I'm in Love with the Villainess
Have you ever pursued something you really wanted amidst every possible obstacle in the book? Isn’t even daily life like that most of the time? Sometimes it feels like life is an endless list of obstacles to overcome, but we get rewarded for our efforts at irregular intervals, and we’re able to tell ourselves, “It was worth it.” The key point is to know what’s worth the pursuit and what isn’t, so knowing when to let something go is also important. It’s important to always have a goal to strive towards, but also accept that some things aren’t meant to be…
“I'm in Love with the Villainess," also known as “Watashi no Oshi wa Akuyaku Reijou” or simply "WataOshi," is a 12-episode TV anime series that aired from the 3rd of October up until the 19th of December in Fall 2023.
Studio Platinum Vision brought it to life while working with Asmik Ace, King Records, and Ichijinsha on the production. It features the genres of comedy, fantasy, and girls love, alongside the themes of Isekai and school. Each episode runs for 24 minutes, receiving a rating of PG-13 for teenagers 13 years of age or older. The series was released on Blu-ray on February 1, 2024, as well.
The anime is based on the light novel titled “Watashi no Oshi wa Akuyaku Reijou.: Revolution," also known as “I'm in Love with the Villainess: Revolution” and “I Favor the Villainess," which began publication on December 18, 2021, and is still ongoing. It is the work of author Inori and artist Hanagata, which started off as a web novel on Shousetsuka ni Narou on January 14, 2018.
The first official volume was published on December 18, 2021, thanks to Ichijinsha under the Ichijinsha Novels label. Ever since November 10, 2020, Seven Seas Entertainment has been publishing it in English under the Airship imprint. This light novel series is actually an alternative version of the “I'm in Love with the Villainess” manga series by the same author, which began publication on June 18, 2020.
A 6-episode ONA series titled “I'm in Love with the Villainess Mini Anime” aired from the 25th of August up until the 9th of September, 2023. Studio AQUA ARIS produced this series of 2-minute episodes with a school-themed blend of the comedy and fantasy genres.
The series centers around protagonist Rei Oohashi, who is a severely burned-out office worker. She works tirelessly during the day but indulges in her favorite Otome game as its main heroine, Rae Taylor, by night. Her work days are long and tough, but she finds much solace and happiness within the world of this dating simulation game titled "Revolution," where she becomes a peculiar student at the Bauer Kingdom's prestigious Royal Academy.
While the game offers her a plethora of attractive male love interests, Rei remains fixated on her in-game romantic rival instead: the main villainess, Claire François. While this transpires, her exhaustion bears fruit in reality, and she takes her final breath.
By some twist of fate, she reawakens, reincarnated as Rae, and in the presence of her one true love, Claire. Presented with this absolutely miraculous opportunity, the protagonist wastes no time in declaring her unending love to the golden-haired villainess, alongside her endearing attempts at bullying.
But things aren’t going to be that easy, because winning Claire's heart is quite a difficult goal in a world that consistently throws three male potential partners at her. Refusing to bow down to the game’s logic and "rules," Rae preserves to draw closer to the woman she truly loves and will not allow anything to stand in between them.
When you watch this series, you'll probably think that they actually drew inspiration from plenty of other media in its genre. In reality, the Light Novel came much earlier, and thus other series actually got some ideas from it. On the other hand, the setting within a straight Otome game may ward off many viewers, but the reality is that this is a good show for almost anyone who likes fantasy comedies. Why? The story here is not generic at all, and it explores a variety of complex topics.
Rae’s character and journey are structured in a way that viewers can gain a broader understanding of the struggles that most homosexual people face within a mostly heterosexual world. At the same time, it finds a nice middle ground where even heterosexuals can relate to her troubles. For example, in the early stages, Rae is shown to be quite unwilling to be fully genuine with Claire, possibly because she is afraid of getting hurt. I found this fear to be quite relatable, because she was risking rejection from her beloved and stood to lose whatever connection they already had.
The issue is escalated by the fact that she is lesbian, meaning their relationship could’ve turned to a completely negative one. Nobody is perfect, and Rae is the same, but once she gets called out on her flaws, she is quick to learn and amend things. So it’s very nice to watch her character development, which feels both natural and human, because she sometimes goes too far and makes Claire uncomfortable too. As such, this tale is handled very maturely, and the duo’s progression from an unrequited crush to friend to best friend and finally lovers is both pure and logical.
Worldbuilding is particularly well done here. The setting is a well-established school for the elite and those "below" them, complete with a magical system. The story is made all the more interesting by the fact that it takes place in an Otome game, with multiple male love interests whose romances can be triggered by certain events.
That’s why it’s so interesting to watch how the story reroutes itself owing to Rae’s unorthodox preferences and actions. There is plenty of drama and suspense thrown into the mix, but it’s nice to explore this secret pathway alongside Rae and learn things along the way.
Speaking of the characters more specifically, Rae knows exactly what she wants,and she is willing to grind until she wins her over. While the game’s narrative pulls her in the opposite direction, this girl uses every fiber of her being to flip the script in the name of true love.
Meanwhile, Claire is a tsundere with a somewhat cold exterior, but that’s exactly why it’s so nice to see the way her heart slowly melts over time and opens up to Rae. The remaining cast was decent too, but not nearly as memorable as the main duo. The Princes, Misha, Manaria, and Ralaire were all fun to watch on-screen, and they all fulfilled their roles well; I didn’t find any of them redundant or unlikable, and they all served to keep me engaged in the tale.
As for the art and animation department, they have done a magnificent job. The artwork is absolutely beautiful, full of details, fine lines, and colors. The lighting is just right to suit the show’s atmosphere, be it day or night, and vivid colors enhance the scenes to another level.
The animation is flowy and blends in so well with the art to create a very lovely visual experience. There isn’t much action here, but when there is, they deliver just fine without ruining anything. The character designs are loyal to the light novel and quite memorable and unique. Overall, this department is solid and boasts great production quality.
The music and sounds department doesn’t lag far behind either, because there’s considerable quality here. The opening theme is "Raise Y/Our Hands!!” by Rae’s voice actor Yuu Serizawa and Claire’s voice actor Karin Nanami. The ending theme is "Optimum Combination (O.C.)" by Yuu Serizawa and Karin Nanami yet again, first as solos and then as a duet.
What makes these two songs so good is the fact that they’re actually accurate arguments between the two leads, making them conversational songs of sorts. I personally enjoyed the opening a lot more due to its vibrant nature and portrayal of the romantic conflict between the girls. There is nothing much to say about the OSTs; they did their job and aren’t very memorable. The voice actors did an amazing job, especially in the cases of Rae and Claire, while the rest embodied their characters well enough.
Overall, I think WataOshi is one of a kind and well worth watching. The highlights are Rae's backstory, the expert handling of LGBTQ themes throughout the story, and the very real relationship development. This adaptation hit the mark, establishing a new standard for Yuri series in the anime industry.
But if you are not interested in the romance genre in general, this is not for you. While the impressive world-building and magic system are worthy attractions, this season focused on Rae and Claire’s relationship as it should, owing to its limited runtime. These aspects will most likely get explored if we get more seasons, but there’s no such news just yet. This is ultimately a tale of romance, and it happens between two unintended parties. If you do love romance and yuri in general, this will most likely become one of your favorites, so do not hesitate at all! Recommended.
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