Highlights
- The anime adaptation of I'm in Love With the Villainess will be released on October 3, 2023, bringing its unique Shoujo-Ai direction to life.
- The series takes a fresh approach to the Otome game concept, with the protagonist seeking to save the game's villainess instead of changing their own fate.
- The staff behind the series includes a rookie author who has written an engaging storyline, a director with notable anime credits, and a talented character designer known for his breathtaking designs.
The highly anticipated anime adaptation of the light novel I'm in Love With the Villainess has finally been scheduled to hit the screens on 3rd October 2023, bringing its intriguing narrative to vivid and colorful frames. While the concept of Otome Games is rather common and overdone, I'm in Love With the Villainess takes a novel approach by pivoting in a Shoujo-Ai (Girls Love) direction.
The original light novel series was serialized between January 2018 to February 2021, and its initial hype landed it into Aichu Publishing's portfolio. However, adapting light novels into anime comes with its own set of predicaments, such as time constraints and censorship laws. Therefore, fans of the original should expect a few deviations from the original storyline, especially considering the light novel's audacious same-sex narrative.
How I'm in Love With the Villainess Fits in the Otome Landscape
Otome Villainess storylines are not a new concept, with some even deeming it an overdone trope. However, I'm in Love With the Villainess sets itself apart from the rest with its unique take on the entire Otome concept. Otome Games are online dating sims that allow the player to choose between various routes, with each one leading to a unique ending and a different partner.
The usual storyline for this genre follows the protagonist finding a way to either change the course of their own fate or find a way to end up with their desired partner. I'm in Love With the Villainess' initial essence is somewhat similar, but instead of changing their own fate to avoid doom, the main character wants to save the game's villainess. While this may seem like a straightforward narrative, the storyline is laden with treachery and uncertainty for the two heartstruck characters.
The Series' Storyline
Since the game's transmigrated protagonist, Rae Taylor, was a Lesbian in her previous life, the Otome Game's three male routes seemed less than enticing to her. In fact, she would feel revolted by their flirtatious actions. The only character that could pique Rae's interest is Claire Francois, the game's villainess. Knowing Claire's grim fate, Rae wants to give the villainess a chance, an act that is rooted in both empathy and her sentiments of love for the character.
Since Rae has already played the entire game in her previous life, she is fully aware of all possible routes and their conclusions. With her heart set on the villainess, Rae is in a race against time to win Claire over and save her from the somber conclusion that awaits her at the end of the game. The usual Otome narrative generally follows the transmigrated character finding themselves as the villainess, leading to attempts to alter the game’s storyline. I’m in Love With the Villainess instead forces the game’s protagonist to save the villainess, with sentiments of love nurturing alongside the adventure.
The Staff Behind the Series
The light novel has been written by Inori, a rookie author with no prior anime debuts. While the author may be new to the game, I'm in Love With the Villainess' success proves his tact in writing an engaging storyline and fleshed-out characters. The series director will be Hideaki Oba, known for directing episodes for several notable anime. A few of his works include directing a few episodes for Hellsing Ultimate and creating a storyboard for Hunter X Hunter episodes. I’m in Love With the Villainess will be Oba’s very first project with directing authority over the entire series.
Yoko Sato will be joining the ranks as the lead character designer, lending his in-depth expertise to the project. With popular anime series such as Pokémon, Fullmetal Alchemist, Inuyasha, and Gintama as his past projects, Sato is bound to leave viewers in awe with his mesmerizing character designs once more. For music composition and overall sound boarding, Platinum Vision has taken Noriyuki Asakura on board. His soundtracks for the Ruroni Kenshin anime series are arguably his best works, showcasing his expertise in mixing traditional Japanese music with hints of rock and jazz.
Yu Serizawa and Karin Nanami will be voicing the two main characters of the series, Rae Taylor and Claire Francois respectively. Both voice actors have previously voiced ancillary characters only, marking this as their debut as the main leads for an anime series. As a member of a J-Pop anisong idol group under Produce 81, Yu Serizawa is a promising lead voice actor for this ambitious anime project.
Where To Watch I’m in Love With the Villainess
I’m in Love With the Villainess is set to premiere on Tokyo MX, with its following episodes also set to broadcast on this network. However, Crunchyroll has licensed the anime for viewing outside of Asia. Further licensing partnerships are yet to be revealed, meaning viewers eager to watch the anime will have to head over to Crunchyroll for timely viewing.