The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen
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Have you ever experienced a tale in which you’ve truly sympathized with the antagonist or villain? Perhaps you felt they were right all along, but the world simply could not allow their ambitions to become reality. On the rare occasions they won, I have always felt as if something was missing and that no sequel would do them justice. In other instances, we see the same tale from the antagonist’s perspective, only making us take their side more, but the true ending can never truly be undone, no matter how much people try to reckon with it.
“The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior” also known as “Higeki no Genkyou to Naru Saikyou Gedou Last Boss Joou wa Tami no Tame ni Tsukushimasu” “The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen Who Will Become the Source of Tragedy Will Devote Herself for the Sake of the People” or simply “Lastame”, is a 12-episode TV Anime series that aired from the 7th of July till the 22nd of September in Summer 2023. It was produced by Mainichi Broadcasting System, Movic, Tokyo MX, BS11, Ichijinsha, Nichion, FuRyu, MAGNET, Myrica Music, AQUA ARIS, and Pia, licensed by Sentai Filmworks and streamed on HIDIVE, and brought to life by Studio OLM, directed by Norio Nitta, with series composition by Deko Akao and character designs by Hitomi Kōno. The main staff behind it includes Oowada Tomoyuki, Sotokawa Akihiro, Aoi Hiroyuki, and Maeda Yoshiteru as Producers. The series falls under the Fantasy genre, with themes of Isekai and Villainess, and is targeted at the Josei demographic. Each episode runs 23 minutes and has earned a TV-14 rating for teenagers 13 years or older. It was released on Blu-ray as two volumes via Furyu from the 27th of September to the 29th of November 2023.
The Anime is based on the Light Novel series of the same title, with the first two volumes adapted into the first season. It began publication on the 3rd of June 2019 and has 12 volumes as of October 2025, as the work of author Tenichi and artist Suzunosuke. It originally began as a web novel on Shousetsuka ni Narou on the 19th of April 2018. Ichijinsha has also released a revised, illustrated version of it since the 3rd of June 2019, under the Iris Neo label. Finally, it has been published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment under the Airship imprint since the 26th of April 2022. (Pick up Light Novel Vol. 1 on Amazon): Check it out on Amazon
The Manga adaptation of the same title ran for 3 volumes between March 2020 and March 2022 before being discontinued due to artist Matsuura Bunko's poor health, following an announcement from the publisher. (The original manga Vol. 1 is still available on Amazon): Check it out on Amazon. Another Manga series by the title “Higeki no Genkyou to Naru Saikyou Gedou Last Boss Joou wa Tami no Tame ni Tsukushimasu. To the Savior” was released 2 volumes between June 2023 and December 2024, at which point the manga concluded; a new serialized version covering the "Fiancé Arc" launched in March 2025. It included the additional genre of Romance and was by artist Kawano Akiko. The anime sequel “The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior Season 2” is set to run for 12 episodes in Spring 2026, with the first episode premiering on April 7, 2026. The same Studio does it and follows the events of the Light Novel. If Season 1 left you wanting more, the complete collection Blu-Ray is available on Amazon: Check it out on Amazon
The story centers around Pride Royal Ivy, an eight-year-old girl who possesses recollections from her past life as a big fan of a certain Otome game titled “Our Ray of Light”. While she was on her way to replay it in that life, she had met a tragic end and got reincarnated as the very game’s final boss: the firstborn princess of Freesia. Now, her knowledge, gained through her experience in the game, leads everyone around her to believe she possesses precognition. Furthermore, unlike the intended original princess, the new Pride refuses to torment those around her, especially her younger sister and adopted brother. She is continuously haunted by nightmares of the other self’s atrocities as a Villainess. Still, she resolves to protect her family and country while also progressing the story along its due path. This means the world surrounding her will gradually change, and it is only a matter of time before she meets her end at the hands of the game’s main characters. As she prepares for the fated day regardless, she is determined to change her kingdom for the better with whatever time she has; unless, of course, she gets buried under the heavy weight of her possible crimes.
Needless to say, this is a character-driven story set within a fantasy world of sorts. Instead of focusing on the magic and the supernatural, they have chosen to focus on the characters, their interpersonal relationships, and their growth across the series. In fact, they dedicate a number of episodes just to show us the characters talking with each other and navigating ideological issues in a very intriguing and captivating way that you don’t even notice the time passing. This brings us to Pride herself, a lovable MC who always finds a means of compromise and achieves the results she desired, and not even one of those occasions feels forced or unnatural. They do this by showing the perspective of every character involved and then working their way towards a natural solution. Owing to recollections from her past life, Pride is fully aware of her grave transgression and genuinely wants to make amends. Aiming for true equality within her kingdom, she systemically alters the very systems and traditions that made the bleak future possible in the first place. Getting back to the story itself, it takes its sweet time getting to the bigger picture, hinting at the greater dark forces at play by around Episode 3. Until then, it’s a steady journey of worldbuilding and problem-solving. The pacing is obviously slow throughout the show, with only two minor time skips, but we get a consistently mature and smart MC to move things along, and I honestly enjoy that chill vibe.
The character department is a slow-burning development of characters and their relationships. Every one of them is dealing with some kind of trauma, which our MC supports them through — and it never feels hollow or performative. Pride's adopted brother, Stale, for instance, carries the weight of a past that the original Princess forced upon him: compelled servitude, severed family bonds, and a life defined by someone else's cruelty. Arthur, the son of Knight Commander Roderick, is shaped by his father's neglect and by the shadow of a Pride he never actually met — a tyrant he was destined to oppose. Tiara, Pride's sweet-natured younger sister, occupies a quieter emotional lane but grounds the whole family dynamic with warmth and sincerity. Meanwhile, their own existences are meaningful and backed by emotional weight, as each of their stories takes off and lands neatly. What's especially effective is how the show lets each character react to the kindness they receive as something genuinely unfamiliar—earned trust rather than given loyalty.
It's good to see an Isekai series focusing on a smaller cast of characters, as there's plenty of screentime to flesh them out and allow audiences to get attached to them. There is some romance teased here, mostly in the form of Stale and Arthur's barely-contained feelings for Pride, but it's kept as a background detail—reinforced by blushing, flower crowns, and a couple of scenes where neither young man can quite find the words. I am a big fan of slow-developed romance that blossoms realistically, and this one has all the right bones for it, even if Season 1 wisely keeps it in the wings.
The Art and Animation department, however, is lacking and clearly low-budget. This is most apparent in the animation, which lags far behind, especially during the few action scenes. For example, you’ll see attacks being depicted as plain ol’ white lines coming at a character rather than any actual fluid movements. I did find the character designs to be quite detailed and nice, with each character having their own signature color palette and the designs somewhat reflecting their roles in the game. The backgrounds and scenes are average at best, but the focus is rarely on the visuals and mostly on the dialogue, so this isn’t a deal breaker.
The Sound and Music department (with music composed by Hanae Nakamura, Tatsuhiko Saiki, Kanade Sakuma, and Junko Nakajima) makes up for shortcomings in the visuals. The Opening theme is "Kyuuseishu" by Tsukuyomi, and the Ending theme is "PRIDE" by ChoQMay, both of which are nice pieces that suit the series’ atmosphere but aren’t something to write home about. However, the sound effects are on point, the OSTs suit the vibe perfectly, and it’s overall peaceful on the ears throughout! They also do a great job of conveying how the characters feel in each piece of music through the audio, which is accompanied by masterful voice acting. Whether they are talking about misunderstandings, emotional matters, everyday life, and so on, every conversation feels so real, sincere, and mature. The cast also masterfully captures character growth, so kudos to the amazing voice acting by the whole team, especially by Fairouz Ai as the ever-charismatic Pride.
Overall, “The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen” is a series that does not get the love and attention it so rightfully deserves. I get it, one look at the title and promotional material is enough for most to cast it aside as more Isekai-Villainess slop, which we are all genuinely tired of seeing at this point. It's really unfortunate to see an anime that properly focuses on its worldbuilding and characters buried beneath the actual slop, so I recommend this show to anyone who isn’t averse to what it actually represents. At the very least, watch it until Episode 5, and there’s a good chance you’ll stick till the end, possibly anticipating the sequel as well. The cliches fans have grown sick of are absent here; instead, it has a thoughtful female lead, a good balance of drama, suspense, and emotion, family values, solid character development, and no wasted space!
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