Introducing: I'm in love with the villainess
Imagine sending Cinderella to an academy for wizards, where she falls in love with the evil step-sister š
To find love and magic in life, some people need to start over.
Why choose an LGBTQ+ story for my first newsletter article? Two reasons: 1) I arrived late to pride month (š ) and 2) because this story has a very special scene, and I donāt want it to go unnoticed. So, if no one talks about it, then Iāll talk about it š
I know that stories like this belong to a very specific niche. Donāt worry if it isnāt your style, but stay to learn from it anyway š
What is āIām in love with the villainessā?
Letās begin with some context: Iām in love with the villainess is a japanese novel written by Inori and published in ShÅsetsuka ni NarÅ, a platform to read and publish stories for free (kind of like a japanese Wattpad. Several famous stories come from there, just take a look at its wikipedia page).
The original story was published between january 2018 and february 2021. It was adapted into a series of light novels (finished also by 2021) and a manga series (currently ongoing); both licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment, who brought them to us in English (Thank you, by the way š¤).
The story follows a young office worker that just died. But instead of heaven or hell, she finds herself inside the body of Rae Taylor, the protagonist of āRevolutionā, her favorite videogame š
There, as the game dictates, she will attend the royal academy alongside the wealthiest and most talented teenagers in the kingdom, she will meet all three princes, and will get the chance to reach a āhappy endingā with one of them.
In the meantime, Claire FranƧois, the villain of the story, will do her best to sabotage her life in the academy and force her to forfeit š„ Butā¦ Why beat around the bush? The title says everything. Rae doesnāt want to be with the princes, she only wishes to be with Claire. And she will do everything in her power to change the story and save Claire from her cruel fateā¦
(While enjoying every minute by her side š ).
Should you try āIām in love with the villainessā?
Of course you should! the LGBTQ+ community will love it. But it is friendly to all audiences, and it has an interesting story that everyone can enjoy š Still, let me give you a few reasons to read it, just in case š
Reason #1: A Japanese take on Hogwarts
What happens when you take a magic school, very much like Harry Potterās, and mix it with a slice of life from a Japanese high school? Well, this story is among the best results I could think of š
We are talking about two very popular genres. Both have big fanbases, and this story is loyal to both: magic classes that result in chaos, duels, love triangles, school events, school-wide catastrophesā¦ Trust me, there is a lot to love in here š¤
(Remember that the Japanese like taking magic to epic proportions, and Iām certain that many will love this here šŖ).
Reason #2: An unusual romantic comedy
When I was little, it was easy to find stories about a poor girl that later married a prince. But this protagonist actively avoids princes so that she can conquer the heart of the villain. It is an unexpected take on the formula, and a very refreshing one to see š
Rae is brave and intrepid, sheās not afraid to voice out her feelings, or act despite what everyone thinks of her. Although, her love interest doesnāt share her sexual orientation; in fact, sheās in love with one of the princes š
Sure, every protagonist must face challenges, but watching all this develop through the eyes of a queer is a very special experience ššš
(By the way, this story is soft on the LGBTQ+ content. In my opinion, it is ideal for audiences that are not part of that community, but still wish to understand how they feel š).
Reason #3: A mission to change fate
āA revolution was coming. This much was certain. I knew that from my knowledge of the game. But I wouldnāt let things turn out the way they did thereā¦ā
The protagonist is now in her favorite videogame. In that case, wouldnāt she know everything that will happen before it actually happens? š¤ Well, yes. And thatās exactly why she has such a challenge in front of her, because every route in the game takes Claire to ruin š
What will happen? When? How to avoid it? Rae wonāt tell you until itās too late. She is full of secrets, but she is also disciplined and calculative, and she will try the impossible to change destiny and save Claire from her cruel fateā¦ Although, you canāt change the story of the game without things going haywire, can you? š
So get ready to solve the puzzle as you get more and more information each chapter. Can you guess what happens next? š
(I hope this gets an anime with weekly releases someday. People would have so much fun trying to predict the game with their friends š There will surely be spoilers everywhere though š ).
Reason #4: Rae and Claire
I love meeting incredible characters in a story, and these two were up to the task šŖ
Leaving aside that sheās an adult in an adolescentās body (š), Rae is a fun and interesting character. Her antics will make you laugh, but her determination will leave you speechless. You wonāt find boring moments with her in the lead, and sheāll surprise you more than once š
Meanwhile, Claire doesnāt fall behind. Yes, sheās a spoiled girl in the beginning, and a villain very much like Cinderellaās step-sisters. But she is still a deep and good-hearted character. Her interaction with Rae will make her reflect, grow up, figure out her purpose in lifeā¦ and watching all that happen from Raeās perspective is moving and inspiring š
Iām not an expert in Romance stories, but I know that the main characters are among its most important elements. And this pair is simply wonderful š This story is worth your time; and this beautiful couple is one of the reasons š
(Also, Claire reacting to Raeās antics is very, very, fun to read š).
Bonus
One more thing before I go: do you remember the quote I used at the beginning? āTo find love and magic in life, some people need to start overā?. That was something that came to mind when I was writing this article, and I wanted to elaborate further on it:
Sometimes, you might feel that your life got stuck. Perhaps you spent too long in the same job, the same relationship, the same houseā¦ Which isnāt bad at all, but those feelings might come up despite that. We are humans, after all.
So, when that happens, my advice is to show humility and renovate yourself. Perhaps even start anew š Ask your partner out on a date just the two of you, change some furniture in your house, study a new career, move to a different house for a month, look for a new job, or try a different role even if it pays below your current payroll.
You donāt have to die like Rae did to have a new start š In fact, youād be surprised at all the things that you can achieve in just 5 years (like a new college degree, for example š).
š” Young people often think that they canāt go back on a decision once they took it. But think about it: if youāre 30 years old, and pessimistically expect to live up to 70 years old, then, how many college degrees could you get in your remaining 40 years? How many times could you change your career? Renew your romantic relationship? Fall in love again? Change jobs? Moving somewhere new? Create a new family?
You own your life, you decide your purpose and what to do with your time. So donāt be afraid to start again and rediscover love and magic in your life š
Iāll leave the links to the light novel and manga versions of the story right around here. And weāll dig into the scene I mentioned earlier in a couple of weeks š
In the meantime, please help me share this article so that others can see it (that way, you can help me change careers š¤).
Best regards,