I'll become a villainess that will go down in history

I was looking for a cute romance and fantasy anime, with an interesting character - i am tired of the little girls being completely seduced by the male protagonists without any efforts so to speak. This is how I ended up watching this anime in a week.

The anime was at first a web novel called I'll become a villainess who goes down in history: it seems turning into a high-born baddie makes the prince all the more lovestruck (and then they dare say Lana makes too long titles for her songs?) in December 2018. A manga adaptation was released in May 2020, and the anime started in October 2024.

About The Anime

The story follows a protagonist who is reincarnated into her favorite fantasy dating game, not as the heroine, but as the villainess, Alicia Williams. Embracing this unexpected role, Alicia is determined to become the world's greatest villainess and leave her mark on history. However, her attempts at villainy have an unintended effect: the more she tries to be evil, the more the prince becomes enamored with her. This twist leads to a comedic and romantic narrative as Alicia navigates her new life, striving to fulfill her villainous ambitions while dealing with the prince's growing affection.

The Story

-spoiler free- The plot in itself was quite predictable but I still love the way they made the characters evolve throughout complicated missions and events to surmount! The only thing which was a bit off-putting for me was the relationship with the Prince that was a bit... Abusive. But apart from that the story was great!

The Characters

Alicia Williams: The protagonist of the series, Alicia is a noble from the House of Williams in the kingdom of Durkis. Reincarnated into her favorite dating game as the villainess, she is determined to become the greatest villainess in history. Despite her intentions, Alicia often displays compassion.

Prince Duke: The prince of the kingdom, Duke harbors feelings for Alicia but struggles to express them. Unlike other potential suitors for the game's heroine, Liz, Duke finds Liz's naivety off-putting and tends to avoid her.

Liz Cather: The game's designated heroine, Liz is sweet-natured but dangerously naïve. She believes that crises can be resolved simply by "having faith" and unknowingly possesses a powerful charm magic that influences others to act according to her expectations. This naivety leads to situations where she inadvertently endangers others, including Alicia.

Gill: an outcast, having been almost beaten to death in his village, who finds solace and protection under Alicia's care. Despite his difficult past, Jill is loyal, determined, and looks up to Alicia as a mentor. Alicia's kindness and strength inspire Jill to grow and develop confidence, becoming an important ally in Alicia's journey to become a legendary villainess.

Overall Thoughts

At first I was quite conflicted over this anime - especially regarding the romance: it has a lot of issues. If you watch it, please be aware that you will probably cringe and revolt over a lot of actions from the main romance lead - the prince Duke.

However, and this is why I would still praise this anime, everything came to a good resolution in the last episode. It can feel a bit rush out, but they only had twelve episodes to follow a girl from 7 years old to her 15-16 birthday (i think?), so they had to rush it a bit. I thought the plot was predictable, but I was agreeably surprised by the plot twist in the end!

I really hope we get a second season!

Recommendations if you liked this anime...

7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy!

snow-white with the red hair