Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta...

It’s time. And by ‘it’s time’, I mean it’s time for an otome isekai to take the world by storm. We’ve had so many different types of isekai these years that this was destined to happen. A show of this nature requires not just a colorful story but a character cast hammered to their roles. I tend to think Hamefura as a gift that any fan of isekai would be grateful to receive. It’s Bakarina time.

The original novels gained a fan following and I’d assume popularity would surge more after this adaptation. Hamefura is based on the light novel of the same name featuring female ... protagonist, Katarina Claes. She is reborn as a villainous character in a game known as ‘Fortune Teller’ and fate has it that she will die by destruction flags regardless what route she takes. Sounds eerie, right? Not quite. Hamefura is not a show to be taken too seriously despite the initial premise. By routes, we have Katarina playing her life like a game in this world with a variety of characters and circumstances. ‘

Before dissecting the show, I think it’s important to watch this with an open mind. Make no mistake as Hamefura has tons of moments of comedy, character gags, and is prone to open shipping wars. Katarina is a single woman after all and the male cast is made of gentlemen of high class. In fact, many of the male characters she meets are wish-fulling guys you’d see from an otome game. Katarina is not the type to chase after them for romance because she’s got way bigger problems on her mind. And let’s be honest, she’s so dense that they'd practically have to say ‘I love you’ to get her to notice. But besides that, Katarina has a rather peculiar mind evidenced through the surrealistic court hearings we see often throughout the show. It’s a running gag that plays on Katarina's psyche and shows how her mind works in a very peculiar fashion. That’s not the only running gag as we also see the younger version of Katarina although both retains the same personality. This same gag applies to many of the other characters including Alan Stuart, Keith Claes, Mary Hunt, and among others.

A big question to answer is how much should we care about Katarina. Do you want to see her avoid her doomed fate? Would you like to see her enter a serious relationship with one of the main male cast? Or do you want her life to just be normal again? You don’t need to think too hard about these questions as the plot plays out naturally. From the first few episodes, we see Katarina adjusting to her life as a villainous protagonist. Armed with knowledge about Fortune Lover, Katarina takes chances at making meaningful relationships with important characters. She even becomes a gardener as part of her plans. In essence, she’s not just living in this game world but playing it. Katarina herself is the anti-thesis of the game version of her character. After regaining her memories, Katarina becomes a humble person willing to help others although she remains oblivious to others’ feelings around her. To put it simply, she is a dense black hole. Through character interactions, we see that she tries to change her relationship status with the male cast to avoid certain game endings. In contrast to her game version character, Katarina goes out her ways to fix mistakes such as being a better sister for Keith. Furthermore, Katarina’s actions causes others to view her differently compared to her in-game character. At its core, it can be said that Katarina is described as socially gifted but an academic failure in all respects. No wonder she is known by the community as “Bakarina”.

An otome also has its fair share of female characters as we are introduced to Mary, Sophia, and Maria. In the present timeline and story, Katarina builds important relationships with all of them, a sharp contrast compared to her antagonistic connections from Fortune Lover. It’s because of Katarina’s selfless nature and compliments that earns her friends and to no one’s surprise, she also gain their admiration, or perhaps a bit even more. But make no mistake, this anime isn’t fully committed to romance but rather aims its focus at Katarina at very chance. Let’s also not forget how dense she can be towards other people’s feelings that sometimes, it can seem like a meme. Watching Hamefura takes an easy mind to enjoy and honestly, it’s a show that delivers what you see.

Helmed by studio Silver Links, there’s an elegant charisma bestowed upon the characters. We see the studio dress the characters into noble clothes to fit their aristocratic status, especially for the male characters. In fact, this is an anime based on a fictional otome game so naturally, the male characters has the look of bishounens. Katarina herself is also an eye catcher with her lady-like behavior during important episodes. There are episodes that depicts her as more elegant than others especially during dance sequences. It gives a certain level of mystique look to her character when she has a mask on, or it can be rather plain and simple as when she is in her role as a gardener. The world fiction contains colorful architectures, void of modern technology. And finally, I do want to praise on our main heroine’s voice acting. Katarina may originally be a spoiled brat but in the present timeline, she manages to be very convincing as a humble woman. She even seems like a princess at times and wants to be treated as such despite her overwhelmingly dense personality.

Oh Hamefura. The time finally came for an otome isekai to show what the world it can do and with just 12 episodes, it managed to be convincing enough to pull the trigger. Watching this show gives me hope that more otome isekai will be animated in the future. With Season 2 announced, we're in for more of Bakarina.

Not gonna lie, I went into this thinking this is going to be yet another shitty reverse harem show. I’m glad I was proven wrong.

Not only Hamefura isn’t a mindless reverse harem, it is also one of the rare actually original isekai shows. It does have a female protagonist, sure, but that isn’t that much groundbreaking (Honzuki is airing during the same season, after all). What’s different is that instead of being put into the role of a hero and getting tasked with saving word or something like that, the protagonist is instead thrown into the role of a villain and it is her ... self-determined goal to deflect the fate of villainess. What’s more, this goal isn’t some end game that the protagonist gets to eventually after having their deal off side adventures – it is something the Katarina, the protagonist, is consciously working on and her main focus. This is both a point of interest as we can see her plans unfold and a source of comedy, as her tunnel vision gets her in position she not only appears in unintentionally, she doesn’t even notice those situations. This makes the harem way more watchable – it doesn’t fall into the protagonists lap, the protagonist doesn’t chase after others even though they have more grave things to worry about. Instead, it forms naturally as the protagonist has positive effect on the world and people around. It also turns out that romance not being in mind of the protagonist is another thing that might make reverse harem anime enjoyable, not to mention the inclusion of both sexes in the cast of the harem, greatly increasing the potential demographic of this anime.

The comedy is actually entertaining and doesn’t get stale within the number of episodes this anime has. Story progression is present as well as character growth – that is mainly affected by the Katarina’s survival planning, to both her intentional and unintentional extent. The cast is likeable and doesn’t feel just like generic group of bishounen. There is no problem with the animation and opening is catchy.

Overall, this is definitely the most pleasant surprise of the season.

An awesome isekai that implicitly teaches about the limitations of one's choice within a game and in reality. How dating simulators have only several choices in contrast to reality where unlimited choices can be made freely.

Otome Game is hands down a good anime. Despite being an isekai, our totally beloved genre. The show shone brightly and eased our minds with its relaxing and tranquil story development and pacing along with a mix between Shoujo & Shoujo Ai to appeal to both genders. Accommodated by a fucking catchy Opening, I could proudly say that this is possibly the best isekai of Spring 2020.

The concept ... of this anime caught me ever since it was released. As this is according to the extent of my awareness the first dating simulator isekai. I was always interested in this show and couldn't wait for it to finish airing so I could binge watch it in one day. And oh I am not disappointed.

Season 2 needed. Recommended to everybody.

This is an isekai with a twist. Instead of doing the usual moving to a new world, just as you with usual additions thrown in to make you the hero of the story. But this show does it differently. Instead of being the 'hero' you are technically the 'villain' With knowledge that all routes will end in her down fall, which is quite the twist!

As for rest of the story, it's looking very interesting with each episode, as I continuously wonder how our main will try to work their way out of the supposed downfall they will suffer come the end of the 'game.' ...

For characters? Well they each bring something to the table, but also what you would expect from posh rich families. Someone nervous, someone hard to befriend at first etc. A good mesh of characters that fit well together.

The art is wonderful in terms of colours. Really well done, same for the sound honestly. I cannot wait to see more of this show, and I'm sure you'll love it just as much as I!

Fun is a subjective term. While it can mean a variety of things, it is generally agreed upon that describing something as fun is a positive thing. With that said, My Next Life as a Villainess is the definition of fun.

The story is anothing isekai type story, but with a genuinely interesting twist. Katarina gets reïncarnated in a Otome game where she becomes the villain. She played this Otome game a ton in her previous life and she knows that with every ending in the game she is either killed or exiled. So in this isekai world she does everything in her power to change ... the world and the characters as to not die. I know Otome game isekai aren't a new thing in manga and light novels, but in terms of anime this series is really refresthing for Isekai and its concept made me really invested in the story early on.

The characters are damn fun too. The main character Katarina is the Obvious crown jewel and the anime knows that. She is an eccentric girl who constantly is worried about her future and also has a big heart. She is also pretty dense, but as to why I won't spoile for now. The other characters only highligh how good of a character Katarina is (and they even have some interesting background stories too).

This is the kind of anime that while watching I just can't stop smiling. Katarina's way to prevent getting killed/exiled is to become friends with everyone. While every introduction basically boils down to ("Hi I am depressed and ugly" "No you are not" "Okay" [+1 "friend"]), it never gets old due to the background stories the other characters have.

My Next Life as a Villainess is the most fun I have had this season so far. A refreshing take on the isekai genre with delightful characters and can't-stop-smiling moments makes for an anime I can't recommend enough.

Now I've seen a fair amount of isekais, and I know many things in that genre seem repetitive and that many people seem to look over it, but this story isn't like any other isekai I've seen.

I came across the manga of this story a while ago, and the "isekai with a twist" genre really stood out to me, but I never really took the time to read it. When I found out it was getting adapted, I decided to check it out. Still, I was worried that this brand new concept would be bad, but I completely changed my mind later on. It ... was far more interesting then I anticipated. The pacing of the story is very good. It gives you enough time to understand the other characters but doesn't drag it out long enough for you to lose interest in them. The events that happen are
So I give it an 8. Of course, it wasn't the best and there could always be things that would make it better but all in all, it's very good!


This is airing during a tough time, and I appreciate that the company that is making this and other anime that are currently airing (or going to air) are working hard even during a time like this. But because of this, I can't be very critical than I am already. The art and animation are fair. Not so good that it's a masterpiece, and not so bad that it's not enjoyable. The music and voice acting are the same case as the art and animation. I really like the voices they used for the characters, and I think that they fit very well. I really liked the OP, and the rest of the OST is quite good. (But in the end, I'm not very good at reviewing sound and art so I have nothing else to say about them other than they're good I guess)


Just like the story, the characters are very good themselves. I find myself really connecting to them (and by that, I mean really wanting to give them all hugs cause they're all so darn cute!) and it's really enjoyable seeing them interact with each other! The main character actually isn't that bad, and she may even be one of my favorite characters in the show. Which is strange for me, because I barely ever find myself liking a main character that much. I guess that's what the manga/LN readers call "The Bakatrina Affect" (or so I've heard). But in total, the characters are very good and I like them very much!


Now I was debating whether or not to give it a 9 or 10 for enjoyment, so would say a 9.5, but since you can't really do that on MAL, I just rounded it to a 10.
The show is comedic enough to make you chuckle but not entirely funny. It feels more wholesome than most anime of this season and I'm always in a good mood during and after watching it. This show gives me a strange sort of sitcom vibe and I don't know how to explain it other than it's strangely relaxing in away. Again it may have something to do with the fact that it's a brand new concept I've never seen again but it really feels like a breath of fresh air.


This show is honestly very good and far better than I expected! If you're looking for something new that you've never seen before you should really check it out! I might write another review once the show finishes airing but knowing how lazy and forgetful I am, I might not. I hope this review makes you consider checking out this show, and if you don't enjoy it as much as I do, that's ok! In fact, I'd love to hear your opinion on why you think its bad, so you can message me if you'd like. But please consider checking it out. Thank you for reading this!

The isekai genre is, as many are aware, an overused and dying genre of Anime. Especially recently there has been an influx of one pun gag isekai anime that only have one unique aspect of them, but then proceeds to make an OP MC with his harem of girls. This harem usually consists of a tsundere, the mother of the group with big oppai, and of course the loli that the MC picks up along the way. A good example of "trash isekai" would be summer 2019's worst anime of that season: Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?

Now onto Otome game ... no Hametsu Flag shika nai akuyaku reihou ni tenei siteshimatta... (This title is way to long for its own good.)
The otome game iseaki anime is a breath of fresh air in the isekai genre. With you MC being a female who regains knowledge of her past life, is not overpowered, and is an entertaining and unique character that gets along with all other characters. This anime has an actually good plotline that tells and actual story instead of the usual "fantasy world" that we see nowadays.
This anime is an absolute blast to watch, I highly recommend this anime to anyone sick of the current isekai world, and wants something much more unique and original.

It was the first time I watched the Reverse Harem.

This story about Katarina Claes, a nobleman's daughter who has bad behavior especially to the maid who helps her. One day when meeting with Gerald Stuart, one of the princes in the country. Katarina tripped and hit her forehead on the ground. That's when memories of Katarina's previous life appeared. Katarina was previously only a high school teenage girl who had an ordinary life. She has a hobby of playing otome games, games targeted at women. At that moment she realized that she was now inside the enemy body of the Heroine. ... These figures are usually called Villainess in the game.

With that in mind, Katarina immediately confirmed that it was true that she was currently in the world of otome games. She unpacked the books in his home library and it turns out that she is currently in the world of Fortune Lover's otome game. Katarania could not help but have to devise a plan to avoid the Bad End for her.

The anime Isekai reappears in a new format. If the Isekai anime usually contains MCs that are OP and have a Harem, this time we will be presented with a quite different anime. Different from usual, this anime will be thicker in the comedy and romance genres, because this time Isekai comes from an otome game played by the main character in his previous life.

I was quite surprised by this anime. Initially I did not expect much for the anime Isekai. Moreover, this genre is quite new, namely Isekai with the genre of romance and reverse harem in it. But I was surprised because it turned out that this anime was quite enjoyable and I really enjoyed every minute when I watched this anime.

In terms of artwork, this anime is arguably above average. Each character is well illustrated and his face is also quite clear. Moreover, Katarina's often changing expression was described quite well. Although for this episode all the characters are still chibi, so it is still uncertain whether when they grow up the quality will still be the same.

This anime background is also pretty standard, but not too detailed. Backgrounds like this are usually used for anime Shoujo in general, so it is not too disturbing comfort when watching this anime. Because for this type of anime the focus is more on dialogue between characters.

Seiyuu in this anime also works so good. Especially because at this time the main characters are still children, their voices are still cute. Every dialogue that occurs is voiced so good that we feel empathy for the character. Besides that, the soundtrack and OP / ED are very charming, I'm sure you will be surprised if you watch this anime further, this is a promising anime and worth to watching.

My review is a bit biased because I am reading the manga but this is the story that introduced me to the whole isekai otome game sub-genre. I feel grateful that the first story I read was the best in the whole genre.

This is just a sweet and lovely anime. Do not come here with preconceived notions on what a good story should be cause it will kill your experience. Let yourself enjoy this new thing and follow along the adventures of "Bakarina" as she tries to prevents herself from meeting a bad end.

Although the anime fast forwards a bit it still shows us each ... and every single character's personal development. Katarina is the focal point of the story and everything revolves around her just being her. That is to say a cute dumb, clueless and mischievous young girl.

The art is beautiful and the voice acting really reflects the nature of the characters. This type of show is really a hit or miss, I don't think there's a middle place. You either watch it and enjoy it (which you should) or you simply hate it, because reasons.

But that's enough rambling. All I hope for is that it opens the door for other otome game/isekai shoujo stories to get adapted. And if you want more details on the story, you should definitely read the manga.

Making good lightweight entertainment is actually a pretty tough balancing act. On the one hand, you can’t go ham on suspense and drama and give your audience an aneurysm with constant tension all the time by incessantly keeping them on the edge of their seats like a Kuroko no Basket match. No, the conflict has to be simple, laid back, and not all-too-dramatic, just warm and pleasant, not unlike a summer breeze.

That said, conflict does have to exist. You need drama to tell a story. If you make that conflict too easy to resolve and forego tension entirely, then the story loses all meaning. It’s ... difficult to invest in something when there are no stakes. An example of how to do this wrong is the Smartphone isekai. That one never came across to me as a story about an overpowered protagonist, but rather a story about a regularly-powered protagonist in a world set on babyshit easy mode. Everything just sort of works out for him in that world, even with little to no intervention on his part. In a way, he feels a lot like Indiana Jones in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, except, you know, minus the part where he is a cool character in a good movie.

What is needed is a sweet spot between teeth-gnashing tension and meaningless child’s play. In other words, what I’m saying is that you need to create the illusion of a high-stakes conflict, and then slowly but surely resolve it in a relaxed, fun, and pleasant way. And that’s what’s difficult about it. It’s difficult to sell an illusion as believable. If you don’t sell the illusion hard enough, and if you’re not subtle enough with the resolution, then the curtain falls away and you see the Wizard of Oz for what he really is. It’s a sleight of hand, but it can be very effective if done right! HameFura offers just that.

We open on a day in the life of a spoiled young lady, the daughter of a duke in a magical, pre-industrial revolution medieval land. Her name? Catarina Claes. Then, upon unexpectedly suffering a head injury, the trauma makes her remember her past life as a Japanese otaku girl who died in a car crash at the age of 17. What’s more, she particularly remembers a dating sim she used to play, Fortune Lover, whose world and characters bear a striking resemblance bordering on the identical to the world and characters of the world she currently lives in. What’s more, Fortune Lover has a main villain character who, one way or another, suffers an unpleasant fate in all of the game’s routes, be it death, exile, or worse. Her name? Catarina Claes! Upon realizing that she was reincarnated as the detestable villain destined for doom, she endeavors to change the course of history and spare herself a sticky end. Will she succeed? Watch to find out!

Aside from being an instantly magnetic premise which makes use of a gimmick I haven’t seen before, it’s the perfect balance of a conflict that is meaningful and important and also simultaneously rather simple to resolve. You might already intuit what she needs to do. I mean, it’s really not that hard to figure out, right? All in all, it’s a genuinely pleasant and fun show, and seeing Catarina encounter characters from the game one after the other, and changing the way she interacts with them, thus fundamentally changing the way they develop as people was nothing short of a delight.

If it has any weaknesses, other than being light novel shlock, it’s the fact that it doesn’t have much to offer beyond its original premise. Point and fact, whenever the characters deviate towards a side-quest that doesn’t directly have to do with altering Catarina’s fate for the better, I found myself losing interest. I also felt that the ending was the weakest part of the anime, seen as it introduces a completely new antagonist character out of nowhere, rather than paying off a threat it was admittedly building throughout its run, but never really went anywhere. Unfortunately, I can’t go into any more detail without spoiling. There’s also some dark magic mechanic that tries to sell itself as ominous, but I found wholly uninteresting and superfluous.

If the basic premise does not attract you, then you can safely skip this, but if it does, then by all means, enjoy it because it really is a lot of fun. Personally, I would strongly recommend it, but I want to be sensitive to isekai exhaustion. It’s one of studio Silver Link.’s weaker shows in terms of visual presentation, but it never looks anything less than perfectly presentable.

Please note this review is intended to be read by those that have finished watching My next life as a villainess: All routes lead to doom and while care has been taken to minimise story related spoilers there may still be spoilers within character analysis. You have been warned.


Based off a popular light novel series of the same name Otome Game No Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta which is better known by its much shortened English title My Next Life as a villainess All routes lead to Doom is a comedy, romance, school and fantasy genre anime that gives ... us the unique opportunity to see what will happen if one day a teenage girl were to after meeting an untimely demise be transported and reincarnated within the world of her favourite Otome game Fortune Lover.

The overall story of the series takes place within the kingdom of Sorcier a country that while being able to provide safety and economic security to its people was also one that featured a deep social division due to the social struggles that exist within its society. In this world no matter what one’s ability was within society only those within the noble class can advance up the ladder that is society. While the Isekai genre in recent years has seen a massive boost in popularity due to the release of celebrated series such as Re Zero and Saga of Tanya such series while demonstrating well what otherworld knowledge and magical application can do on the field of battle these did little to show the kind of impact it can have on changing the social injustice that can also exist in class-based societies. In this, while My next life as a villainess’s story is one that focuses on romantic comedy in line with its genre and not a serious attempt to address the social issues present in its world I felt that its unique attempt to address this in the form of forging friendships and bonds that transcend social classes and in the process change the direction of not just their fates but also Katarina’s own was a unique idea that served to make me an instant fan of the series. The first episode of the series I felt was an interesting one that while doing well in introducing the series main premise and setting also did well to showcase the unique quirks that are present within the series main heroine Katarina that serve to make her an example of an atypical noble on account of her wiliness to take on hobbies that will be seen as strange for her as well as her desire to befriend others in an attempt to save both their lives a combination that served to make her pretty endearing in my eyes.

Katarina

Katarina portrayed by veteran seiyuu singer Maaya Uchida of Charlotte and Danmachi fame is one of the main characters of the series and is the main heroine of the series. A teenage girl from the prestigious Claes family Katarina on initial appearances and before the regaining of her alter self-memories was seen to be a mischievous and rather temperamental person that seems to take particular delight in taking advantage of people around her. However, after regaining her memories Katarina’s personality shifts for the better. While still maintaining her confident and determined nature Katarina also as a result of her realization of the truth of the world around her also began to treat those around her differently treating them with not the pasted on fake kindness and care that standard nobles would show but with kindness, friendliness and politeness that was genuine a fact that soon allowed her to meet and befriend many new friends among her peers. While kind and considerate to her friends Katarina was also shown to be someone willing to go the extra mile in helping them deal with issues that would often give people pause a fact that reflects well on not just her preference to deal with matters directly but also her determination to help those around her a fact that I felt was admirable of her.

While Katarina’s personality shifts did well to make her realize the beauty that can come from having friends and comrades that she can count on within both school and society these shifts also served well to aid her in her efforts to improve her given route in the book called Katarina’s life. Within the series, this is perhaps best shown in Katarina’s sudden interest in gardening as well as her preference to learn more about the world and improve her innate skills by learning from others. While certainly aspects that will be frowned upon by both her fellow nobles and her mother these aspects, I felt served well to reinforce the fact that while Katarina may not be the ideal daughter that they want that to Katarina this was the kind of life and freedom that she wanted to experience in her life one that was full of smiles and happiness that was borne out of having an enjoyable time with friends that are linked together with genuine bonds of friendship and trust. Overall the character of Katarina Claes I felt was one that was both well designed and developed with her development from a mischievous child who had all the hallmarks of one that will grow up to become a terror to those around her to someone that was not only kind and caring towards her friends and fellows around her but someone that will go the extra mile for them to help them overcome their struggles being especially well done. While Katarina’s atypical hobbies of gardening and learning about the world by interacting with commoners on equal terms served to cause relations with her mother and fellow nobles to fluctuate I felt that this openness, when used in conjunction with her klutzy nature, served to make her not only more entertaining but also more relatable to both the audience and to her world’s inhabitants as well an aspect that served well to resonate with the series core themes of changing one’s fate by forging bonds of friendship.

Gerald

Gerald Stuart portrayed by voice actor Shouta Aoi is one of the main characters of the series and is one of Katarina’s circle of friends within the series. A prince of the kingdom of Sorcier and the brother of Alan Stewart Gerald on his initial appearances was seen to be a kind, calm and curious person by nature that had all the hallmarks of being someone that can be said to be a perfect example of royalty being both polite, honourable and someone that looked out for his fellows. While shown to have some degree of pride within him as can be expected of being a prince Gerald unlike his fellow nobles was seen to have little in the way of arrogance and was someone that treated others with respect regardless of their social class and was someone that preferred to work hard to achieve his aims that showed well both his determination and preference for honesty over the mind games that are prevalent within the nobility of the kingdom.

After the time skip Gerald while still retaining his base traits starts to gradually change as a result of not only meeting Katarina but also his circle of friends as well. In the past, due to the training that he received as part of his prince duties, Gerald was noted to be someone that while calm and composed was someone that preferred to keep his true emotions and thoughts hidden and interact with others with all the grace and humility that is expected of a prince of the kingdom. While the training that Gerald was provided with proved sufficient for the task this also created a sense of loneliness within him as despite being a prince he had no real friends that he can count on for both advice and friendship and as a result while maintaining a surface mask that served to fool others in his heart Gerald saw his life as one that was both boring and tedious. However as a result of meeting Katarina and later her circle of friends this belief of his gradually starts to change as for the first time in his life he was able to not only meet but also befriend people who while being nobles treated each other not with false words but with genuine honesty, respect and trust and for the first time in his life Gerald was able to let do of his mask and interact with them on even terms a fact that is best shown in the playful competitions that he has with Alan and Keith and in the genuine laughter that he exhibits when interacting with his friends.

Keith

Keith Claes portrayed by veteran voice actor Tetsuya Kakihara of Fairy Tail and Occultic Nine fame is one of the main support characters of the series and is one of the members of Katarina’s circle of friends. The adopted younger brother of Katarina Keith on his initial appearances was seen to be someone that was quiet and nervous by nature but yet was someone that was noted to be surprisingly perceptive for someone his age. While preferring to stay away from potential sources of trouble Keith was noted to be someone that while wary of those around them was shown to be someone that was calm and intelligent by nature and was someone that was shown to be able to see the bigger picture of a given situation quite easily which for a kid is an impressive skill. Unlike his adopted older sister Katarina Keith was noted from an early age to have the talents that would enable him to become a mage however for Keith this life-changing opportunity soon served to make his childhood traumatic thanks to a case of loss of control of his powers that caused him to be vilified by others and ensure that he was nothing but an outcast to his fellows that was better to be avoided. However, after being adopted into the Claes family and meeting his new adopted older sister Katarina the darkness that has been Keith’s life since the awakening of his powers was soon replaced by a bright light that was filled with warmth that came from being accepted as part of the grouping that society codifies as a family and for the first time in a very long time Keith had finally found a place where he can belong and a person that he can both look up to as well as shower his affection on.

As a result of both meeting Katarina as well as seeing the lengths that she will go to help those dear to her Keith’s personality gradually starts to change. While still retaining his quiet and calm nature Keith gradually becomes more self-confident and becomes far more willing to both interact with others and express his views on matters that concern him unlike how he was in the past. While serving to allow him to gain no small amount of friends and admirers within the academy this development also allowed Keith to finally gain the trust of his family and bestow him the duty of watching over his dear elder sister as she goes through her education at the magic academy an aspect that I felt served to marry both his earnest desire to protect her as a brother while also allowing him to remain by her side and if the fates allow to transform their relationship into something more. In overall, the character of Keith Claes I felt was an interesting character that was pretty well designed and developed as the series went on with his adult self and newfound personality shift serving well as the moderator within both the Claes family and within the circle of friends that serve to mostly keep Katarina’s impulses at bay.

Maria Campbell

Maria Campbell portrayed by veteran seiyuu singer Saori Hayami of the Irregular at Magic high school and Owari no Seraph fame is one of the main support characters of the series and is one of the members of Katarina’s circle of friends. A classmate of the magic academy Maria on her initial appearances was seen to be a friendly, positive, and hard-working young woman who shows kindness, care and consideration to all she meets. As a result of these qualities Maria was shown to be relatively popular within the academy and indeed was elected to become a member of its student council following her ascension to it. However despite gaining entry to such a prestigious body at such an early point in her education Maria instead of showing pride and arrogance as some would seemingly preferring to focus on carrying out her duties as best she could while quietly remaining within the background as if to avoid drawing unwanted attention.

As the series goes on and Maria’s personality is gradually expanded upon it can be seen that despite being able to attend the prestigious magic academy that many people would only dream off that Maria’s time within it was far from being an enjoyable time for her. While certainly skilled at both magic and at handling the affairs of the student council Maria had since the gaining of her magic as well as her entry into the school had been forced to wear a mask that acted as both a shield that allowed her to interact with others readily while also keeping her protected from the worst insults and bullying that the nobles would throw at her on account of her lineage for unlike them Maria was born a commoner the very class that the nobles of the kingdom would look down upon with scorn. As a result of this hard life that Maria was forced to live while seemingly getting along with her peers Maria was shown to be wary of those that tried to befriend her and in the first instance would create walls that she will hide behind when encountering such people.

However, as a result of meeting the unusual noble named Katarina Claes this aspect of Maria that she was forced to make use of for so long was at last finally allowed to retire as unlike the other nobles that she had met and defended against within her life Katarina rather than being rude and arrogant as others of her ilk was instead kind, caring and honest and her offer of friendship was despite Maria’s wariness one that seemed genuine and heartfelt. As the newly formed friendship between Maria and Katarina progressed Maria for the first time in her life was able to appreciate both the happiness that came about from being able to interact with friends who not only cared about her well being but were also on hand to help her confront personal issues that until now she had to shoulder by herself and for the first time in her life got to appreciate the beauty and joy that comes from having friends that she can rely upon and make memories with within the academy. For the first time in her life, Maria was able to look toward each new day with not despair but joy and anticipation of being able to have a fun time with Katarina and her circle of friends as they take upon the new day together.

While the character of Maria Campbell was one that was both designed and developed as the series went on I felt that Maria as a character served as a perfect example of both the social injustice that class-based societies create on account of the bullying that she receives from the nobles within the academy as well as serving as the perfect demonstration of the kind of impact that a little stubbornness and a desire to help someone overcome their fate can have on opening their eyes to the joy that can come from having friends that they can both have fun with as well as count on for advice.

AMV

In terms of animation, I felt that the style that was used within the series was both clear and made great use of warm colours that served to enhance both the locations shown within the series as well as the designs of its inhabitants. Characters design-wise I felt that while the designs of the characters themselves were relatively simple ones I thought that they made great use of bright colours, simplicity, and style that served to not only differentiate each character featured within the series but also complement their personalities as well. One unique aspect of character design within the series that I felt deserved mention was the council of Katarina’s that are often featured when their master is at a crossroads in their attempt to overcome the fate that is in front of them. What makes the council so unique in my eyes I felt was the fact that each member while being very loyal to their master also represented the different character archetypes that exist within the anime medium that serve to make each of their meetings a blast to see thanks to their often hilarious and contrasting opinions as they analyse the situation and try to come up with countermeasures. In terms of location variety while the series only featured a small number of locations I felt that these served to represent well not just the different parts of Katarina’s journey but also served to show well the many friendships and happy memories that she had made as part of her quest.

In terms of music, the series made use of one opening and ending theme which was Otome No Route Wa Hitotsu Janai that was performed by the veteran pop band Angela and Bad end which was performed by Shouta Aoi. Both of these songs while being excellent ones I felt gave off slightly different feelings that served to complement the show with the former being a catchy and positive one that through the skilful usage of its lyrics and accompanying visuals introduced the viewers to the cheerful and unique noble Katarina who despite her station is someone that will make use of every available means to overcome her fate be it taking up gardening or striking up friendships with her former route targets. In contrast to the upbeat and cheerful opening theme, the series ending theme Bad End I felt was markedly different in the feelings that it invoked for while the song was dramatic and grand it and its accompanying visuals served to showcase well the fruits of Katarina’s labours in this new world for in her determination to avoid the bad end she had not only served to change her own fate but also in the process changed the fate of everyone that she had met in the world by forging strong bonds of friendship with them and tying their fate threads to her own and ensure that their happiness will remain as long as they are together in this new world.

Voice acting-wise I thought that the main voice cast all did an excellent job at portraying their assigned characters whether they were main or support characters. In particular, I felt that Maaya Uchida, Shouta Aoi, Tetsuya Kakihara and Saori Hayami all did an excellent job at portraying the characters of Katarina, Gerald, Keith and Maria respectively. While I did not cover them within the review, I also felt that Miho Okasaki, Inori Minase and Yoshitsugu Matsuoka also did an excellent job of portraying the characters of Mary, Sophia and Nicole respectively. While only featured briefly and having only brief lines until near the end of the series I felt Azumi Waki deserves special praise for her portrayal of Katarina’s loyal maid Anne as her recall of both her origins as well as the changes that have been brought on to her by Katarina’s own development as a person as she matured being especially well done and reflected well on Azumi Waki’s skill as a seiyuu.

Overall conclusion

In overall My Next Life as a villainess: All routes lead to Doom I felt was an excellent anime that had among its strong points an interesting premise that presented a unique take on the traditional Harem anime via the usage of a reverse harem, an excellent story that proved to be both entertaining and heartwarming, well designed and developed characters and excellent voice acting from a talented voice cast.

While the overall premise of the series from first glance appears to be identical to your standard Isekai anime that has a human being transported to another world after death I felt that when this simple premise is combined with both the series overall narrative and its themes of friendship and the changing of fates that the series serves to transform into something else entirely. For while the series is not a combat anime like other Isekai series being transported into another world is always going to be a risky affair that is full of unexpected surprises. While Katarina may have survived death in her world being reincarnated as the villainess of the story that is on the road to doom is perhaps one path that she did not expect to be deposited on. Yet even on such a path, it can be said that humanity is a resilient species that will persevere no matter the odds arrayed against them and in this Katarina’s decision to use her in-depth knowledge of the game to overturn fate by befriending her would-be enemies and forge a new true route of friendship, I felt was a novel idea that served to not only free her from the path of doom but also change the fate of her friends and the society around them and in doing so lay the foundations for change that will make people realize that social class is nothing more than a label that serves to place unnecessary restrictions on one's life and that true friends are those that interact and have fun in each other’s company regardless of whether they are from the same class in society or not.

Overall in terms of final score, I would say that the series would deserve a 10/10 on account of its unique premise, excellent story that proved to be hugely entertaining, excellent characters and excellent voice acting. While only intended as an entertainment medium I felt that the series core values of overcoming adversity via the forging of friendships and bonds of others and in the process break down the social classes that separate people is as relevant to Katarina as it is to the world that we live in.

Usually in harem animes I think "Why this character? Why does everyone want to fuck THAT one?" But here it feels justified and the protagonist's relationship is developed with those characters and it's before their "harem" is really established. There's no leaps in logic for all of the characters to be in love with her. Catarina is a very likeable protagonist too and not just a vessel to show us the other characters. She's reborn into the world, not transported. So while the show is technically an isekai there's no disconnect of Catarina from the rest of the cast. She has parents, and grew ... up in that world. The "harem" is just her friends she's grown up with who ALSO are all in love with her, secondary from their character and personality.
Objectively speaking, this show is not a 10 (maybe it's more of an 8 or 9 to me). But I feel like I have to give it one for how much fun I have watching it.

when i first saw the title of this anime and trailer i thought this is going to be one of the mandatory isekai of the season. but out of curiosity i tried the first episode and i got hooked. every time i watch this anime it makes makes feel good and happy and you cant expain it why. also what is not to like about this anime. stories great, art is good and the main characters voice actor is doing a very fine job and she's hilarious and she makes this whole show even more awesome. the jokes are good and its a awesome ... show and its keeps getting better episode after episode. overall i love this show very much and hope everyone loves too.

My Next Life as a Villainess is now my favorite anime of all time, and I honestly feel weird saying that. I've seen anime that are better in terms of objective quality, but I've never felt a connection to an anime quite like this one, and given that I'm not well-versed in the isekai genre AND I've never touched an otome game in my life, I think that really speaks to its strengths. One of Hamefura's greatest strengths is, of course, its characters, without a definitively unlikable one in the batch. The fact that there are so many great romance options for Catarina is great ... for a harem anime, but it's the fact that we get a firm understanding of why each and every character is attracted to Catarina that makes the story really shine.

This is the first anime to make me tear up after the FIRST EPISODE. I went into Hamefura expecting another everyday comedy harem, but I ended up with a strongly-written, emotional story that struck a chord with me from the get-go. What really helps the show as an isekai is that Catarina isn't acting nice towards the other characters out of obligation. While the conversations in her head might give off that impression, that's just the kind of person she is naturally, and the juxtaposition between game events and real-life events as they happen makes this abundantly clear. Catarina's childhood arc was especially strong, giving me some of the best individual episodes I've ever seen.

Add in plenty of actual character development, a plot twist that surprised me when it happened but was obvious in hindsight (perfect for a comedy anime), a complete absence and/or subversion of the tropes I despise from typical harem anime, story beats that don't depend entirely on the magical school setting to happen organically, and a mountain of heartfelt moments, and you get My Next Life as a Villainess, my new favorite anime that probably shouldn't be. While other anime I've seen like Kaguya-sama or The Promised Neverland are certainly stronger when viewed through an objective lens, there's never been a series that's pulled me in from the very beginning the way Hamefura has. It's definitely one of the most pleasant surprises I've encountered in anime so far, and it certainly gave me a lot to talk about. I'd easily recommend this series to anybody who enjoys the isekai genre... or the harem genre... or romance... or anime.

Before I start, I want to say that there will be mild spoilers in this review. Worry not, these spoilers will be interest-catchers one way or another.

As far as the clichés in the isekai genre and tensei category goes, when the protagonist dies and gets reincarnated to another world, he/she becomes a protagonist of some sort. It's the same with the game genre—when the main character logs to the game, he/she becomes the main character for that game.

Not for this anime, though. This anime, "Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta...," takes the tensei isekai game genre into a perspective ... different from the usual: what if we spice things up a little and reincarnate our main character into the bad guy… well… bad girl?

That's exactly what this anime did. Our unnamed main character dies like all other tensei anime, gets reincarnated in another world, only to find out that it's a world in the game she played on her past life. Unfortunately, she's not the protagonist—she's Katarina Claes—the main antagonist of the game. Her worries do not end there, because like the title—the main ending for her is not anything pleasant like getting flat-out rejected by the male route she is the rival for, for an antagonist, that is—she dies or gets exiled. Sadly.

This is where the story builds itself—with our "protagonist" doing everything she can to avoid her "doom endings," using all of her knowledge on the game. This is one of the premises that is really unique to me, as I've only come to think about this because of this anime. This level of uniqueness is really praiseworthy—combining being young again, knowing what will happen in the future, and the isekai genre, going to a world different from what you were used to. They development in the story was excellent, not too fast, and not too slow. All 12 episodes of goodness to look forward to every week that passed by.

The art was just amazing. From the characters' child forms to their young adult forms, the development in style is there—the attention to detail was superb. The backgrounds and sceneries were also amazing—the colors are vibrant, inviting, and just plan beautiful, even if those were drawn in a more cartoonish way than the usual anime. As for other art implementations, I don't think I can find eggplants more sumptuous that in this anime. This makes me want to cook another eggplant omelette.

Ah yes, the music. From the time I heard the opening theme, I was just enchanted. The OP is one of the best OPs I have heard all of these years I have watched anime. The lyrics, rhythms, and individual parts were really catchy, embedded to my mind. I even went as far as singing it every time I am reminded of it, singing along as the sequence came out. The full version is even better. Of course, the OSTs also would not lag behind. One soundtrack I am particularly fond of is the Track 15 – Sonatina (Fast). It's the piece one of the characters played on the piano. I actually thought that it was a classical piece made by artists like Beethoven in the past, until I found out that it was actually an original one for the anime. I had to wait in anticipation of its release.

The characters.

The characters were very awesome! I really like their designs and their developments, especially the yuri baits going after the main character. I like how the anime for a total harem, comprised of both genders. It's actually a new take on the harem genre especially that the game where Katarina reincarnated it is an otome game—meaning that the main routes will generally be… male characters. I like how MOST of the characters do their roles properly and help this show to become the amazing show it is. The voice acting also really made it better.

Well, except for one. There is one character that I came to hate with passion—I don't think the word "abhor" is enough. I really don't like that he exists in the story, or if he did, I would rather he did his role better. Geordo Stuart, Katarina's "fiancé" is introduced as a "sadistic prince with a black heart." This nonsense is very rage-inducing. I really hate how he shows up at every scene with his face hinting his non-existent "sadistic" personality which was done very horribly. I have no grudges against any other sadistic male characters out there, but it's the first time I really hated a character like this. Why? Just why?

Even so, I still find this anime very enjoyable. This anime changed not only me, but also my relationship with my siblings. I was able to bring my younger brother and younger sister to the "anime" side, and we began watching this anime every week. From then on, they discovered their own tastes and watches anime independently now. It's just a very wholesome experience. Individually, I also enjoyed the premise, waiting week per week to see new episodes, laughing at the comedy and sharing the pain in the dramatic moments. This proves that anime can strengthen bonds, too which is very awesome, not to mention that I also really enjoyed this even if I was heavily spoiled by an upperclassman who reads the source material.

Overall, this is an excellent anime. Excellent music, excellent premise, and excellent characters… well, except "him." It really made a permanent mark on how I watch anime, and for that, I will never forget it. Now that a second season has been announced, I am really looking forward to watch the additional things that happens after a pretty conclusive ending… which of course, my upperclassman also spoiled me too. Did that reduce my excitement? Let me repeat: NOPE. It makes my blood more excited for the upcoming season.

But yeah, this anime reminded me that I really need to learn how to draw so that I can finally create my visual novel. No, I don't have money to hire an artist.

Some anime are great because they give you everything you wanted, and some go a step further by giving you something you never knew you wanted, but end up loving anyway!

Meet Katarina, also known as Bakarina (otherwise known as the harem queen), who is reincarnated as a villainess in an Otome Game and starts off with a very simple goal in mind: avoiding her preestablished doom! She might seem on the surface like your typical isekai/ harem main character, and while her dense-ness may be a turn off for some, it generally makes sense in the context of the show, as she is expecting a ... certain outcome of the game which isn't in her favor.

Despite all that, in a matter of only a few episodes, Katarina ends up being a very charming and loveable character, that you cannot help but root for. A lot of the enjoyment of the show comes down to her wacky persona and her interactions with the rest of the cast, who are all equally entertaining. No matter your preference, you will be sure to like at least 1 character of the main cast. It might be argued that the rest of the characters other than Katarina are kind of shallow, however the story is still in it's beginning and there is a lot of potential for each one of them.

However, it must be noted that this is much more than simply a 'guilty pleasure' or a 'feel-good' show. The writing is actually very solid and consistent with the setting of an Otome, and there is great attention to detail. The production values are very solid, too, as the production of the show was already finished before the first episode started airing. On the voice acting side, each and every VA delivers, and the music is fitting for the atmosphere, which makes for an all and all very enjoyable watching experience with never a dull moment, and with endless possibilities that keeps you speculating.

A lot of this show's enjoyment comes down to being engaged in the premise and liking the characters, however, don't sleep on this one because 'reverse harem' or 'isekai' aren't your favourite genres, it might surprise you, give it a chance!

Ok this anime lot of female to watch this????(I'm just kidding)
I think this anime i don't know why my crying this anime hahaha
but i very recommend for you if you don't have any anime to watch
I really like this anime (Keith is so cute) ok I'm kidding. Ok back to
my review and drug label to my sister and my friends. I know lot of
female will watch this anime of of course me too.I really like this anime
beacuse i want to recommend for all female.

ok end review

... (If i use English world wrong I'm sorry)

Enjoy my review :)

An entertaining isekai, based around an otome game, with a rather simple narrative.
Although the romance/harem side of the show doesn't really progress, if you came for the comedy, you are here for a ride.

The story about our otaku main protagonist in school, who one day awakes as a small Katarina Claes, the villainess of a dating game, and decides to avoid all her doom flags, quickly becomes a show about "How dense can Bakarina possibly be?". That is, most of the comedy comes out of our protagonist spending so much of her time monologuing, which is represented by a council of Katarinas arguing in ... her head, that she doesn't even notice how much all of her friends, and I really mean "all of them", want to be in a romance with her.
With that said, you shouldn't expect many school elements nor a well developed romance. Mostly because of the comedy, but don't get me wrong, even though the comedy overshadows most of the other characteristics of this show, it's really fun and entertaining to watch both her childhood and her teens as the show progresses.

About the characters, even without much of a depth added to them, I would say that they do their job pretty well.
It's pretty simple, the characters close to Katarina have a different personality from one another, which leads them to different kinds of approach towards our main heroine, being it romantic or not, as it's the case for Bakarina's maid, for example. You might find them a bit cliche, but, as I said, if you came for the comedy, there's no need to worry about it.

All things considered, it's a really fun and entertaining comedy, with character fitting in their roles to the genre, but there isn't anything that stands out.
Yet, if you don't know whether to watch it or not, I'd still encourage you to watch this anime. I hope this review helped you. ^^

The premise is certainly interesting, and a gamer protagonist cast as a villain trying to avoid death flags, while also composed of a cliched trope in and of itself is somehow a refreshing twist on the isekai genre. And most importantly, the series does not rely on an overpowered hero who can solve everything with physical/magical might/real-world knowledge, nor on cheap fanservice, to sell me on the story. I consider both of those things a distraction from what might otherwise be a fun and interesting premise!

The cast of characters is interesting and diverse, and I enjoy watching them interact. And there's something ... inherently funny about the idea of a femme noble lady taking up farming and tree-climbing as hobbies. There's something charming about the way that Katarina can charm all of the people around her without even realizing it, as she stupidly plows through life trying to clear away the death flags that are already long gone.

However, perhaps it's a symptom of preferring serious dramas over lighthearted isekai, but it bothers me a little that the series fell into the "gamer does gamer things" trope over the alternate option of a spoiled, haughty, impulsive character, armed with knowledge of her future, having to struggle to overcome her fate. If she had to struggle to become close with her skittish brother, or struggle to overcome feelings of disgust and scorn to befriend a commoner, or struggle emotionally in ANY meaningful way, I'd be a lot more invested in this series. By the nature of the genre, though, she can't struggle. She's playing for her life, sure, but she's playing to win the game, rather than struggling to defeat her flaws. This series is a shallow one.

That said, if you don't care about character development, don't mind that the protagonist is an idiot, and are just here to have a good time, this anime will deliver.

My first thoughts when seeing this anime in the seasonal list was something along the lines of, "oh another bland isekai anime".

Oooh boy was I wrong! Without dropping spoilers, the plotline involves the MC dropping into another world where she finds herself as the villianess of the story. From there on she tries to stay on survival mode and become friends with every character that may effect her end game.

But after a few episodes you discover its a lot more than that! She's genuinely trying to be their friends because she's a good person who just wants them to have better lives than ... the game could have ever predicted. So while she's still very much worried for herself after a while she's more intuned to what they need, and if that helps her along the way that's just icing on the cake.

She's also a weirdo in almost every world but I suppose especially one filled with nobility and rules. She was born in this world to a noble family and yet she's climbing trees and learning (and succeeding) in how to make a great garden. Her otaku past hasn't left her, she's just using it as a weapon to charm people with her subtraction of the norm.

I wanted to make a review earlier but I'm not good at these and felt like others would be able to do a better job, but after having watched the 7th episode I just need to spill my heart out about how much this show has exceeded whatever expectation I had for it! It was just supposed to be a filler anime for me, but its grown to be something I absolutely adore!

During this quarantine if your looking for a new isekai that falls into a rating of 8-9 very easily due to its charm, character development, interesting story, and weirdass MC this is for you!

<3