Always a Catch!

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Always a Catch!: How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince
First light novel volume cover, featuring Renato Di Rubini (left) and Maria Annovazzi (right)
逃がした魚は大きかったが釣りあげた魚が大きすぎた件
(Nigashita Sakana wa Ōkikatta ga Tsuriageta Sakana ga Ōkisugita Ken)
Genre
Novel series
Short story
Written byMayo Momoyo
Published byShōsetsuka ni Narō
PublishedOctober 21, 2020
Novel series
Sequel
Written byMayo Momoyo
Published byShōsetsuka ni Narō
Original runDecember 4, 2020 – present
Light novel
Written byMayo Momoyo
Illustrated byItsuki Mito
Published bySquare Enix
ImprintSQEX Novel
Original runAugust 6, 2021 – present
Volumes6
Manga
Written byMayo Momoyo
Illustrated byKaki Nagato
Published bySquare Enix
English publisher
  • NA: Square Enix
ImprintGangan Comics UP!
MagazineManga Up!
Original runApril 24, 2022 – present
Volumes9
Anime television series
Directed byAkira Oguro
Written byMichiko Yokote
Studio
Original run Q2 2026 – scheduled

Always a Catch!: How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince (Japanese: 逃がした魚は大きかったが釣りあげた魚が大きすぎた件, Hepburn: Nigashita Sakana wa Ōkikatta ga Tsuriageta Sakana ga Ōkisugita Ken) is a Japanese light novel series written by Mayo Momoyo and illustrated by Itsuki Mito. It began publication as a short story on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō in October 2020. A sequel series began serialization in December 2020. It was later acquired by Square Enix who began publishing it under their SQEX Novel imprint in August 2021. A manga adaptation illustrated by Kaki Nagato began serialization on Square Enix's Manga Up! manga service in April 2022. An anime television series adaptation produced by TMS Entertainment and animated by Troyca is set to premiere in Q2 2026.

Characters

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Maria Annovazzi (マリーア・アンノヴァッツィ, Marīa Annovuattsui) / Maria di Rubini (マリーア・ディ・ルビーニ, Marīa di Rubīni) (from Volume 4 onward)
Voiced by: Yū Serizawa[3]
The protagonist of the story. Nicknamed Mimi. She is the fifth daughter of the Duke Annovazzi of the Kingdom of Muro. Before her younger brother was born, she was expected to be the heir to the dukedom, and thus mastered the family’s traditional martial arts style, consisting of 80 forms. While studying abroad in the Kingdom of Rubini with the aim of finding a marriage partner, she ends up becoming engaged to Renato. The king and queen come to like her, and she receives formal training to become crown princess, including etiquette lessons. However, her free-spirited personality and tendency to resolve problems through force (i.e., martial arts) remain unchanged.
Renato di Rubini (レナート・ディ・ルビーニ, Renāto di Rubīni)
Voiced by: Atsushi Tamaru[3]
First prince of the Kingdom of Rubini. He was tormented by the political engagement arranged between him and Aida, whom his younger brother had feelings for. Later, using a certain incident as a pretext, he attempts to annul the engagement with Aida, but mistakenly informs his cousin Maria of the annulment instead. Eventually, he falls in love with Maria, proposes to her, and is accepted—shortly thereafter, he is officially named crown prince. Despite numerous challenges, he and Maria overcome them together and finally manage to get married.
Aida Ametis (アイーダ・アメーティス, Aīda Amētisu) / Aida di Rubini (アイーダ・ディ・ルビーニ, Aīda di Rubīni) (from Volume 4 onward)
Voiced by: Saori Hayami[3]
A noble lady from the Ametis ducal family of the Kingdom of Rubini. Maria stayed with her as a relative. Unlike Maria, Aida is the picture of a perfect lady. Her father arranged the engagement with Renato in hopes of making her queen one day, but Renato ultimately breaks off the engagement. Although Aida and Maria are on good terms, when Maria impulsively ran into a burning building to rescue people—an act that led the king to issue a disciplinary suspension and caused many, including Renato, to be reprimanded—Aida sternly scolded her for her actions.
Placido di Rubini (プラチド・ディ・ルビーニ, Purachido di Rubīni)
Voiced by: Shūichirō Umeda[3]
Second prince of the Kingdom of Rubini. Through his brother Renato's efforts, he becomes engaged to Aida and holds his wedding before Renato does.
Raimondo Cigata (ライモンド・チガータ, Raimondo Chigāta)
Voiced by: Taku Yashiro[3]
One of Renato's close aides. Son of a marquis. A talented bureaucrat, though he often gets dragged into chaos by Maria.
Gabriele Morand (ガブリエーレ・モランド, Gaburiēre Morando)
Renato's foster brother and trusted companion. Formerly part of the royal guard. He is outraged when he learns during an overseas assignment that Renato's fiancée has changed, but eventually becomes a sparring buddy and friend to Maria.

Media

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Light novel

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Written by Mayo Momoyo, Always a Catch! was initially published as a short story on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō on October 21, 2020. A sequel series began serialization on December 4, 2020.[4] It was later acquired by Square Enix who began publishing the series with illustrations by Itsuki Mito under their SQEX Novel light novel imprint on August 6, 2021. Five volumes have been released as of November 7, 2025.[5]

No. Release date ISBN
1 August 6, 2021[6]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
2 July 7, 2022[7]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
3 October 6, 2023[8]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
4 February 7, 2024[9]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
5 December 6, 2024[10]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
6 November 7, 2025[5]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).

Manga

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A manga adaptation illustrated by Kaki Nagato began serialization on Square Enix's Manga Up! manga service on April 24, 2022.[11] The manga's chapters have been compiled into nine tankōbon volumes as of November 2025.[12]

The series is published in English on Square Enix's Manga Up! Global website and app.[13] In February 2025, Square Enix Manga & Books announced that they had licensed the series for English publication, with the first volume being released in November 2024.[14]

No. Original release date Original ISBN North American release date North American ISBN
1 July 7, 2022[15]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).November 26, 2024[16]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
2 December 7, 2022[17]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).March 18, 2025[18]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
3 April 7, 2023[19]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).June 17, 2025[20]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
4 September 7, 2023[21]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).September 16, 2025[22]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
5 February 7, 2024[23]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).December 9, 2025[24]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
6 July 5, 2024[25]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).——
7 December 7, 2024[26]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).——
8 May 7, 2025[27]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).——
9 November 7, 2025[12]Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).——

Anime

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An anime television series adaptation was announced on November 3, 2025. Produced and planned by TMS Entertainment, the series is animated by Troyca and directed by Akira Oguro, with Michiko Yokote handling series composition and Isamu Suzuki designing the characters. It is set to premiere in Q2 2026.[3]

Reception

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By November 2025, the series had over 1 million copies in circulation.[3]

References

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  19. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  27. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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