Review: I WANT TO ESCAPE FROM PRINCESS LESSONS

 It's time for another Bad Romance Month, where we cover a selection of some of the worst and weirdest romances to grace manga.  We're starting with a fairly recent title that's in the same vein as all those villainess stories, but no sausage-curled ojou-sama could devise a torment as bad as the one this story's heroine receives.

I WANT TO ESCAPE FROM PRINCESS LESSONS (Kisaki Kyoiku kara Nigetai Watashi), based on the light novels by Izumi Sawano and illustrations by Miru Yamasaki, with art by Uri Sugata.  First published in 2020 and first published in North America in 2023.

PLOT:

When Leticia was seven years old, she was engaged to the crown prince Clarke.  This meant she was torn from her family home and forced to undergo a decade's worth of lessons in deportment, etiquette, history, dancing, and more, all for the sake of a boy she barely knew and a role she never asked for.

One day she finds another woman on his arm and presumes she is free at last from her unwanted engagement.  She immediately runs off the countryside to play, roam, and do all the un-ladylike things she's been forbidden from doing for years.  Unfortunately, Clarke does not want their engagement will end and he will do anything to keep Leticia by his side, including stopping her many attempted escapes.

Holiday Review #18: DUCHESS IN THE ATTIC

 Of course, there was plenty of lady-led light novel adaptations to go around.  This is probably one of the few that didn't involve reincarnations or villainesses, although that doesn't make any better than the rest.

DUCHESS IN THE ATTIC (Yane Urabeya no Koshaku Fujin), based on the light novels by Mori and character designs by Huyuko Aoi, with art by Maki Hayashi.  First published in 2019 and first published in North America in 2024.

PLOT:

Opal dreamed of having a beautiful wedding as a child, but her chances were ruined forever thanks to one man getting fresh with her during her debut.  Now all of the other nobles presume she's a harlot, and she's forced to marry a duke who covets her fortune and only cares for his sickly mistress.  Opal knows where she's not wanted, so she moves herself to the attic to bide her time, review her husband's ledgers, and find a way to get herself out of this mess..

Holiday Review #11: BUTAREBA: THE STORY OF A MAN TURNED INTO A PIG

 It's true that a lot of isekai protagonists could be described as pigs, but usually it's not THIS literal.

BUTAREBA: THE STORY OF A MAN TURNED INTO A PIG (Buta no Reba wa Kanetsu Shiro), based on the light novels by Takuma Shikai and illustrations by Asagi Tohsaka, with art by Minami.  First published in 2020 and first published in North America in 2024.

PLOT:

Once he was a man who happened to eat some raw pig liver.  One moment he passed out at the rail station, the next he was reborn as an ordinary hog in a world far removed from modern-day Japan.  It's there that he meets Jess, a slave girl who is able to hear his thoughts and thus realize he is not just some pig.  Before they can work on changing him back, he'll need to help Jess with a scheme to obtain a magic crystal, a scheme that threatens to become deadly for one of them.

Review: ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE: THE WITCH, THE KNIGHT, AND THE LOVE POTION SLIP-UP

There are plenty of witches to be found in the light novel world, alongside the many reincarnated noblewomen and villainesses.  Are they any good, though?

ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE: THE WITCH, THE KNIGHT, AND THE LOVE POTION SLIP-UP (Koisuru Majo wa Elite Kishi ni Horegusuri o Nomasete Shimaimashita: Itsuwari kara Hajimaru Watashi no Dekiai Seikatsu), based on the light novels by Harunadon and illustrations by Eda, written by Itsuki Azumaya with art by Shino Agetate.  First published in 2023 and first published in North America in 2024.

PLOT:

Cecily dreams of having a storybook romance of her own, but her status as a red-eyed witch makes her an outcast in her world.  According to her mother, the only way Cecily can find love is to hone her powers and make a love potion.  Cecily is reluctant to do such things, but after she falls for the kindly knight Zeke she gives in to the temptation.  She makes some major changes to the recipe, but it seems to work.  As Zeke draws Cecily further into his world, Cecily is torn between her growing affection for him and her guilt over building this relationship on a magical lie.

Holiday Review #13: LADY ROSE JUST WANTS TO BE A COMMONER

There were more otome-inspired isekai books (with or without explicit villainesses) than ever this year. This is just one of many titles J-Novel Club added to their library this year.

LADY ROSE JUST WANTS TO BE A COMMONER (Lady Rose wa Heimin ni Naratai), based on the light novel series by Kooriame and designs by Hidakanami, with art by Yura Kiyose.  First published in 2018 and first published in North America in 2023.

PLOT:

Like so many stories, this begins with the end of an engagement.  Felicia Schwarose couldn't be happier about it, though.  She knows this story all too well from her time watching it play out in her favorite otome game, and she knew that going forward with that marriage would only lead to her death.  She's perfectly content to abandon her noble life for that of a humble baker, but the other noblemen/love interests have different ideas.  They want to clear Felicia's name or claim her as their own, and it's going to take all of Felicia's cunning and knowledge to dodge their advances and continue her carefree life.

Holiday Review #17: HOUSEKEEPING MAGE FROM ANOTHER WORLD: MAKING YOUR ADVENTURES FEEL LIKE HOME!

 Of course, I can't talk about isekai manga without talking about J-Novel Club, who in recent years set up a new imprint just for shojo- and josei-adjacent light novels (and manga adaptations thereof).  It's about time I looked at one of those titles to see how it might serve as an antidote to the more mainstream, male-led tales out there.

HOUSEKEEPING MAGE FROM ANOTHER WORLD: MAKING YOUR ADVENTURES FEEL LIKE HOME! (Kasei Madoushi no Isekai Seikatsu: Boukenchuu no Kaseifugyou Uketamawarimasu!), based on the light novel series by You Fuguruma and character designs by Nama, with art by Akihito Ono.  First published in 2019 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Four years ago Shiori Izumi was just another overworked office lady, living alone and trying her best to get as much done as possible.  Then she fainted, only to find herself in a strange new world of magic and adventurer guilds.  Over time she learned the language, gained some low-level magic, and started using it to recreate the comforts of home for weary travelers, only to end up betrayed by her own party and left for dead.  Can Shiori learn to trust in herself and others again?

Holiday Review: THE ENGAGEMENT OF MARIELLE CLARAC

 J-Novel Club spent this year churning out another steady stream of iseskai light novels and manga.  Most of the time their titles don't capture my attention (with the exception of 'every time a new volume of Ascendance of a Bookworm comes out'), and it's sad that because of that I almost missed out on this title.

THE ENGAGEMENT OF MARIELLE CLARAC (Marielle Clarac no Konyaku), based on the light novel series by Haruka Momo , character designs by Maro, and art by Alaskapan.  First published in 2018 and first published in North America in 2021.

PLOT:

Marielle Clarac is the mousy daughter of a low-ranking nobleman, one who recently became engaged to the stern, serious Lord Simeon.  Marielle couldn't be more thrilled, as she is secretly a best-selling romance novel who uses the intrigues of the nobility as inspiration for her books.  She can imagine all sorts of dramatic scenarios, but not even her vivid imagination could imagine that her fiancee might know (and love) more about her than she knows.

Holiday Review: ASCENDANCE OF A BOOKWORM

Yet from the dregs of countless isekai adaptations came the slow and steady return of shojo isekai.  Most of it is still confined to light novels, but one managed to cross over and completely charm me.

ASCENDANCE OF A BOOKWORM (Honzuki no Gekokujou), based on the light novel by Miya Kazuki and character designs by You Shiina, with art by Suzuka.  First published in 2015 and first published in North America in 2019.

PLOT:

The last thing Urano Motosu remembered was watching her beloved room of books collapse upon her during an earthquake.  When she awakens, she finds herself reincarnated within the body of the sickly five-year-old peasant girl Myne.  This is a world where class differences are stark, literacy is uncommon, and books are handmade luxuries available only to nobility.  Thus, Myne decides that if she cannot buy books in her new life, she will teach herself how to make books.