Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss but I'm Not the Demon Lord

The phrase "reinventing the wheel" applies to many creative fields, especially when genres become saturated with repetitive ideas. This is true for the AniManga industry, where even promising new trends like the "Villainess in an Otome Game" theme can fall victim to formulaic storytelling. However, this season, two light novels are breathing fresh air into the genre: "Loop 7-kaime" by Touko Amekawa and "Villainess Level 99" by Satori Tanabata.

What makes "Villainess Level 99" so enjoyable is its ability to set up a familiar Otome Game scenario and then completely subvert it. The main character, Yumiella Dolkness, finds herself reincarnated into the world of an Otome game she once played. While she possesses the memories of the game, she's not actually the Demon Lord as everyone expects, but a hidden boss with immense power. Yumiella longs for a peaceful life, but her dark appearance and magic make her an outcast. To avoid trouble, she spends her childhood diligently training, unknowingly reaching the unheard-of level 99 by the time she enters magic academy. Now, Yumiella must navigate her place in this new reality, prepare for the true Demon Lord's arrival, and overcome people's prejudice against her. This unexpected turn of events throws a wrench into her plans for a quiet life, forcing her to balance her duties with building relationships.

Yumiella doesn't care about the main plot. In the typical Otome Game story, the heroine wields light magic and fights the Demon Lord. Yumiella, however, is stuck completing odd jobs (like side quests) to get back on track with the pre-written story, while accidentally pushing the other love interests' paths forward.

Meet the Hero (sort of). Alicia, the supposed hero, uses light magic, making her Yumiella's opposite. Both girls are assumed to be low-level (around 10). This worries Yumiella because she's destined to fight the Demon Lord much later, and Alicia seems unprepared. Initially, they clash due to their opposing magic. Alicia even gets close to the capture targets (the guys you can romance in the game). However, the game has been messed up, and Yumiella has to replay parts to get back on track. This makes Alicia dislike Yumiella even more, fearing Yumiella weakens them for the future battle against the Demon Lord.

This game flips the script on typical otome RPGs. Capture targets, meant to be helpful companions, are now arrogant and self-serving. This separates Alicia and Yumiella, who were supposed to work together, and throws Yumiella under the bus with accusations of faking her abilities. Edwin Valschein, the second prince and a magic swordsman, exemplifies this shift. Though talented, he's overshadowed by his attendants: the gifted mage Oswald and the master swordsman William. These three, known for their arrogance, constantly torment Yumiella, except for Edwin who merely insults her. Unlike them, Yumiella hides a secret: powerful level 99 skills and dark magic. This makes her both a target and a valuable asset, as she's the only mage capable of facing large demons.

The saying "revenge is a dish best served cold" applies perfectly to Eleonora Hillrose, daughter of the noble faction leader. Everyone picks sides at the magic academy, but Yumiella remains neutral. This frustrates Eleonora, who tries to recruit her. Interestingly, Eleonora is both lovestruck by Prince Edwin and part of a jealous clique that resents Yumiella's connection to him. Ironically, Yumiella ends up defending Eleonora from her own friends, bonding over their shared love of dragons. This act of kindness earns Yumiella a best friend, proving her loyalty lies with those who deserve it.

Highly recommend "Villainess Level 99"! You won't be disappointed.

Villainess Level 99: I may be the hidden boss but I'm not the demon lord anime follows the story of a young woman named Yumiella, who finds herself reincarnated in a fantastical world as the infamous villainess of a popular video game. Unlike the typical tales where the main character is destined to meet a tragic end, Yumiella is determined to rewrite her fate.

Armed with the knowledge of the game's plot and her formidable level 99 skills, she navigates the treacherous world of court intrigue, alliances, and magical battles. Despite her fearsome reputation, Yumiella is surprisingly kind-hearted and clever, using her abilities to help those in need and uncover hidden threats.

As Yumiella's journey unfolds, she forms unexpected friendships, including with the game's supposed hero, who begins to see her not as an enemy but as a valuable ally. Together, they face challenges and unravel mysteries, all while Yumiella maintains her quest to live life on her own terms, proving that even a villainess can be a force for good.

Yumiella played a fantasy-romance sim game in her prior life and has now been reborn into that same world as the villainess who is destined to die!

The premise for this series is similar to several other stories, and even the school and the team of heroes seem familiar. Aside from this, the story delivers easy entertainment with cute characters and fun humor.

Yumiella has lived her life shunned and villified, never even seeing her parents. Her response has been to suppress her emotions and simply accept the unfair treatment she is subjected to. Her goal is to survive, and to do this she grinds her way through dungeons, killing monsters to become as strong as possible. She also tries to avoid people that she recalls as death flags in the computer game in her previous life.

Yumiella is socially inept and clueless about how other people think and feel. This creates an abundance of humorous situations. Her deadpan remarks are often funny and horribly misinterpreted by others. When the first hints of romance begin to bloom, she is totally oblivious to possibility.

The animation and voice acting are nicely done. The original light novels have been skillfully adapted into episodes. There is no blood and gore, and no obvious "fan service". I recommend this.

After dying in an accident a college girl finds herself reincarnated into a fantasy world; one identical to a game she has played. She is the raven haired Yumiella Dolkness and is proficient in dark magic... two things that are hated and feared in this world. She is shunned by her family and passes her time raising her magic level. On entering school students magic levels are checked; ten is considered very impressive; hers is ninety nine, the maximum! At first she is accused of cheating in the test but when it becomes apparent she really is that level her fellow students fear her. She sets about trying to fit in and helps other students raise their level, in particular Alicia Ehnleit. She is a practitioner of light magic and was the protagonist in the game. As is usually the case they will ultimately have to face the Demon Lord.

Isekai series are two a penny these days and while this one doesn't exactly bring anything new to the genre it is rather fun if you enjoy the genre. It starts well and early episodes are amusing as Yumiella easily overpowers those who think she is a fraud. While there isn't a real sense of danger there are some decent action scenes as she helps others level up and ultimately face the Demon Lord. The characters are good, especially our protagonist. I liked the character designs and thought the animation was solid. Overall I'd say this is worth watching if you are a fan of the genre.

These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.