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[series:4863#628] | ||||||
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(Nine episodes watched): As I began watching episode one, the question came up 'OK, other than the premise will anything actually be different about this show than the numerous villainess ones that have come before?'. It is implied that Kenzaburo will employ the special knowledge he acquired during his 30-odd years as a Japanese bureaucrat in his new life; that is, his previous life will actually matter, for once. In most isekai anime the main character's previous life is quickly forgotten and you sometimes wonder if there was any need to include it at all. We get a lot of mixed signals in episode one: Kenzaburo/Grace says he 'doesn't know the first thing about otome games', yet he's able to list a number of classic ones and it is suggested that he used to play them himself. After the revalation Kenzaburo's mind takes control of Grace's body (though he retains her memories), but isn't he/she responsible for the 'cruel' personality that Grace had until now (a maid is shocked when Grace actually thanks her for doing something)? Kenzaburo makes clear that this has been reincarnation, not him somehow switching places with Grace. Also confusing is the attitude Ken/Grace adopts towards how he/she should behave. "Since I've been reincarnated as Grace I must do what I can to play the part of the villainess!" he/she declares at one point. In fact, about the only reason to behave like a villainess would be so that the people around him/her don't realize that something bizarre has taken place. At any rate, Ken/Grace befriends game heroine Anna Doll rather than harassing her as Grace normally would. That was definitely a good idea, but as a result no serious problems turn up and I was left wondering where this was all going. There is no hint that the programming of the game will try to force him/her towards a bad outcome of the sort that a villainess normally meets. But I am probably reading much greater complexity into this show than was ever intended, because I get the impression that in all likelihood this was only meant to be a silly isekai comedy. Problem is, it isn't very funny. I think the bit about Anna's 'motivation stat' was the only giggle I experienced during this episode. Seeing as the subtitle is 'dad's been reincarnated', I wonder if Ken's Japanese daughter will somehow play a part. But for now this was all seeming rather dull and if it doesn't perk up somewhat I won't be watching. Episode two brought up the same question: Grace understands that things will go badly for her if she duplicates the behavior of a villainess, doesn't she? "No matter what sort of person I get reincarnated as" Grace/Ken resolves, "I intend to perform their role in the world to the highest possible standard!" Judging from her assessment of Anna before the Student Council, it seems that she is now behaving in a generous and objective manner rather than as the arrogant aristocrat she used to be; but when ther members are surprised at what a change there seems to have been, she backs off and adopts an inbetween attitude. I was left confused and unable to exactly define the premise of this show. What will be the main conflict (or won't there be any?)? In episode three Grace is behaving as such a helpful, capable and kind person that several of the hunks find themselves attracted to her, and so does Anna. Surely this show is intended to be primarily a comedy, but as is so often the case within anime good jokes are in short supply. I was becoming tired of this show at this point, but episode four--or the second half of it--revived my interest. It turns out that Kenzaburo wasn't killed in the accident; he's in a coma-like state at the hospital. And his daughter and wife find that they can contact his mind (Grace) in an indirect manner via the videogame (sort of like in Tsunlise). They enable him to get an extraordinary 'familiar'--a tiny dragon--at the magic academy. This is more like it; I wondered where things would go from here. Episode five expands on this new situation, but not all that much, which was a disappointment. Kenzaburo's wife and daughter find that they must keep a close eye on Grace's actions, because sometimes they are the ones who make it possible for her to do things like change between the two modes of magic that the familiar, 'Orion', is capable of. They try to send her a signal that they are watching, but she doesn't catch on. Grace notes that while she can see the videogame-like status displays that sometimes appear, no one else can. Did anyone else see the two giant hands that appeared while Orion was being born? Having accomplished something remarkable, Grace is drafted to appear in a public display of magic that will take place soon. In episode six Grace develops her magical skills while her/his daughter and wife observe and seek a better way to communicate with him, and the three bad girls that back her up in the game try to drive a wedge between her and Anna. One possible problem is that she is distinguishing herself so much that almost everyone adores her, which may throw the basic premise of the game out of whack--like the Prince marrying her after all. But I thought little of much importance occured during this episode and felt frustrated. In episode seven we meet Grace's father, Count Leopold. I sort of wondered why this was included, since I don't see how he might affect romance and politics at the magical academy. The magical demonstration comes about and Grace and Anna thrill the spectators—though Grace/Kenzaburo doesn't realize that her/his wife and daughter played an important part by making selections on their videogame console. Everybody loves the once arrogant Grace. In episode eight Anna comes to stay at the Auvergne estate during a break in classes. She trains as a maid since she is under the impression that the best possible outcome for her is to someday be Queen Grace's Lady-in-Waiting. In fact, Grace/Kenzaburo are trying to engineer her way to becoming Queen herself. Grace/Kenzaburo have a strange dream in which they run into what appears to be Grace (the old Grace?) trapped in a cage. This version of Grace says nothing and few details are given, which left me wondering what significance it might hold. Kenzaburo's wife and daughter keep closely monitoring the game in hopes of figuring out how to contact him. In episode nine the six hunks are entrapped in a sort of magical Rubik's Cube and Grace and Anna (and one of the boys at a time) try to solve a series of puzzles to release them. Last updated Tuesday, March 11 2025. Created Monday, January 13 2025. | ||||||||
