstory is stranger than most: an undead creature itself, Stephan allowed a death-eating undead to consume it and then seized control of that body from within. Despite that gruesome history, Stephan is described as unfailingly polite and deeply loyal to Jean, praising its master at every opportunity.
The character art shows a ghostly wraith possessing the corpse of a petite, androgynous figure in a tattered gray tunic, with purplish-tinted skin, white hair and large purple eyes holding starry reflections. Izawa, who also voices Chihiro-sensei in Kaya-chan Isn't Scary, brings the character to life in the season's ongoing run.
The season's production continues under director Shinji Ishihira at studio C2C, with Kazunobu Shimizu as assistant director. Takahiro Nagano handles series composition and scripts, Atsuko Saito provides the character designs and serves as chief animation director, and Yasuharu Takanashi of Team-MAX composes the music.
The core pairing remains the heart of the series: Ai Kakuma voices Fran, the young beastgirl swordsman fighting her way up from slavery, while Shin-ichiro Miki voices the sentient sword she carries, known simply as Teacher. The first season premiered in October 2022 under the same director and studio, establishing the master-and-student dynamic that Stephan now enters as Jean's devoted familiar.
Season 2 began broadcasting in Japan this October, continuing the adventures of Fran and her sentient sword. The series streams internationally on HIDIVE as the new episodes roll out.
What is Reincarnated as a Sword about?
The anime adapts Yuu Tanaka's isekai fantasy adventure light novels, which Tanaka serialized on the Shosetsuka ni Naro website from October 2015 to February 2024. Micro Magazine publishes the print edition with illustrations by Llo under its GC Novels imprint, with 21 volumes released in Japan so far, and Seven Seas Entertainment publishes the novels in English. The story has also been adapted into a manga illustrated by Tomowo Maruyama, likewise released in English by Seven Seas.
Some isekai protagonists are reincarnated as powerful warriors or skilled wizards, but our protagonist was reborn in another life as a sentient sword! He's taken up by Fran, a desperate girl fleeing evil-doers intent on selling her into slavery. With her new weapon's help and guidance, she's able to strike down her captors and secure her freedom. Together, this unconventional master-student duo embark on an epic journey to liberate those in need and exact justice on the cruel of heart.
Reincarnated as a Sword Season 2 is currently broadcasting in Japan and streaming on HIDIVE, with Stephan set to appear as the story continues.
Source: Official X account of Reincarnated as a Sword
