, also known as for short, is a Japanese light novel series written by Piero Karasu and illustrated by Yuri Kisaragi. It was originally serialized online on the user-generated novel publishing website ShÃ
Âsetsuka ni NarÃ
 between February 2019 and August 2021. It was later acquired by Fujimi Shobo who published the series in print since January 2020 under their Fujimi Fantasia Bunko imprint. A manga adaptation with art by Harutsugu Nadaka has been serialized in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Maoh since July 2020. Both the light novel and manga are licensed in North America by Yen Press. An anime television series adaptation produced by Diomedéa aired from January to March 2023.
Plot
Princess Anisphia, regaining the memories of a previous life she lived in a modern world while retaining the memories of her current life at a young age, has a love of magic, despite being unable to use it herself. She sets off to live out her dreams in the fantasy world she finds herself growing up in. During a magical mishap, she stumbled upon a scene where her brother Algard has broken off his engagement to his fiancée, Lady Euphyllia. With Euphyllia stripped of her title as the kingdom's next Queen, Anisphia offers for Euphyllia to come live and research magic with her as an assistant. Fulfilling her dream of learning to use magic to fly and as a way to restore Euphyllia's good name.
Characters
Main
The main protagonist and the first princess of the Kingdom of Palettia. She has always loved magic yet, being reincarnated from Earth, cannot use it herself. So to compensate, she turned to science and used her previous life's knowledge to invent all sorts of magical gadgets. She is also an out lesbian. While her eccentricities cause others to see her as a problem child who forced her responsibilities onto her younger brother, Algard, she actually thinks of her country and people more than anyone, ceding the throne out of a genuine belief that she would not be a good ruler. Following a fight with a dragon, she gets afflicted with a curse that is now slowly turning her into a dragon herself.
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A high-ranking noble and the ex-fiancé of Anisphia's younger brother, after he broke off their engagement for allegedly bullying his genuine love interest. While talented in magic and politics, she initially kept others away with her perfectionist attitude but slowly opened up after being taken in by Anisphia and even began to develop romantic feelings toward her. She is later adopted into the royal family after completing a Spirit Covenant and becomes eligible for the throne, so it would not be forced onto Anisphia after Algard is disowned. However, the Covenant has also turned her into a spirit reliant on magical energy to survive, which she takes from Anisphia through kisses.
Main supporting
Anisphia's maid, with whom she shares a close, sister-like relationship.
A commoner-turned-noble and Algard's love interest, whom Euphie allegedly bullied, though it was really just a misunderstanding. She is eventually revealed to be a vampire who constantly generates a charm, making people infatuated with her, which she herself was unaware of. Following this revelation, she is taken in by Anisphia as a maid while learning to control her abilities. However, awakening to her true nature caused her to begin craving blood, which Ilia helps alleviate by letting her suck hers, causing her to develop romantic feelings for the latter.
A noblewoman who was disowned by her family and Anisphia's best friend. Though born with powerful magic, her body cannot handle it, causing her pain whenever she uses it. This, along with pressure from her family, eventually caused her to snap and lash out, becoming known as an infamous sadist, until Anisphia stopped her rampage. At present, she has taken to developing drugs and often supports Anisphia in her research. Her past has led her to become obsessed with incurable conditions, which she calls "curses".
Secondary supporting
Anisphia's father and the king of the Kingdom of Palettia. While he truly cares for his children, his royal responsibilities force him to put his country first. The stress of ruling has also negatively impacted his health, looking older than he actually is and taking pills for regular stomach aches, which is not helped by his daughter's antics.
Anisphia's mother and the queen of the Kingdom of Palettia. Though youthful in appearance, when she was actually young she was a fearsome warrior who raised her children in her spartan ways, making her the only person Anisphia fears. However, she cares greatly for her children and later mellows out considerably following Algard's failed coup, believing she had failed as a mother.
Euphyllia's father and the prime minister of the Kingdom of Palettia. While he initially had a somewhat strained relationship with his daughter, after her engagement is canceled he realizes that he had impossible expectations of her and apologizes, causing their bond to improve considerably. However, he is later forced to cut her off after she is adopted into the royal family for political reasons.
The ancestor of the royal family of the Kingdom of Palettia. While seemingly around the same age as Anisphia, having completed a Spirit Covenant, she is actually a human-turned-spirit who is close to a thousand years old.
Antagonists
Anisphia's younger brother and the crown prince of the Kingdom of Palettia, as his sister gave up her right to the throne. He is also Euphyllia's ex-fiancé, after he broke off their engagement for allegedly bullying Lainie, his apparent love interest. It is eventually revealed that he has always admired his sister, which drove him to plot a revolution to purge the country's corrupt nobles who treated her as second-class due to their culture and religion of magical elitism. He steals Lainie's vampiric abilities to enact his plan to brainwash nobles and rule with power completely centralised to the Crown. In the end, while reconciling with Anisphia, he is disinherited and exiled for his attempted coup d'etat.
Count Chartreuse's son and Algard's friend who supported him in breaking off his engagement with Euphyllia. It is later revealed that he was the only one in Algard's inner circle who was not under Lainie's charm and played an active role in the prince's attempted revolution, causing him to be arrested after the plot is exposed.
The minister of magic who opposes any changes that might endanger the nobles' authority, like Anisphia's inventions. He had been secretly manipulating Algard for years to turn him into a puppet ruler under his control and played an active role in the prince's attempted revolution, unaware that the latter was planning on eventually double-crossing him. In the end, he is executed for treason after the plot is exposed.
Minor
A blacksmith and an acquaintance of Anisphia who helps forge her magical tools from materials she brings him.
Lainie's father and an adventurer-turned-noble. He met Laine's mother before his ascension, unaware she was a vampire, and later took his illegitimate daughter in after she died. He is also an overprotective father, having reservations about his daughter staying with Anisphia after her vampiric nature is revealed but ultimately letting her go.
The head of the Kingdom of Palettia's knight order and an acquaintance of Anisphia. He grew estranged from his son, Navre, after the boy supported Algard in breaking off his engagement to Euphyllia. However, the two began to repair their familial bond after Anisphia discovered that Lainie had accidentally charmed Navre and snapped him out of it.
Matthew's son and Algard's friend who supported him in breaking off his engagement with Euphyllia. It is later revealed, however, that Lainie had accidentally charmed him and he snapped out of it after Anisphia called him out for his actions.
The son of an influential merchant and Algard's friend who supported him in breaking off his engagement with Euphyllia. It is later revealed, however, that Lainie had accidentally charmed him.
Media
Light novels
The series written by Piero Karasu was originally serialized online between February 2019 and August 2021 on the user-generated novel publishing website ShÃ
Âsetsuka ni NarÃ
Â. It was later acquired by Fujimi Shobo and published with illustrations by Yuri Kisaragi under their light novel imprint Fujimi Fantasia Bunko, which was announced on October 10, 2019, with the first volume being released on January 18, 2020. The series ended with the release of its thirteenth volume on February 20, 2026. The light novel is licensed in North America by Yen Press.
Manga
A manga adaptation with art by Harutsugu Nadaka has been serialized in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Maoh since July 27, 2020. The manga adaptation is set to end with the release of its ninth volume. The manga is also licensed in North America by Yen Press.
Episodes 18 to 36, which were published from February 25, 2022, to October 27, 2023, cover the story of Volume 2 of the novel.
Anime
In August 2022, it was announced that the novels would be adapted into an anime television series. It is produced by Diomedéa and directed by Shingo Tamaki, with scripts written by Wataru Watari, character designs handled by Naomi Ide, creature designs by Tsutomu Miyazawa, and music composed by Moe HyÃ
«ga. The series aired from January 4 to March 22, 2023, on AT-X and other networks. The opening theme song is "Arc-en-Ciel" by Hanatan, while the ending theme song is "Only for You" by Sayaka Senbongi and Manaka Iwami. Crunchyroll streamed the series outside of Asia. Muse Communication has licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia.
Reception
By January 2022, the series had 180,000 copies in circulation. By December 2023, it had over 1 million copies in circulation.
The manga adaptation ranked 14th in the 2023 Next Manga Award in the print manga category.
Anime UK News gave the first light novel volume an 8/10 rating, commenting that "Piero Karasu manages to capture the delicate balance of keeping things light-hearted and also emotional when it needs to be." In Anime News Network's 2022 Spring Light Novel Guide, Rebecca Silverman gave it a 3/5, writing that while the author had a "nice touch" which made a "slow and sweet" romance, the relationship was "buried" under excessive exposition.
For Anime News Network's 2022 Spring Manga Guide, Silverman scored the manga 3.5/5, opining that the flaws of the light novels were "largely absent" from the adaptation due to its use of visual storytelling. Erica Friedman, the founder of Yuricon, stated that while the first light novel volume left her feeling uninspired, the manga was well-done enough for her to continue reading the series, opining that the plot points were compelling and that readers would want to "cheer for [the protagonists] as they launch themselves into a grand adventure".
Writing for Anime Feminist, Vrai Kaiser praised the anime adaptation for its comedy, characters, and lack of sexualization of its characters, expressing interest in the series as a new contribution to yuri series such as The Executioner and Her Way of Life and Otherside Picnic.
See also
Notes
References
External links