Mushikaburi-hime (Bibliophile Princess)

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Alternative Titles

Synonyms: Princess of the Bibliophile

Japanese: 虫かぶり姫

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Information

Type: TV

Episodes: 12

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Oct 6, 2022 to Dec 22, 2022

Premiered: Fall 2022

Broadcast: Thursdays at 21:00 (JST)

Producers: AT-X, Tokyo MX, Kansai Telecasting, Ichijinsha, BS NTV, Kadokawa

Licensors: Sentai Filmworks

Studios: Madhouse

Source: Light novel

Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Demographic: Josei

Duration: 23 min. per ep.

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Statistics

Score: 6.85¹ (scored by 18,505 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #4775²

² based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #2614

Members: 59,294

Favorites: 415

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6.85

Ranked #4775Popularity #2614Members 59,294

Fall 2022TVMadhouse

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Episodes: /12

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Synopsis

For generations, the Bernstein family has been recognized as a house of nobles who favor books over everything else. Elianna Bernstein, daughter of a baron of the Sauslind Kingdom, is no different. But instead of being called a bookworm, she is known as the Bibliophile Princess.

Four years ago, the crown prince, Christopher Selkirk Asherald, offered Elianna a special arrangement: if she would become his fiancée, he promised that she could continue to spend all her free time reading. Despite having to inherit a title of great responsibility, she agreed to the proposal, enticed by the prospect of gaining access to the royal archives housing a wide selection of books.

To this day, Elianna firmly believes that her engagement is void of romantic sentiment. When she notices Christopher's interactions with another girl, she presumes that the days she spends with him will soon reach an end. Yet, during this period of uncertainty, Elianna and Christopher open a new chapter in their relationship, gradually uncovering their genuine feelings as they grow to better understand each other.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Background

Mushikaburi-hime was released on Blu-ray and DVD in three volumes from January 25, 2023 to March 24, 2023.

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Adaptation:

Mushikaburi-hime

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Characters & Voice Actors

Bernstein, Elianna

Main

Ueda, Reina
Japanese

Asherald, Christopher Selkirk

Main

Kimura, Ryouhei
Japanese

Agnes

Supporting

Neya, Michiko
Japanese

Eisenach, Glenn

Supporting

Uchida, Yuuma
Japanese

Ferrera, Alan

Supporting

Satou, Gen
Japanese

Anna

Supporting

Komatsu, Mikako
Japanese

Rei

Supporting

Maeno, Tomoaki
Japanese

Olanza, Irvin

Supporting

Azakami, Youhei
Japanese

Rona

Supporting

Mimura, Yuuna
Japanese

Slade, Sylvia

Supporting

Yasuno, Kiyono
Japanese

More staff

Staff

Nishimae, Shuka

Producer

Maruyama, Hajime

Producer

Jinguuji, Takashi

Producer

Matsumura, Nao

Producer

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Opening Theme

"Prologue" by Yuka Iguchi

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Ending Theme

"革表紙" by Kashitarou Itou

More reviews

Reviews

Dec 22, 2022

KANLen09

Mixed Feelings

It's almost a given that with the current landscape that anime is today, certain things will just get left behind in time. Such is the genres of focus being cash cows for everyone involved, diving deep into the Shonen and Isekai genres, because let's be honest: Japan's surplus for works like these haven't stopped and will keep on coming like Truck-kun banging just right outside of everyone's doors. One such particular demographic that you don't see get targeted much is the Shoujo genre, that with shows like the recently completed re-adaptation of Fruits Basket and the currently ongoing Tokyo Mew Mew New, there isn't the ... time and resource justified to make new Shoujo anime anymore to appease the minority.

But still, when people try, we at least get something that stands out from the rest of the typical copy-paste blurb that we've seen of both the Shonen and Isekai genres, and that's how we get novelist Yui's Mushikaburi-hime a.k.a Bibilophile Princess. And this also being another Syosetu title, it's definitely surprising to find a fair few stories that isn't the Isekai Reincarnation kind.

As is with Shoujo anime, think of it as like the past glories of Kaichou wa Maid-sama! and the closest example being that of Ouran Koukou Host Club a.k.a Ouran High School Host Club, but with the show's premise being pretty much like Akatsuki no Yona a.k.a Yona of the Dawn or Akagami no Shirayuki-hime a.k.a Snow White with the Red Hair, only except that the female MC Elianna Bernstein, is like Honzuki's Myne in every regard. This is because Elianna is not just your typical girl: she is known as the Bibilophile Princess, coming from a family of bibilophiles and is a family heirloom of national treasures that benefit the Kingdom as the "brains of Sauslind", but choosing to be politically neutral in the sight of conflict. Being a bibilophile and a bookworm herself, after being engaged with Christopher Selkirk Ashelard, the crown prince of the kingdom, Elianna chooses to house herself in Sauslind's royal library just for the added perks of being able to access the royal archives and read all day long, which consequently earns the ire of many others in the kingdom's walls and labelling her as a phony fiancé: someone who completely ignores the happenings and proceedings, and most importantly, the crown prince Christopher himself to his own devices.

To be fair, I think that Christopher and Elianna's relationship is just about what you expect from a completely Shoujo work: the crown prince and his princess, there's so much uncertainty that's riding with the tumultuous commotion of the kingdom and going along with it, the not-yet husband-and-wife duo must act coordinated and soundly to ensure that their kingdom doesn't fall in pieces. And that is Elianna's Achilles Heel: with her presence almost being equal that of a wandering ghost trying to play catch-up with the kingdom's numerous political issues, whilst remaining close to her heart about the way that she would handle things. It's that tenacity where she feels like she's lost at times, though her comeback will vary since people MUST act like in a complete Shoujo environment of wavering feelings and decisions made that could affect her fiancee as well. And that always turn out to be that hit-and-miss feeling of lackuster aspects about the source material as well. The other characters of servitude, eh I can take or leave it being the fact that there's just way too many of them to even give us time to think about. Though I would say that the Ikemen that pretty much stuck with me is the butler character Alan Ferrera, he's the perfect embodient of a background character used as a running gag of a joke that to me, truly never gets old.

I'm just going to be frank: what's up with Madhouse being chosen to adapt very odd titles, outside of the ones that we expect them to have (i.e. Overlord), not to mention Winter's HakoZume a.k.a Police in a Pod (which that one I felt was within the acceptable range). Ironically, in the same vein, they have done shows like Ore Monogatari!! and YoriMoi before, so this should be a cakewalk...and as someone commented in a review, the strange white vignette that's used all the time as a filter, yelp. I mean, this is a relatively different Madhouse we're looking at now after all of the fiasco that the studio has undergone throughout the years, and is trying to find a groove for itself. Sadly, I don't think that this show ever fitted with Madhouse's abundance to begin with, but it just looks fine.

At least the OST fares somewhat better: DanMachi's Yuka Iguchi producing a really nice OP song, and Kashitarou Itou being the falsetto, perfect-pitch tenor guy with a unique vocal voice to boot. Music is generally enjoyable, but in the context of the show as a whole, it's not much.

I think I know the reason why we gravitiate less towards Shoujo shows: being the predictable premises that they are, it takes talent and creativity to spice all of the melodrama out of a series, and for novelist Yui, it would've been OK for the time had this show came out much earlier, but I digress that there's just nothing unique about it, aside from the tried-and-true Shoujo demographic hit points. Let's be real: the right for Shoujo anime to exist, is only if the writers and their source material have enough traction to go around, and this show didn't even generate any marketing about it other than the usual teaser and PVs to go around.

Is it a shame that there's no more Shoujo shows left to adapt? It depends honestly, but in the case of Mushikaburi-hime a.k.a Bibilophile Princess, it's a dud, a false perception of the Shoujo genre's comeback, even if miniscule. Only watch this if you feel very bored, you're not missing much.

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Dec 22, 2022

Marinate1016

Recommended

Mushikaburi-Hime is a must watch for any shoujo/josei fan, because for one, we don’t get enough of these shows, and for two, this is a really cute watch with a couple that will quickly become one of your favourites.

Mushikaburi-Hime, like most other shoujo/josei is a character driven slow-burn in which your entertainment depends on how much you like the couple. Fortunately, Chris and Eli have one of the cutest relationships I’ve seen in a while. Premise is straightforward and honestly there’s not much story to speak of. It’s very slice of life based and through their daily struggles Chris and Eli get closer and develop ...

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Dec 22, 2022

Mcsuper

Mixed Feelings

Simply put, this show was just not for me. I’m all for more shoujo anime being out in the anime world, but this was not the best showing of what the shoujo genre can offer. It’s just a simple story in a royalty setting, where someone who doesn’t really belong tries to fit in, and people get jealous because she’s the prince’s fiancée. It’s quite the bland story with a very straight forward romance, and boring politics that I couldn’t bring myself to care about.

STORY:

In a nutshell, Elianna Bernstein, a noble from the Sauslind family, which was not the most renowned family out there, is ...

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Asherald, Christopher Selkirk

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Eisenach, Glenn

Ferrera, Alan

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Information

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Synopsis

Background

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Staff

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Ending Theme

Reviews

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