Highlights
- Harem light novels are a prominent source for anime, with successful series like Date A Live originating from them.
- Reverse harem light novels are popular and have spawned successful anime adaptations.
- The Reincarnated Princess Spends Another Day Skipping Story Routes subverts tropes, while Obsessions of an Otome Gamer is more jovial.
Regarding anime, especially with more recent titles, light novels can be cited as one of the more prominent sources on which each show is based. This is especially the case in the harem genre, a popular genre in which many successful series, such as Date A Live and Is It Wrong To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? originated from light novels.
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Similarly, reverse harem light novels are also exceedingly popular and have since gone on to spawn some successful reverse harem anime adaptations of their own. Defined by the female protagonist having multiple love interests, readers are sure to get a good laugh or cry once they read through these spectacular light novels.
7 The Reincarnated Princess Spends Another Day Skipping Story Routes
The Reincarnated Princess Spends Another Day Skipping Story Routes subverts a lot of the tropes that may stem from female protagonists being reincarnated into an otome game. Rather than swooning over the numerous love interests now available, Rosemary Von Velfalt, the main heroine of the novel, decides to avoid most of this novel's eligible bachelors except for one dashing side character.
In this light novel, Rosemary finds herself reincarnated as the love rival in an otome game that she once played but is aghast to find out that her potential love interests have rotten-to-the-core personalities. As a result, Rosemary decides to fix their deviancies while pursuing her true love: the knight Captain Sir Leonhart.
6 Obsessions Of An Otome Gamer
Unlike The Reincarnated Princess Spends Another Day Skipping Story Routes, Obsessions of an Otome Gamer is much more jovial in nature, with the heroine of the novel, Mashiro, enjoying the otome game into which she is reincarnated after her death. Although she finds her love interests to be overwhelming, her suitors are nowhere near as demented as those of Rosemary.
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In Obsessions of an Otome Gamer, Mashiro finds herself in an Otome game strikingly similar to Hear My Heart, the game that she was obsessed with when she was alive. Excited, Mashiro sets off to enjoy the game's world, but she must deal with the inevitable task of choosing a love interest and the possibility of experiencing the game's bad ending.
5 Deathbound Duke's Daughter
Deathbound Duke's Daughter stars Erika Aurelia, an heiress with a bad attitude and an antagonist of the otome game Liber Monstrorum: The Winter Maiden and the Phantasmic Beasts. After being murdered by a colleague in a previous life, Erika is naturally disturbed when she learns that she is the first in a mysterious set of murders in the game.
Naturally, Erika seeks to avoid any incident that will lead to her death with the help of her older brother Eduard and his knack for enchanted items. However, upon venturing into the Seafarer's Ruins to change her fate, Erika learns that doing so may be easier said than done. Fortunately, she receives help from some handsome boys.
4 My Next Life As A Villainess: All Routes Lead To Doom!
Like Deathbound Duke's Daughter, My Next Life as a Villainess also has its main protagonist, Katarina Claes, trying to escape her untimely death in an otome game called Fortune Lover. As a result, Katarina must alter certain events to steer her off the course of her death or exile, depending on whether the protagonist of the game makes it to a good ending or not.
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Having played Fortune Lover in a previous life, Katarina takes it upon herself to build up her strength and magic to ward off her death flags while also trying to break off her engagement with the sadistic Prince Jeord. Amid her efforts to avoid death, Katarina soon realizes that several men besides Jeord are also eager for her affection.
3 The Leftover Princess And The Knights Of The Round Table
Unlike the first four entries, The Leftover Princess and the Knights of the Round Table takes a departure from the isekai elements and instead focuses on the political drama that is caused by a king's choice of successor. Though this light novel series never had a true ending, many readers still cite the meticulously designed plot and the characters' substantial development as what they like most about the series.
In this light novel, the main heroine Princess Leticia is chosen by her father to lead their kingdom to prevent Leticia's two brothers from rebelling against one another. However, due to her lack of political power, Leticia decides to form her own round table of knights to gather support for her claim to the throne.
2 Reiryuu Academy Student Council
For fans of light novels with a school setting, Reiryuu Academy Student Council delivers many elements of the school-life genre in spades. Naturally, the inclusion of a reverse harem also gives way to more opportunities in terms of comedy and drama, making this story more than an ordinary school-life story.
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Reiryuu Academy Student Council stars Meru Kusuhara, a typical high school girl who does not particularly stand out among her classmates. However, Meru soon attracts the members of the male student council, dubbed Reiryuu's Five Leaders, when they realize that Meru is far more knowledgeable than she lets on.
1 Culinary Chronicles Of The Court Flower
Set in a world reminiscent of ancient China, Culinary Chronicles of the Court Flower provides beautiful artwork alongside a story with many twists and turns. In particular, the main heroine Rimi finds herself as part of an emperor's harem when she is suddenly sent to the empire of Konkoku as a gift.
Fortunately, Rimi is able to survive life at Konkoku with the help of Shusei, a chef whose cooking helps Rimi remember her homeland. This makes a lasting impression on Rimi, who hopes to see him again someday. With her cooking expertise, Rimi manages to properly navigate through her new environment, but she also ends up attracting the attention of none other than Emperor Shohi himself.