I'm In Love With The Villainess
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

is a Japanese
light novel A light novel (, Hepburn: ''raito noberu'') is a style of young adult novel primarily targeting high school and middle school students. The term "light novel" is a ''wasei-eigo'', or a Japanese term formed from words in the English languag ...
series written by Inori and illustrated by Hanagata. It was serialized online between January 2018 and February 2021 on the user-generated novel publishing website
Shōsetsuka ni Narō is a Japanese novel self-publishing website created by . It was launched on April 2, 2004. Users can upload their novels free of charge and the novels are also free to read. As of December 2022, the site hosts close to 1,000,000 novels, has ove ...
. It was acquired by Aichu Publishing, who published the first light novel volume digitally in February 2019 under their GL Bunko imprint. A
manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
adaptation with art by Anoshimo has been serialized in
Ichijinsha is a Japanese publishing company focused on manga-related publication, including magazines and books. The company was first established in August 1992 as a limited company under the name Studio DNA whose main purpose was to edit shōnen manga. ...
's yuri manga magazine ''
Comic Yuri Hime is a manga anthology magazine published in Japan by Ichijinsha. It began as a quarterly publication in July 2005, but was issued bimonthly on odd months from January 2011 to December 2016, when it became monthly. Kanako Umezawa has served as ''Co ...
'' since June 18, 2020. It has been collected into two ''
tankōbon is the Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or cultur ...
'' volumes. The light novel and manga have been licensed in North America by
Seven Seas Entertainment Seven Seas Entertainment is an American publishing company located in Los Angeles, California. It was originally dedicated to the publication of original English-language manga, but now publishes licensed manga and light novels from Japan, as we ...
. An
anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
television series adaptation by
Platinum Vision is a anime, Japanese animation studio founded in Mitaka, Tokyo. Works Television series Films Original video animation References External links

* * {{Japanese animation studios Platinum Vision, Animation studios in Tokyo ...
is set to premiere in 2023.


Plot

Oohashi Rei, an ordinary office worker, is overworked to death and suddenly finds herself reincarnated as Rae Taylor, the heroine of her favorite
otome game An , is a story-based video game that is targeted towards women. Generally one of the goals, besides the main idea/goal, is to develop a romantic relationship between the female player/main character and one of the second-lead male characters. His ...
, ''Revolution''. However, Rae has no interest in the game's three original romance routes with the Bauer Kingdom's princes. Instead, she sets her heart on Claire François, the game's main antagonist. Using her knowledge of the game's events that are yet to come, Rae tries to give Claire a happy ending before the coming revolution destroys any chance of it happening.


Characters

; : :The
main protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
, previously known as Oohashi Rei before she died of overwork and reincarnated as the player character of her favorite otome game, ''Revolution''. As she's
gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...
, Rae has no interest in the game’s capture targets; in fact, she becomes vexed when they pay attention to her. Instead, she aims to give Claire François a happy ending; falling in love with her. At the end, the two get married and adopt twin daughters. ; : :The "villainess" of the original game and current target of Rae's affection. Claire is a noble who believes in the current
aristocratic Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'. At the time of the word's ...
system within the kingdom and often has a low view on commoners, especially Rae. This only serves to make her flustered and confused by Rae's interest in her. At the end of the story, Claire and Rae are married and working as teachers. ; :The eldest heir within the Bauer Kingdom's royal family and first in line to the throne. He is an energetic young man who becomes interested in Rae, much to her dismay. Rod is the most popular capture target within the game. ; :The second heir within the Bauer Kingdom's royal family. Thane is often stoic and feels his abilities are inferior to his brothers, giving him a complex about it. Thane is considered as the least popular capture target within the game. ; :The third heir within the Bauer Kingdom's royal family. A charismatic and attractive prince type who uses charm to mask a cunning mind. Yu is the second most popular capture target within the game. ; :Rae's roommate and best friend. Her family was once a noble house, but they become commoners after falling from grace and becoming impoverished. She almost realized Rae is not her old friend anymore; since the other Rei woke up in her, Misha believes something is wrong with her head.


Media


Light novels

Five volumes of the official light novel were published digitally by Aichu Publishing under their GL Bunko imprint from February 26, 2019 to August 26, 2021. The light novels featured cover art and additional illustrations by Hanagata. In 2021,
Ichijinsha is a Japanese publishing company focused on manga-related publication, including magazines and books. The company was first established in August 1992 as a limited company under the name Studio DNA whose main purpose was to edit shōnen manga. ...
announced that it would begin publishing the light novels in paperback, with the first volume released on December 18, 2021 under their Ichijinsha Novels imprint. In April 2020,
Seven Seas Entertainment Seven Seas Entertainment is an American publishing company located in Los Angeles, California. It was originally dedicated to the publication of original English-language manga, but now publishes licensed manga and light novels from Japan, as we ...
announced that they had licensed the light novel in North America. On March 19, 2021, Seven Seas issued a statement that they would be releasing a new version of volume one due to the localization decisions in the original omitting several paragraphs.


Spin-off

''She’s so Cheeky for a Commoner!'' is a retelling of the original series from Claire François' perspective. It began serialization online on May 25, 2021 on the user-generated novel publishing website
Shōsetsuka ni Narō is a Japanese novel self-publishing website created by . It was launched on April 2, 2004. Users can upload their novels free of charge and the novels are also free to read. As of December 2022, the site hosts close to 1,000,000 novels, has ove ...
. Aichu Publishing published the first light novel volume digitally under their GL Bunko imprint on February 28, 2022, with Hanagata returning for cover design and additional illustrations. At
Anime Expo Anime Expo, abbreviated AX, is an American anime convention held in Los Angeles, California and organized by the non-profit Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA). The convention is traditionally held annually on the first we ...
2022,
Seven Seas Entertainment Seven Seas Entertainment is an American publishing company located in Los Angeles, California. It was originally dedicated to the publication of original English-language manga, but now publishes licensed manga and light novels from Japan, as we ...
announced that they licensed the spin-off for English publication.


Manga

A
manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
adaptation is written by Inori and illustrated by Anoshimo. It began serialization in Ichijinsha's yuri manga magazine ''
Comic Yuri Hime is a manga anthology magazine published in Japan by Ichijinsha. It began as a quarterly publication in July 2005, but was issued bimonthly on odd months from January 2011 to December 2016, when it became monthly. Kanako Umezawa has served as ''Co ...
'' on June 18, 2020. In February 2021, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they had also licensed the manga adaptation.


Anime

An
anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
television series adaptation was announced on December 13, 2022. It will be produced by
Platinum Vision is a anime, Japanese animation studio founded in Mitaka, Tokyo. Works Television series Films Original video animation References External links

* * {{Japanese animation studios Platinum Vision, Animation studios in Tokyo ...
and directed by Hideaki Ōba, with scripts written by Ayumu Hisao, character designs handled by Yōko Satō, and music composed by
Noriyuki Asakura is a Japanese composer and vocalist, best known for composing the soundtracks to the anime series ''Rurouni Kenshin'' and the video game franchises ''Tenchu'' and '' Way of the Samurai''. He is well known for combining traditional Japanese mus ...
and Usagi to Uma. The series is set to premiere in 2023.


Reception

In
Anime News Network Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and oth ...
's ''Fall 2020 Light Novel Guide'' the series was generally received positively, though not as strongly as other ''yuri'' titles released at the time. However, it was noted that "if Rae and Claire both start off as almost intensely difficult to like, they do undergo enough of a change by about midway through the novel that makes them much easier to root for." Others had more positive reception to the series. Erica Friedman, the founder of
Yuricon Yuricon was an anime convention geared toward fans of yuri anime and manga. The first Yuricon event was held in 2003 in Newark, New Jersey with about 200 attending, although Yuricon has existed as an online entity since 2000. The event was org ...
, awarded the first light novel an overall score of nine. Friedman also praised the series for its frank discussion of LGBT identity, writing "And then you hit a moment when Misha, Rae’s best friend, roommate and foil, turns to Rae and asks, 'Are you gay?'…and the characters have a frank discussion about sexuality." Nicki Bauman noted that the series open focus on LGBT themes in its characters and storytelling was not typical of the ''yuri'' genre and proposed that it might signal change in yuri themes and stories. In March 2021, ''I'm in Love with the Villainess'' placed 5th in
AnimeJapan AnimeJapan is a Japanese anime consumer show held for the first time at the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition center in Tokyo, in March 2014. It was created from the merger of the Tokyo International Anime Fair with the Anime Contents Expo. It is organ ...
's annual Manga We Want to See Animated Ranking. In June 2021, the series was nominated for the Best Printed Manga category in the
Next Manga Award The is an annual award for manga series presented by Kadokawa Corporation's ''Da Vinci'' magazine and Niconico streaming website. It is divided into two categories: one for print manga, and one for web manga. Overview The award was originally ...
s and placed 17th out of 50 nominees. It was also nominated for the same award and placed 8th out of 50 nominees in 2022.


References


External links


Official English light novel website

Official anime website
* {{Platinum Vision 2010s LGBT literature 2019 Japanese novels 2022 Japanese novels 2023 anime television series debuts Anime and manga based on light novels Ichijinsha manga Isekai anime and manga Isekai novels and light novels LGBT in anime and manga Light novels Light novels first published online Platinum Vision Seven Seas Entertainment titles Shōsetsuka ni Narō Upcoming anime television series Yuri (genre) anime and manga Yuri (genre) light novels