Mar 13, 2022
The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt (Hey, How About Treason?) or shortened "Tensai Ouji," is an amazing series of light novels which perfectly balance political drama, war, and the cute interactions of its main duo. Each novel thrusts the main character and prince of a nation on a downturn, Wein, into some sort of new political strife. At his side is his "heart" and aide, Ninym, who is oppressed due to her race. Although it takes place in a medieval fictional world, it's somewhat unique in the fact that there are no magical elements or mythical creatures to speak of.
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Other than the totally different world, the only other fantasy element is the Flahm race, who possess white hair and red eyes. However, they don't possess magical powers either. Contributing to this grounded atmosphere is what Wein is able to achieve through politics. While his achievements are fantastical, they rarely feel like they break the believability of the world(with a few exceptions like memorizing the names of his army).
Story & Characters:
The arcs taking place over the span of one novel benefit the story greatly as well. The story is able to focus on one area or one central conflict, which is then complicated by shifting alliances or twists on that conflict. This hyperfocus on specific areas acts as a sort of lightning rod for the rest of the plot elements. This means that the story can introduce as many new elements as it needs without being convoluted or slowing down the plot like many other political dramas. Tensai Ouji also accomplishes foreshadowing and world-building naturally because of this, rarely does it feel like the author does so unnaturally… Except for one habit they have. Sometimes the story will take a break from its usual storytelling to hop ahead of time and show the results of a certain situation, then it goes back and shows how everything led up to that point. This writing technique is used well, but if you aren't bought into Wein's antics and just want to see the consequences of a certain arc, it might become a little tiresome. Luckily, Wein is an extremely entertaining character to watch in my opinion, his obsession with Ninym, his intelligence, and the mysteries about his past and "true intentions” all put a certain charm into his character. As aforementioned, his plans seldomly break the believability of the story, and he even sometimes fails to obtain his goal in certain areas. It's also nice that the characters act like human beings. In most light novels, anime, and manga any mention of romance is met with blushing and bashful behavior like everyone is a child. However, in Tensai Ouji characters are usually able to at least flirt with one another - with the two main characters even being able to show some physical affection. All of Wein’s mastermind schemes genuinely made me want to see what would happen next, whether it be the next page or volume.
Conclusion:
While having darker moments, Tensai Ouji always has a vibrant edge to it that is never overshadowed. Wein is able to ride the line of believability with his insane plans in just the right way, and it is great fun to watch. The series might be a little niche, but if you have the craving for a political drama that can maintain the right balance of light-hearted elements; this series might be for you. Fans of darker political media will still find enjoyment, but to what extent greatly depends on your liking of the more "anime" side of the story. I obviously fall on the former rather than the latter given my rating, as I enjoy the unique spirit of Tensai Ouji.
(Also completely unrelated, but the art on the cover of each novel is 10/10).
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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