Despite threats from Kakao Entertainment, I am going to proceed with the creation of a new weekly general thread. So, please feel free to post any comments/questions/updates that are on your mind. It has been an eventful past week in the world of digital manga consumption (at least for Android users), but that doesn’t mean we can’t continue revelling in the love that we have for this medium.
Like normal, please be careful with spoilers. I wrote a guide about spoilers in case you need a refresher on how to handle them (also linked in the sidebar).
Fukushuu wo Koinegau Saikyou Yuusha wa, Yami no Chikara de Senmetsu Musou Suru aka The Hero Who Seeks Revenge Shall Exterminate with Darkness aka Raoul is such a fun ride. It’s around ch85 already, near the end; the series is so edgy that it almost sings “craaawwwling in my skiiin!” for you, but it doesn’t take itself seriously. The title is a rather good summary already - he got isekai’d, used, dumped, and now he wants revenge.
It’s bittersweet to see Noragami - Stray God ending. It’s the story of Yato, a minor god with big ambitions, and a human girl called Hiyori. There is romance and a bit of comedy, but expect drama and adventure the most.
On the other hand, Akuyaku Reijou no Naka no Hito aka The One Within the Villainess is still going strong. The premise is a twist of the “good villainess, bad heroine” stories, with Remilia (the actual villainess) - paying back every fucking body who dared to hurt her precious Emi (the isekai’d girl). If you’re into otome IMO you shouldn’t miss this series.
Raoul is one that I read a chunk of a long time ago and then set down after I finished the backlog but never picked back up. There are certainly points in that series that are so absurd in their edginess that it feels like a parody. Not only him either, but I remember basically every other character that he was revenging against (is that a word?) was cartoonishly evil. The end of that series might push me to just binge the rest.
Also, the premise for The One Within the Villainess sounds interesting. I think I will throw that one on the pile of villainess series I have in Tachiyomi right now. Until I started this community, the only series I had read that fit that description were Bakarina, Raeliana, and Level 99 Villaness (airing this season!). However, I have read and enjoyed so many more recently, that when I see Akuyaku Reijou in a series title, my thumb hits the add to library button of its own volition.
I’m a bit biased to talk about villainess series because I read a lot of them. They feel refreshing - no two series are identical, they all have “something” to fish you.
I’ll use the opportunity to share a few recs for those stories:
An Observation Log of My Fiancée Who Calls Herself a Villainess aka Jishou Akuyaku Reijou na Konyakusha no Kansatsu Kiroku aka Bertia. The narrator of the story isn’t the isekai’d girl herself, who’s extremely good-natured and hard-working; it’s instead the cold prince supposed to ditch her, at first amused with her antics and then becoming emotionally attached to her. Warning: even Katarina looks smart in comparison with Bertia, but she’s still lovable. The manga is already complete.
Villager A Wants to Save The Villainess no Matter What! aka Chounin A wa Akuyaku Reijou wo Doushitemo Sukuitai. This one plays a bit like The Otome Game is Tough for Mobs at the start, as the MC is reincarnated into a mob character (a slum boy) of a game he was forced by his sister to play. Past that, everything is different - the story is way more serious and heartwarming, and it’s a joy to see the relationship between Allen (the MC) and Anna (the villainess) slowly developing. The novel is complete but the manga is still being published.
There’s No Such Thing as a Villainess Route? Not in My Book! aka Akuyaku Reijou Route ga Nai Nante aka Ophelia. Reminder, boys and girls: give developers feedback, they might include some villainess route into the game just for you, and it can literally save your life! This one “plays” a bit more like a typical otome series, as the MC is the reincarnated villainess and the heroine is an arsehole. The manga is still being published but I feel that it’s nearing the end. The art is rather pleasing IMO.
Akuyaku Reijou Tensei Oji-san. Old bald guy, office worker, becomes the noble villainess of the game that his daughter is playing. He’s supposed to bully the heroine and be all high and mighty, but [s]he forgets about both all the time, doing stuff like encouraging her, picking beetles with bare hands, so goes on. Fun story, and most of the fun is from the blatant contrast between what motivated his actions as old office worker guy vs. how her actions are seen as the daughter of a ducal house.
I see that the road to Villainess enlightenment is a long one. I have my work cut out for me. Thanks for the recommendations!