Villainess Noble Girls: The New Shoujo Craze

[@sofistar-yt5dh]

Level 99 villainess doesn't actually demonize the heroine, it turns out she's just scared of the protag like everyone else because she's level 99. They aren't friends now but they're in better terms, along with the more antagonistic love interests

[@imliterallysaikik]

Also I’m pretty sure the heroine sees her as literally some black fog? So I think her being scared is quite justified

[@lukimirai4662]

While i was reading "abandoned empress" i was hoping for an alone route for Aristia or one with her being with Carstein and being a duchess. But no, they went with the abusive ML. The excuses of "he isn´t the same as the original", "he was manipulated" are not good enough for me. I wanted for Aristia to be free from the royal family, to shine on her own.

[@gurengamer9053]

I'm seriously grateful for spoilers to not waste my time for such ending. Screw brainwashing, ML was too abusive to FL to be loved!

[@nashthelime8475]

I’m so glad you mentioned the situation with in “remarried empress”, because it always bothered me how many reader’s have such hate for Rastha just because she’s the “antagonist” when in reality if the story was from her viewpoint everyone would be totally okay with her actions And just to clarify I’m not saying her actions are *right* just that they are understandable considering her backstory and I think all the hate towards her should be instead be directed towards the emperor who is the one who actually cheated

[@almamater489]

She is literally a maid-killer, child kidnapper and a cheater after that _nothing_ could make me feel pity. She constantly went against Navier, even before she became a mistress she purposely made Navier's lady get flogged... That is not someone simply surviving in the court, that is a menace to both the nobiliy and innocent working palace people

[@Lavendertower]

Aaaaaaaa im so glad youve decided to cover this. The shoujo isekai villainess craze/genre is one of my favorite things rn. One thing i really appreciate abt the genre is the unsaid acknowledgement that it doesnt matter if the ppl around the mc are characters from the story, they are still people in front of them and are treated as such ( if that makes sense). Also this is a small thing but i like how you differentiated the villainess mangas from the manhwas. Youve also said what i didnt know how to describe, on why i disliked it so much when the og heroine turned “evil”. Its bc as you said, it falls into the conventional antagonistic female lead that the very genre is supposed to subvert

[@frogszn3826]

There was a thing you said towards the end of your essay "the idea that love is the escape from powerlessness" that sums up a lot of my criticisms/ negative feelings towards romance shoujo really well. In villainess stories, it is usually explicitly an escape from powerlessness, but in non-villainess stories, it usually feels more like upwards social mobility as a prize for love. Like, a lot of villainess stories feel more inspired by Boys Over Flowers and Dear Older Brother and other school dramas than The Rose of Versailles and other historic romances that they ape their aesthetics from, and in those stories, romance is always a way for a good middle class girl to become an upper class girl. Like, it is very rare in these kinds of shoujo stories that the romantic interest of the woman, besides being a man, will not have some kind of societal power, namely wealth, over the female lead. And then, (mainly bad) villainess stories exacerbate this dynamic by making economic power also political power by making the male lead the crown prince (or duke, if the villainess is a countess--the lower ranked the villainess, the more upwards mobility she can have through her love interests). I think that, even though I don't care about the romance in Beware of the Villainess much, I appreciate it in the story a lot more than I would in other stories in the genre, because Melissa, as a villain, does not have to redeem her status in the eyes of society through that upwards movement from duchess to princess; her romance interest is just some guy, for the most part. Your Throne is probably the best of the villainess manhwa coming out right now. If someone wrote a lesbian version of it, I think these villainess story writers would be just that much closer to recreating Revolutionary Girl Utena from scratch, except with Anthy/ Nanami as the leads. I will say, though, I wish that while using aesthetics of empires, even highly costumized ones, that villainess stories would end up criticizing empires and racism (particularly colorism, as it is present in assigning dark skin to bestial male characters), as much as they have demonstrated the ability to criticize the gender relations in them. But that is an unrealistic want tbh, from a genre that is lovably a bit schlocky. The author who wrote Her Shim Cheong could do it, I think. A current villainess story that I think you'd like based on this video is "A Red Knight Does Not Blindly Follow Money" which, despite being a villainess story without a heroine for contrast, still manages to have a significant amount of female side characters who affect the lead's decisions. It's a redo at life story, and, particularly, felt like a response (though not a pastiche of) The Villainess Reverses the Hourglass, and stories like that, because the villainess's past life of chasing money is, while framed as sympathetic by the story, still framed as the deciding factor of her villainy. Also, the male character who killed her is framed as evil, instead of as someone the lead, Judith, could change through kindness; she can save her friend's lives, though (including a female character, Callipa, who I think of, like, as the Kurapika of Villainess stories). The main reason this story is good though is because Judith, and other female characters, get to wear pants : (. Judith even has relatively short hair. The male lead in this story is very boring though, but is like mostly inoffensive. Sorry for writing an essay in your comment section lol, but I've been on a villainess kick lately, and watched this last night, and then my thoughts stewed intensely. Liked the isekai videos too !

[@nashthelime8475]

I'm so happy "a red knight dose not blindly follow money" was mentioned, although the ML might not be the most memorable he's such a breath of fresh air compared to all the princes and grand duke MLs

[@Derekloffin]

I think another reasonably popular angle that seems to be coming a fair bit is the villainess heroine team-ups/romance, similar to that last one you mentioned. For instance, there was one where the Isekai went into the protagonist, did the whole story, then decided she wanted to be with the villainess instead. Another that recently got an anime was the one where the isekai is a nobody and ends up siding with the villainess showing how all the capture targets are morons, but along the way ends up having the villainess and original protag befriend each other while another isekai takes over the role of protag. Yet another was the villainess and protag were both isekais, but not competing. In fact the protag isekai is apparently totally into Yaoi so wants the guys together and the villainess isekai, who is the main, pretends to be a boy to avoid her fate, but they find out about each other and that they were in fact friends in their last life who died at the same time.

[@bananamilk8099]

Don’t be shy…what’s the name of the anime?????

[@Derekloffin]

@@bananamilk8099 Otomege Sekai wa Mob ni Kibishii Sekai Desu or Trapped in a Dating Sim - The World of Otome Games Is Tough for Mobs

[@Ladywizard]

@@Derekloffin and what's funny is the usurper protag in that one is also a reincarnate and the other background characters were grossed out because she was going harem ending

[@helesia9968]

How many chapters behind am I in Not-So-Sidekick to not know that Ibelin turns out to be an antagonist when I remember her being pretty cute (though she hasn't appeared in a while now). Very nice video!!!

[@nano-ch7645]

This is a great video on the villainess trend in manga and manhwa aimed at female audiences, I feel like there are so many videos that lovingly break down similarly shlocky genres aimed at a male readership but not very many that aim to apply the same level of analysis to things that get labeled as 'girl stuff'. To add to one of the points to your video, Ive been seeing this trend lately in manga/hwa/hua where the main character will either pop into the body of the villianess character or will have time turn back to certain point, and will win the affection of the male lead who they had most likely previously harassed by becoming suddenly nice and having the male lead see the good things about them. This kind of strikes me as kind of a gender swapped version of the female lead getting together with the male lead that cheated on/killed her previously phenomenon that you mentioned, and it's honestly just as troubling. It is interesting though how the onus to change is always placed on the female main character.

[@lolyoutoobe]

Amazing video!!! I haven't heard enough people talk about this genre. So glad I found your channel.

[@Hokoso]

Thank you for sharing this, it was a very compelling video essay.

[@particlegod]

Very insightful video, good job. 👍

[@samt356]

You make really thoughtful points in this video, and I really enjoyed your commentary on victim blaming and the idea that women need to change or be a certain way to "deserve love" since this sentiment has historically been apparent in the real world to real people. I would like to point out that Korea and Japan are very conservative societies compared to the West where values are more progressive so they still hold onto these ideals that we may see as something that only had been acceptable in the past and isn't any longer today. Any compositions will tend to reflect their context so the authors of these manga/manhwa are doing just that - so it's a wider societal issue in itself and not just how it's being represented in media. Anyway, great video! Thanks for sharing :)

[@itz_sophi3693]

I love Please bully me miss villainess and My next life as a villainess

[@StellaEFZ]

My favorite are when the villainess and the heroine just decide the male interests are all bland and boring and just become gay. Those are the best.

[@itz_sophi3693]

Definetly

[@jlog2149]

You got any recommendations for that. I’ve also watched a lot of that

[@trinhanvu6568]

Incrediblly well done

[@000Dragon50000]

What I wish more of the Villainess stories stole from Bakarina was *the lesbianism.* Katarina was a bisexual disaster and it was amazing, though the stories eventually did some weird ass shit. So far I can only think of one other story that instead went for a gay MC, although that MC didn't technically become the villainess, but rather the heroine, because she was in love with the villainess... but that story also pulls some ABSOLUTE NONSENSE in it's final two books, spoiling the enjoyment of the first four, despite those four books being excellent.

[@ramilove30]

I love your throne soo much I’ll read the two other you recommend

[@georgeoswalddannyson6008]

Amazing breakdown of what can make the villainess trope so interesting. Have you ever read some of the gay novels/mangas in the genre? There's some pretty interesting stories like "I Favor the Villainess" and "Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess", both are mostly romatic comedies, but they also talk a lot about feminism, gay/trans rights, class warfare, and political and industrial revolutions

[@mine7172]

Unlike heroine villainess has a lot of room to grow as story.

[@rankushrenada]

I found this video so late but I love your analizys, I kinda don't like Japanese Isekai Villainesses because they feel preachy, the protagonist is always a good woman and wins with kindness (The one within the villainess being the notable exception) while korean protagonists have permission to be angry and petty but still mostly still forced towards love and a "capture target" love interest in the end. I would recommend "Hell hath no fury" or "Revenge is ours" Both titles for the same story, it IS a romcom in modern time, yes, but while the three female protagonists do get revenge on their cheating lover and find love partners of their own, they take the time to fight the mysogeny of these love interests as well, one is negging one of the protagonists to "protect her " and "teach her better" for example and can only approach the protagonist when he stops, same with the CEO type that uses money to "get his girlfriend to feel better" it was refreshing to read. AND if you don't mind BL (it's fine, not for everyone) "Quit writing, dear author" is a meta narrative of characters who become self aware while the author is writing the BL novel they are stuck in and the protagonist trying to sway commenters to let him live because he realizes the author is very suceptible to comments, for a non-BL side of that narrative July happened by chance is a similar premise but less self aware if you ask me, because the story is completed when the characters start becoming self aware. But both are really good reads for media critique. Highly recommended.

[@SariaSchala]

I didn't think Empress? Empress! was so bad. She was reincarnated from Korea and her character in the book harassed the heroine, but she does not and the heroine isn't evil either. That said, I really like this essay, being a fan of the subgenre and shoujosei in general. And thanks for the recs!

[@igotpushed_]

I love Villainess is a Marionette too

[@YumLemmingKebabs]

I wonder where "I'm In Love With The Villainess" falls into this since it shares lots of tropes but is about the heroine trying to save the villainess from her horrible fate because well... See the title. Also Observation Log Of My Fiance Who Calls Herself The Villainess and Tearmoon Empire both have the large gender diverse supporting cast like Hamefura although Tearmoon Empire isnt technically an Isekai since its about a princess who reincarnates as her younger self 8 years in the past.

[@FreelanceGenie]

I agree that it's not good when the heroine and the villainess simply swap places, but the picture you were showing on screen is definitely not an example of that. The only reason Alicia looked at her like that, is because her light powers make Eumiella look like a literal huge ball of darkness. She apologizes to her later without being prompted. I'm a bit disappointed that I found two different "Villainess" videos, and neither one was just a video from someone who's a fan of the stories talking about how much they like them. You spent quite a lot of time complaining about stories and tropes you didn't like after saying that's not what you were going to do.

[@marions.3657]

I kinda just want a story where the heroine and villainess end up together for a change.

[@zarinthel]

there is a story exactly about that called "i'm in love with the villainess" if you want to check it out.

[@marions.3657]

@zarinthel yeah I know that one but that's not what I mean, I want a transmagrated or reincarnated villainess that falls for the og heroine and its mutual. The heroine is just as much in love with the villaness. I want the false ml to try and disolve his engagement with the villaness and take the heroine as his fiance but the heroine is like nope not interested in ya and gets stolen away by the villainess.

[@LemonLunitic]

@@marions.3657this is a bit different as it takes place after the villainess gets exiled, but I enjoy “please bully me, miss villainess” Where the isekai is the villainess and refuses to hurt the heroine (The heroine falls in love with the villainess) So the the heroine moves to the school where the isekai now attends

[@marions.3657]

@LemonLunitic Well I started reading it and I do enjoy it. This isnt really what I wanted. What I want is basically if melissa from beware of the villaness went gl instead of nine ( which I love, nine is babygirl) or like the villainess's pet yeah sasha isnt the heroine but like if her and rachel? ( I think) ended together or how i am deeply wishing for the yuri route in I tried to be her loyal sword.

[@nyotauhura7412]

The Retired Empress was vile. Seriously, who the hell empathizes with slave owners?

[@gurengamer9053]

I like villainess stories, because (ironicaly) they teach healthier behaviours than typical shoujo romance and shows that girls are putted too often to unhealthy rivaly. Don't live to please others expectation. You don't need to be liked by everyone and like everyone. Don't try to "earn" someone's love. Instead be smart, be brave. Be kind to others, but without self-sacrifice from any side. Be assertive, but without "showing their place" and bullying. But most of that - love Yourself.

[@almamater489]

7:26 nothing intersing? Lol, Navier may be born into wealth and power, but she's far more smarter and interesting than these other female leads, who just know how the plot is gonna play out. Navier is often forced into a villainess role _because_ she is a realistic ruler with obligations to her empire, which creates good conflicts in the story

[@CalmClamFam]

Spoilers: I would argue that in Remarried Empress, the empress (mc) does have some sympathy for the mistress (one of the antagonists) and when she becomes divorced she leaves documents for the antagonist with advice on how to run the empire. Also she lectured her ex-husband that he is hurting his new wife by asking her (the mc) to come back

[@CarrollLiddell]

I disagree with your initial comment. Often the heroine in the original game becomes friends with the Villainess in most stories. That feels like the trope to me. So when I watch/read something that makes the heroine a villain I was really surprised. Common Sense of a Dukes Daughter. She's not incompetent having need a man to help her, she's just not perfect and sometimes needs help from her partner. Which is what real life is ideally like, without the secretly working in the background part.