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Reviews for The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady

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M
Mcsuper

about 3 years ago

8

In an era riddled with isekai with boring power fantasies, overpowered characters, and poor production, this anime was a gem of its genre, although this show is more disconnected from the isekai aspect, and more on the fantasy aspect. I will admit, when I saw this show announced, I thought it would be yet another generic isekai, but just with yuri. Seeing that Studio Diomedéa at the helm, and with their recent anime such as Futsal Boys, and Domestic Girlfriend, I wrote this one off entirely. I eventually did try it out, and following a premiere that stumbled out of the gates, it improved intosomething quite special, with impressive animation, characters, and thought-provoking themes.

Stories surrounding royalty always fall into the age old trope of in-fighting inside the palace, and a thirst for the throne and power. Instead, our main protagonist, Anisphia “Anis” Wynn Palletia, is one that seemingly does not care for ascending to the throne, despite being in the royal bloodline. One reason why that might be the case is that in a world filled with magic users, at least among royalty, she is incapable of using magic. Instead, she engages in research called “magicology”, using the world’s resources and her knowledge from her previous life. As she seemingly neglects her place in the royal scheme of things, she is seen as a heretic, and therefore, her brother, Algard, assumes the duties of royalty. At the outset, Algard is in a forced political marriage with Euphyllia Magenta, whom he barely knows.

With that, the theme of rebellion is presented for the first time in the show, as Algard spends time with another girl rather than his fiancée, and eventually denounces her in front of a huge crowd, calling off their marriage. This all happens in the first episode, and I’m sure that if you haven’t watched this show yet, you’re thinking to yourself how this is even good. It all seems like contrived drama, doesn’t it?

But then, Anisphia comes in, all carefree, to sweep Euphyllia off her feet, in more ways than one, as she flies away from the terrible scene with her on a broom, and gives her the role of being Anisphia’s assistant, which she agrees to.

Anisphia and Euphyllia have personalities that can be seen as polar opposites. Anisphia is a very happy go lucky girl who has excellent ideals around magic, whereas Euphyllia is struggling to fit into this casual atmosphere where no one is forced to be polite and ladylike, and can just have fun. In a way, the theme of rebellion shows itself yet again, as Euphyllia is rebelling against the very nature of her world, to change herself into finding her own purpose, to do the things that she wants, just like Anisphia. There’s a parallel to another anime, Lycoris Recoil, that I can sort of see here, with Anisphia resembling Chisato and Euphyllia resembling Takina, as the former breaks the latter out of her shell to push her to act and do things that she wants to do, not just following orders, like she’s done her whole life. Their dynamic was wonderful to see throughout the anime, as they go through the toughest of battles and emotions together.

To continue the discussion on rebellion, Algard, as polarizing and divisive as he was, ended up being quite a good character, and a villain who had some depth, and someone who allowed us to sympathize with. The world and its politics aren’t great. Its systems of prioritizing magic for the nobility is corrupt and was fully deserving to be broken down. Algard’s actions during this anime make him look like the villain, but he believed he was doing what needed to be done, which was overthrow the power dynamic in this world. He attempts to use his strength rather than change the policies slowly, and he’ll stop at nothing to achieve this goal. The ends justify the means for him, even if that means people need to be sacrificed to do so. Isekai series struggle with villain writing all the time, and while Algard, as decent of a character he was, he wasn’t exceptionally written in my opinion, but it’s most definitely a step in the right direction.

The side cast also added a lot to the cast as well. Tilty and Ilia were amazing characters who kept the main duo true to themselves, and pushed them towards a better relationship with each other.

Now, to the production side of things, the animation was generally very well done, with the fight scenes being exemplary, and the cinematography being amazing even outside of the fight choreography. The soundtrack was also very overlooked, and complimented the emotional and epic scenes very well. Studio Diomedéa was really punching above their weight here, and I never expected this studio to pull off something quite like this.

The main issue I did see with this show was the pacing, but it’s nothing too egregious, as the story was still generally quite decent overall. It felt a little fast at times, as it doesn’t feel like the world was really fleshed out to its fullest. While there was some world building aspects, it didn’t feel as intriguing as it could have been, in its political world building, or the monarchy in general. That said, the adaptation did what it had to, and I wasn’t disappointed at all.

Overall, this show has been quite a joy to watch, with its exemplary cast, solid animation, soundtrack, and themes. It’s a show I never expected to enjoy this much, and while there were some shortcomings, it was a great experience to watch and a great show to discuss about. The second half was quite polarizing among the anime community, but I came out with quite a positive view of it. I assure you, it’s more than just a plain old yuri anime, there was a lot of heart put into this adaptation, so if there’s anything to take away from this anime season, this would be a good choice to watch. I implore you, do give it a fair chance.

107
Recommended
T
TheRockzSG

about 3 years ago

9

When I say the word: “Princess.” What kind of impression comes into your mind? Now, take that impression of yours, and throw that in the bin, because this Princess is not your typical fantasy princess. Elegant? What is that? Princess Anis does not give two shits about being elegant while happily walking around the castle in a blood-soaked dress and wearing the head of a monster who is the latest’s victim of Anis’ rampage. Princess Anisphia “Anis” Wynn Palletia is the reason this anime is so enjoyable. Her erratic and unpredictable behaviour brings life into this already amazing show. Her passion for developing magical tools(magicology) is so infectious that it not only affects the character in the anime but the audience itself. You can’t help but love and adore her.

Such an amazing character is more than enough to make any show good. However, if you are not yet convinced. I will give you another reason why you should watch this:

The story.

I know many people who didn’t watch this anime because of the “Isekai” tag. Truthfully, I cannot blame them. Isekai as a genre is always a hit or miss, sometimes you may get to discover some amazing isekai like “Ascendance of a Bookworm”, “Mushoku Tensei” and “That Time I Have Reincarnated as a Slime.”. Or sometimes, you watch an isekai that is so bad that you wonder how it even receives an adaption in the first place.

For MagiRevo, I will put it in the “amazing isekai” category. Unlike other isekai, MagiRevo did not start like your typical isekai anime where it shoves the fact that it is an isekai right in your face. MagiRevo slowly sprinkles in small details that signal that this indeed, an isekai. Her invention, like the self-heating kettle, mana sword and magic broom is heavily based on her knowledge of her previous life. Anis occasionally mention her past life experience. Or during the ED where the image of our modern world is shown in a fraction of a second. This subtly allows MagiRevo to develop this unique and enjoyable storyline.

The story starts with Anis crashing into the party (literally) amid her brother, Prince Algard publicly calling off his marriage with his ex-fiancée Euphyllia “Euphie” Magenta and denouncing Euphie as a bully. Anis then recruit Euphie as her assistant which she reluctantly agrees to and flies off with her magic broom. Euphie helps Anis in her magicology research and follows her on her adventure. Slowly but steadily, their relationship begins to change and develop. In what way? That is for you to find out!

Now, the negative part of the review.

The criticism I have with this anime is how they tone down the personality and the relationship of the characters in MagiRevo. Let’s use Anis as an example, Anis is far more aggressive and erratic in the Light Novel and Manga compared to the anime. In the manga and light novel, there are some instances of Anis fly kicking the door wide open. She has been described as a bloodthirsty monster who will not stop anything short of what she wants to do. Compared to anime where Anis, is much more reserved and tamed.

Anis’s interaction with other characters has also been toned down. Especially the interaction with Ilia, her maid. In the light novel and manga, Anis and Ilia act more like a pair of best friends than a master and a servant. Ilia will throw a jab at Anis whenever an opportunity arises. She even physically slaps the living soul out of Anis when Anis tried to assault someone. Even with that, there is a strong mutual respect between them. While in the anime, you can tell that there is a barrier between Anis and Ilia. Yes, Ilia is still quite rude to Anis at times, but it is nowhere near the level of the light novel.

For me, one of the main reasons why I love MagiRevo so much is because of how Anis interact with other characters. How others interact with our not-so-princessy princess. So, when they tone down their personality and interaction. It feels like the anime missing parts of its soul.

By no means, the anime is bad. I know some people do prefer the more toned-down version of Anis. Everyone has their preference. Is just like a cup of tea, the anime version is just like a cup of well-brewed tea, while the more aggressive version of Anis is the sugar cube. Some people prefer tea without any sugar, and some people prefer drinking their tea with a few cubes of sugar. There is no wrong way of consuming tea.

Another criticism I have with this anime is how much content they skip. I understand this is a necessary evil to cover 3 volumes worth of content into a 12-episode season as it is almost impossible without skipping some content. Due to how the light novel is written, there aren’t many filler chapters the anime can safely skip without harming the story as a whole. As a result, they are forced to skip some content while sacrificing the world-building and character development aspect of the anime. For example, the light novel explains why Ilia treats Anis in this way. Or Algard’s reasoning behind why he does this or that. There is much more content that has been skipped in the anime, but it will make the review way too long. This skipped content makes the story, and the character looks shallow, and undeveloped and gives an impression to the viewer that the story is rushed.

The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady, or MagiRevo for short is one of the best, if not, the best isekai in this winter 2023 season. The main character, Princess Anis is one of the most infectious and loveable characters I have ever seen, and the story is not your typical copy and paste but an original, well-written story. Even though it has some issues with the adaption, it is still a must-watch for anyone who enjoys watching isekai or fantasy anime. I will award this anime a strong 9.

If you wish to read its light novel, please note that this anime has adapted all the official translated volumes of MagiRevo (As of March 2023). If you wish to continue the story where the anime left off, you must wait until April 2023, when Yen Press release the 4th volume of MagiRevo. However, if you want to read its light novel, I will strongly recommend you to read from the first volume compared than starting at the fourth value (when it’s released). As mentioned earlier in the review, much content has been cut in the anime adaptation. So it is worth starting from the start.

If you don’t like reading hundreds of pages of light novels, you can read manga instead. The manga is an extremely good adaptation of the light novel. Where the personality I mentioned earlier is shown in full display. Unfortunately, the official translated version of the manga only covers till around Episode 7 or 8 of the anime.

Story: 10/10

Art: 8/10

Sound: 9/10

Character: 10/10

Enjoyment: 9/10

Overall: 46/50 (9.2)

63
Recommended
E
Ellenwitch

about 3 years ago

8

Animes are built upon layers. A good story, a good opening act, and most importantly, a good set of characters. One thing for sure, having your MC be a great MC. If you're looking for a series that does that, then look no further. As if you're looking for one of the best girls of the entire season, then look no further than Wynn. Story and characters: 8 The story will take a moment to settle, but once you're settled, you're strapped and ready to dig deep into it. Why? Because of Wynn. Wynn will single handily make you love this show, no matter how you findit. Because she's a great MC, she's energetic, airhead like in her clumsiness. She breaths life into the show, and makes you not only love and appreciate her, but other characters too.It's as if she's the life blood, and it really ups the other characters to boot. Not that they're bad, more that because of having Wynn on screen with them, they become even better. You'll learn to like them, see Euphyllia's struggle, and really sympathize with her. It's a couple you'd want to ship and support for that matter.

As for the story context in itself, it's rather sweet. While it has a serious tone to it, as to be expected, with a show containing royal families and royal connections. But when you see Wynn, you wouldn't even see those titles. You'll see a wonderful happy girl, that will keep you entertained and watching through out.The story follows setting the scene at first, before twisted it into a break up, with our dumbass in Wynn coming in for the rescue. Having the brilliant idea that 'hey, if her brother isn't gonna marry her, then I'm gonna!' Adorable stuff.

Art and sound: 8

I really do adore how things flow and such. As if each scene has good details about them, with the sounds really fitting the atmosphere of it's heaviness, before going to a more gentle tone due to whats going on. Matched with a great art style, that isn't ruined by poor animated monsters that you'd find in other animes that use it so cheaply. It really captures landscapes, and places, where it be at night, ore in the day, really well. Both departments deserves props for this. Hell, just take a look at how the magic looks. Brilliant stuff.

Wynn is love. Wynn is life. But seriously, it's a good show, carried by one of the best MCs of the entire Winter season. Give it a go now.

52
Preliminary
Recommended
Preliminary
g
guidoenlice

about 3 years ago

8

This anime resulted in a turn of unexpected events. There are like 10 “fantasy” anime this season and this is one is worth a shot. - The starting point of this adaptation was really well executed. The protagonist is someone reincarnated, but that fact is used as a way of making know the audience that she is after all someone to whom we can see ourselves reflected, so we can expect a rational decision from her part, and also interesting ones. - Also the series doesn’t start by revolving around the fact that the protagonist is someone reincarnated, puts that fact aside and instead itfocuses primarily on the conflicts within each character presented.

For example:

- The coprotagonist, always putting her responsibilities first, leads her to have a rather despicable attitude so to speak, even telling the prince what he should do and with whom he should be relating, hoping not to disappoint her family's name or the expectations people have of her because of her status, but that kind of attitude is what you would expect from someone being so high in the social pyramid.

- The prince, brother of the protagonist seems to be like someone who would go against the protagonist for no reason, but later instead he is presented as someone who refuses to follow the established rules of the kingdom, the best part of that is that his reasons are completely justified, as he himself said, what led him to that attitude was having seen all the abuse that someone with a low social status suffers the day to day, besides being fed up with everything that entails being a prince, being restricted of taking his own decisions, also he is going through his rebel phase. The problem is that the anger he feels leads him to make hasty decisions, etc.

Generally speaking, yeah, the characters are pretty good so far.

- The dialogue. It was really good also, it never felt that any line was annoying and unnecessary for the development of the story, but instead they contributed a lot to it, developing the characters, contributing to the world building, etc. It feels realistic and that’s the most important part.

An example of a great exchange was the afternoon snack scene between the prince and his fiancée in the first episode, such a solid exchange between characters, simple and quick. In the course of the episodes that solidness didn’t go down.

- The music (OST): It’s what you expect of a fantasy anime, compared to most OSTs, it stands out, along with the sound desing. the experience is very noticeable.

- The animation: It was really good, it didn’t disappoint and didn’t got worse later. The animation studio is not characterized too much by the animation of its projects, but in its years of experience which are really shown. The ways they use their resources are extraordinary.

The production was also carried out by several people with good track records in some cases, working on projects such as "Owarimonogatari".

- Right now there isn’t much to complain about and 100% recommend this anime, really hoping to see where this story leads us.

37
Preliminary
Recommended
Preliminary
Z
ZeroMajor12

about 3 years ago

6

To summarise how Tenten Kakumei was, it's how the anime managed to subvert my expectations towards its cast of characters and seems to have effort being put into them. It was a pleasant surprise to watch with my original expectations going negative with both of the themes stating 'Isekai' and 'Reincarnation', although such a thing doesn't seem to arise throughout the whole show (it just seems to be there with no apparent reason). There are some minor spoilers, though I put them out of context. First Pro: There is effort given into writing these characters. - It doesn't quite reach the top-tier level of characters we soadore, but their motives, characteristics, and actions align well with each other that makes you want to root for them, although I barely felt any affection towards any of the cast except the side characters, which led me to feel pleased knowing they actually play a role into the story without being minor or forgotten after being mentioned a few times. Particularly, it was the father of Anisphia and Lainie, who I initially thought were supposed to be two-faced scumbags just so happens to be great people in the end. Trust me, I thought Lainie was going to be a girl that would stab the main heroines in the back who masked herself as a misunderstood commoner-made-noble, but it seems that it never went on that route and I appreciate them for that. Anisphia, the main heroine is trying a bit too hard to be the rash yet charming character we're all supposed to love, but I can't help but feel indifferent about her. She has a strong and clear motivation to try and replicate magic from artificial objects rather than humans with innate power. That's one. Two is her sense of nobility and heroism to others. Three is being sympathetic to Euphillia, who got rejected out of nowhere by the main antagonist, Algard (who got me shaking my head when I heard about his main motives). So why do I not feel anything about Anis, despite these things that should prove to give anyone a liking to her? This goes to show my first issue with the show stems from:

First Con: There is a lack of focus and polish in the plot.

- Here, we have a section on politics and tradition that contradicts the research on Anisphia's doings. What's that? Anisphia is risking her life to fight dragons and mythological beings? What did you say? Now we're at girls' love? It never ends, the anime attempts to be the jack of all trades but never excels at any of them due to the lack of focus put into these segments. When it tried its hand on politics, which is supposed to be one of the main parts of the story, I was shaking my head, it does nothing to indulge in other than what Anis's doing is bad, and what 'the nobles' believe is good. They don't seem to provide solid facts to back up their points and all that's left is hollow, meaningless, and annoying squabbling that offers nothing to the plot. The nobles don't mean anything and were brought up last minute when it realises it's about a princess living in a monarchy.

Second Pro: Production value is great just as expected.

- Diomedea recently has been consistently producing good-looking anime with great character design and background art, it's safe to say that Diomedea didn't miss this one. I don't have much to say other than that it looks gorgeous and polished. At least you don't have to worry about any disappointing visuals that might make you burst into laughter.

Second Con: The way characters talk feels forced and contrived.

- They talk like the other person is unable to comprehend what the other is saying without any emotional subtext. It makes me hard to believe someone is like how the other person describes them when they say it without shame. Even during the emotional moments, I was rolling my eyes away when they, ready to duke it out, decides to talk about how great they are or their original motives right in front of their faces. It's like disrespecting your audience's privilege to think about what is going on and having to explain the joke as it's going on. It was just a minor issue in the 1st half, but as it went on, it started to stick out like a sore thumb, waning my enthusiasm to watch.

Third Pro: The voice acting is top-notch.

- The amount of soul and emotion these voice actresses brought to the characters they play is remarkable. There was not a moment where I was thinking of the actresses and not the characters.

Third Con: It doesn't feel like a fantasy.

- Ok, it just mentions dragons and fairies for a few episodes, and then what? There's barely any major development in other aspects other than monarchies, nobles, and castles. Commoners don't mean anything in this one. Rival kingdoms? Nope, girls fighting over the throne, now that's a good idea. Not meeting with kings or queens of neighbouring kingdoms? Sorry, we need to have the princess meet her friends that support her ideas. For a fantasy story, this barely passes or works as entry-level writing. It's just a story about a princess living happily in her castle, doing whatever nonsense to her liking without taking the effort to recognise other people.

Overall, you should watch this if you're looking for:

- Unofficial romance between the main heroines.

- Dramatical sequences in the second half.

- Hoping for characters that might surprise you.

I don't recommend this if you want:

- Strong character development

- Fantastic lore and meticulous writing

- Genuine dialogue

Hence, that is all and thank you for reading.

22
Mixed Feelings
Z
ZNoteTaku

about 3 years ago

9

During a festive gathering to celebrate the new graduations from the magical academy, Algard, the crown prince of Atland and betrothed to noblewoman Euphyllia, announces that their engagement is effectively annulled. Having been taken by the charms of a commoner girl named Lainie, he levies accusations at Euphyllia, leaving her horrifically disgraced and her social status effectively ruined. As everything is about to come to a catastrophic head (even moreso than it already had), the rebellious princess Anisphia crashes through the window on her magical tool broomstick and, reading the situation quickly, takes Euphyllia away and promises to set her free from her circumstances. *The MagicalRevolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady,* or *MagiRevo* for short, starts with these series of violent metaphorical (and in Anisphia’s case, literal) collisions. As the series unfolds over its twelve episodes, the picture as to how all the collisions were born, nurtured, and achieved their realization begin to take their shape. All of the show’s major players, from aristocrats like Anisphia, Euphyllia to Algard, to even the lower-class Lainie, are thrust into a conflict propelled by forces that they are unable to reconcile, left to the mercy of where their seemingly pre-ordained fate will lead them. In effect, the show “imprisons” its characters by robbing them of their sense of agency. And thus, the form of revolution is born – each will take their destiny by their own hands.

“Revolution” – what a word! It tends to be the stuff of textbooks in history class, of looking at history through a mirror darkly and unable to fully grasp the larger picture since we were not there ourselves. But we would be wise to remember that revolutions are not made up purely some grand-sweeping events that happened in a vacuum; they are the stuff of people. More specifically, they are the stuff of a people who have embodied or had to live with an angst laid by problems or situations that were perhaps far beyond their control. A confluence of anger, sadness, and standing at the precipice of uncertain tomorrows all intermingle in intense and perhaps violent ways, both individually and societally. *MagiRevo* is a series that spearheads both approaches, with each of the characters’ own stories and personal arcs serving both their personalized journeys and complementing the political story hanging over their kingdom.

These are characters that actually talk to one another as human beings rather than as placeholders, people with their own apprehensions, fears, ways of interpreting the situation, and actively communicating to try and parse out the best option available. Especially as Euphyllia now must come to terms with her own lack of station and becoming Anisphia’s assistant, she’s a girl who has effectively lost her compass. When placed against the highly-independent Anisphia, Euphyllia’s waif-like way of being seems like a dismal balance in which she threatens to be overshadowed. But it is through her own contemplation (and gentle guidance, not force) guile, that ultimately allows her to steer her own ship. She charts a course at Anisphia’s side, and through her own acumen and demonstrates her own sensitivities and prowesses, both mental and magical, that Anisphia simply doesn’t possess.

*MagiRevo* does not go for comedy in moments where it is not appropriate. The soundtrack often uses soft keyboards, strings, and percussion to create an airiness that feels soothing. It uses the imagery of love and relationships to show a fundamental, tender caring between these two characters rather than bringing them together through artificially-generated collision, aloofness, or antagonism that has no true underlying subtext. Yes, it is yuri coded (which...), make no mistake about that. However, as constructed, I brought myself to believe that these two not only care about one another in the early phases of their dynamic, but could reasonably fall in love and form a romance.

And then there’s Anisphia herself. I should stress that *MagiRevo* is an isekai (which, depending on who you ask, is just as much of a four-letter word in the anime landscape as the term “CGI”), but it doesn’t play itself like one, opting instead to approach itself as a straight fantasy. When the series begins, Anisphia is already reborn into the new world and its city of Atland, so we get very little overt information as to what her life back in the “real world” (for lack of a better term) was like. The impact is crucial – because the entirety of the story takes place within this new world, it makes Anisphia feel less like an interloper and more like a natural person who was born here. We do not “know” any other version of Anisphia aside from the one who resides in Atland, cutting out needless fat or pathos that doesn’t provide substantial sustenance. She is not “some girl from the real world” – she is Princess Anisphia of Atland. Her personality and her other magicological idiosyncrasies are enough to present her as an outcast without the added baggage of wondering about the life or people that she left behind.

And because she is framed as being entirely within this world, it means that the political situation more-actively pertains to her in a fashion that reads as believable. Though I referred to her as an outcast before, it would perhaps be more accurate to call her an “aberration.” In a kingdom where magic determines one’s status and class, it is a cruel, cosmic joke that the crown princes was born with no magical ability. To make the most of her curious mind and the royal family’s resources, she takes part in the forbidden art of magicology (or thaumatology, depending on which translation you’re watching), fashioning “tools” that allow her to make magic her own way. In her study of magicite, and with assistance from her maid Ilia and friend Tilty, she discovers that magic can be harnessed and honed into many new forms, some practical and others fantastical. Just as Euphyllia’s fate was burdened with the death of her engagement and social status at Algard’s hands, Anisphia’s existence, magicological pursuits, and impulsive charges into danger—for research or otherwise—are themselves a revolutionary stance against the kingdom’s entire ideology. It earns her the facepalm-induced frustrations of her family and the complete ire of the traditional nobility.

I mentioned before that the characters’ personal revolutions act as partnered complements to the grander overarching kingdom story, and that’s because these are characters whose decisions actively change the lives of both themselves, their loved ones, and by extension, the kingdom that they all call their home. As the story progresses onward and Atland’s political state is gradually unearthed, there’s the genuine question both of what is happening and whether what is present is salvageable. *MagiRevo* is not content to just let its political squabbles be solved so quickly; as the future reveals itself, Algard’s actions are, much like Euphyllia’s coming to terms with her circumstances and Anisphia revolting against her very existence, his own proposed revolution to what he himself sees as a problem. He, for reasons veiled in mystery until the moment of reckoning, charges into his own metaphorical fray.

*MagiRevo* makes a rather daring statement by doing so – the characters themselves are not at fault for why things happened to them the way they did for so long. Their apprehensions are genuine, and their worried hearts are a byproduct of all that was structurally in place. Yet by making this claim, the series is taking a massive gamble; political stories do not get credit for simply revealing a problem and then putting a neat little bow on it. Such a thing does a disservice to the Pandora’s Box that it opened. This series even within its first season, however, seems willing to charge headfirst into that dark vortex and pick apart the nuances that make its world revolve. Whatever awaits them (and I sincerely hope it follows through), Anisphia, Euphyllia, and all those they care about will tackle the impossible tomorrow and make their own way. Working against all the impossible odds is what Anisphia has always done, and what Euphyllia learned she must do.

“The impossible is something you make possible!” ~Anisphia

7
Recommended
Well-written
K
KANLen09

about 3 years ago

9

Tensei Oujo a.k.a MagiRevo: the second coming of Lycoris Recoil, only if it's made in total liberal fantasy. For the 2nd Isekai/fantasy show in a row, studio Diomedéa has done it again, this time dabbling with the Yuri genre. And in a season where there is no less of notoriety to talk about, novelist Piero Karasu's only work that is Tensei Oujo to Tensai Reijou no Mahou Kakumei a.k.a The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady (or simply shortened to MagiRevo) easily stands out as one of the best Winter shows, period. And this is no contest in the slew ofmore than a dozen Isekai/fantasy shows where each and every one of them is fighting for the utmost attention, yet MagiRevo manages to do the seemingly impossible: to have a Yuri show be one of the few potential AOTS, since 2018's Yagate Kimi ni Naru a.k.a Bloom Into You.

From the outset, what truly defines a standout Isekai/fantasy show, there are multiple factors from the setting to the characters, and believe it or not, every way is good, if not great. Such is the case of this show, which is centered around two princesses in their own scope and way of life in the spirit of their own Magical Revolution: Anisphia "Anis" Wynn Palettia and Euphyllia "Euphie" Magenta.

For the former, she is known as the Marauder Princess, the first Princess of her own Kingdom of Palletia, simply because of one fact: she is magic-less from the get-go. And in the typical age of fantasy shows where everyone born is imbued with magic, Anisphia stands out as the typical misogynic failure of a girl that has the "princess" position to her name, yet somehow not being able to meet the "high standards" of the Traditionalist nobles. The reason being that (and this is something that the anime doesn't go into much detail because of "reasons" to leave this CRITICAL detail out) it's actually in the series's name: Anisphia is actually a reincarnated person from Earth, but to add to the twist, as opposed to the usual reincarnated character who's generically OP, Anis isn't all that, and has to earn magic on her own accord. That brings us to her magical experiments that she dubs "magicology": insane and wild scientific experiments of research from the knowledge of her past life to make gadgets, that must be kept under wraps from even her own family.

For this reason, the kingdom is one space less of the next position to succeed as the heir to the throne, and this is placed on the expectations of Algard "Allie" Von Palettia, Anis's younger brother and the crown prince of the kingdom, and also Euphyllia's ex-fiance that's made out of the typical arranged marriage at first glance. Euphie is the Genius Young Lady who is talented in magic and politics and has a perfectionist attitude that simply could not be trifled with even the smallest of details. As expected, the arranged marriage between Algard and Euphyllia was met to an insane amount of backlash, simply because of one girl that he fancied more: Lainie Cyan, the commoner-turned-noble that the princess was misunderstandingly alleged for bullying her, and that he'd rather choose Lainie over her. It is then that Anis simply does what a princess should NOT do: make a scene by gatecrashing the party and stealing her away, like a prince does to his wedded in the face of kingdom rebellion. And boy, Anisphia is by far one of the most gutsy and riskiest girls that I have seen in modern anime, I would go as far as to call her the unhinged Chisato Nishikigi of the series, because she is THAT complicated, yet like Chisato, knows of her ambitions and goals to set out on her objective of being just an unordinary noble person developing stuff that is way ahead of their time. Also, for Anis being an out of closet / coming out lesbian, there is no short of close interactions with both Anis and Euphie, making for some Yuri moments that is a relationship in progress, yet when it comes down to it, is a necessity in keeping each other accounted for, in every step of the way, from bonding to the eventual relationship.

From the get-go, you can compare the relationship of both Anis and Euphie as to that of Lycoris Recoil's Chisato and Takina, because it's just that similar with the only difference being the setting that is based upon. That said, Euphie definitely has the personality of Takina Inoue down to a T: the perfectionist attitude that doesn't sweat a beat and going to lengths on how to treat others around her with ruthlessness and kindness, depending on the situation and circumstances that it allows. The ousting of Euphyllia from the natural progression of the nobles' marriage, opens up to more characters supporting or resisting the two in every other way. Since we're on the topic of Anis's brother Algard, let's go with him first. Being furious that the next heir to the throne is seemingly thrown to him willy-nilly, Algard has a jealousy for his own sister who's being able to boot herself out of the nobility running, and remember the reasoning for wanting to marry Lainie instead of Euphie? This is part of his Revolution to purge the kingdom's corrupt nobles, and Lainie's form being actually a vampire that has the infatuation charm around her (but that the girl herself is unaware of), she is his tool of plot to drive home the kingdom's incorrigibility and change it for the better, putting both commoners and nobles on the same pedestal of fair treatment. An amicable effort on the crown prince's behalf, though rebellions such as coup d'états are absolutely not tolerated. Turning to Anisphia's aides, there is Ilia Coral, the deeply loyal maid who shares a bond that is more than just a master-servant level, and Tilty Claret, the fellow best friend-cum-research partner who is well-versed in magic and someone who is not afraid to turn a sadistic eye to those in defiance against her. All in all, compelling characters that all worked for and against the best of each other, it's no short of the defintion of what it means to be a Revolution.

For Diomedéa, this is no short of awesome as it continues the Isekai trend of standout shows that the studio has produced, the most recent being last Summer's Isekai Yakkyoku a.k.a Parallel World Pharmacy. Great production with impressive animation and attention to detail thanks to in-house director Shingo Tamaki, whose last work was on the year-long Ahiru no Sora from 2019 to 2020, before seemingly taking a break to come back for MagiRevo. Something that you will find interesting is that scriptwriter-cum-series composer Wataru Watari is involved in this project, which if you know this name, he is the famed novelist for the social-experimental series that is OreGairu. Obviously, being out of the clutches of OreGairu, this is as close to that Yuri feeling of Yukino and Yui as we are going to get. I merely forgot that Wataru is also one of the studio's series composers, working on shows like the upcoming sequel to Seijo no Maryoku wa Bannou Desu a.k.a The Saint's Magic Power Is Omnipotent and the aforementioned Isekai Yakkyoku. Overall, if there is an Isekai/fantasy show that is produced by a studio that you can be rest assured upon with consistent great quality, it's Diomedéa.

The music composed by Moe Hyuuga, she has worked on some fairly recent shows, the most notables being this season's Otonari no Tenshi-sama a.k.a the Angel Spoils Me Rotten and Summer 2019's Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo. a.k.a O Maidens in Your Savage Season. It's decent to a degree, but when it hits, it hits hard. This is Utaite (song cover) singer Hanatan's first parole into the anime scene (if you don't cover the HoneyWorks affiliated show) with "Arc-en-Ciel", and it's a beautiful song to boot. But to me, it's the ED of Anis and Euphie's VAs stealing the thunder with "Only for You" being one of the most artistic EDs that's on top of an already great song. Music's no biggie for a show like this, it's executed just as well.

It's such a tomfoolery that of unkempt characters that all suffer from one problem or another, come together in the most unlikely of circumstances to go through what they know about life together, through the adversaries and breaking tradition to create one compelling package that admittedly calls for more. And through this only 12-episode season, I do REALLY want more of MagiRevo that if not for a Season 2, then the LN or the manga equivalent is the way to go. Bear in mind that the anime kinda rushes through its developments to get to a good stopping point, so certain details are actually left out for the limited time of the show's run. But this does not affect the overall enjoyment of the show, and this comes no short of a recommendation, even if you're not a fan of the Yuri undertones, that ignore it, shows a setting that's as worthy of a hard investment of what it means to be a good fantasy show.

In a season full of heavy sequels, this really stands out as one of my potential non-sequel AOTS shows. And it's worth every minute and second of it.

8
Recommended
Well-written
M
Marinate1016

about 3 years ago

8

Tenten Kakumei is one of the best examples of a LGBTQ relationship you’ll see in this medium. It is extremely refreshing to see a serious, healthy, non-overly sexualised relationship between two young women. Add great world-building and writing to that and you’ve got the recipe for one of my favourite fantasy series. Now, I loved the first half of the show adaptation-wise, but I did have quite a few issues with how the studio handled things in the second half that I’ll touch on later. The anime on its own is very good. Not only does it give us that healthy relationship between Anis and Euphie,but the Diomedea make the world feel so alive. You can really feel the political and social tension in every episode. Having Anis navigate a sexist and status obsessed world as both a woman and as someone without magic is really interesting. The show handles very mature topics in respectful and mature ways without making a lot of jokes like in other anime series.

Of course, at the core of the series is the relationship between the two female leads, and I love how it’s given so much care and dedication. Their gradual romantic developments don’t feel forced or random. It really does feel like watching two people genuinely fall in love which is the highest level of praise you can give to a romance story. Their relationship isn’t perfect, though. They both have their insecurities and doubts, and that feels very real because no relationship is perfect. It’s so satisfying seeing them grapple with these issues on top of the already tense situation within the kingdom. The character drama in this show is just top notch.

Now, I mentioned earlier some issues I had with the adaptation made it hard to enjoy the second half of the show as much as the first. I think if you’re anime only you won’t have any problems on that front, but given this is one of my favourite Light Novel series it’s impossible to overlook some of the omissions from the story. Characters were written out, world-building omitted and several chapters were either skipped or cut down substantially. Most Light Novels suffer from things like this, but the things they cut out for me were some of my favourite scenes so it was pretty disappointing. There was a lot of time given to volume 1, I believe 5-6 episodes, compared to 3 or so for the other volumes. That pace shift is noticeable to me as you can tell they were rushing to get to the end of volume 3. The second half felt way faster than the first. But, it is what is.

Quality wise, Diomedea did an awesome job. I did not know they had this type of quality in their bag. The big fight scenes were wonderfully done, well choreographed and featured great voice acting. The general art style of the show is really pleasing, I love the colour palette they went with. Episode 11 in particular will probably go down as one of my favourite directed episodes of the year.

Just a really good job overall of bringing this series to life and even with the omissions, it’s a must watch for any yuri or fantasy fan. Unfortunately because I am LN biased, adaptation quality plays a big role for me so I can’t give it the full score I’d like to.

Tenten Kakumei gets 8 out of 10.

16
Recommended
s
six20

over 1 year ago

4

Tensei Oujo to Tensai Reijou no Mahou Kakumei is a good yuri anime, one that that also revealed yuri is not enough to carry the show. This show is worth watching up until episode 9. Characterwise, Anis is easily likable being your confident blonde hair savior. Euphy is okay and has flaws to be ironed out, which the show did do. I personally liked Tilty more than either two of them because she is a little bit more objective. Animationwise, this show is good, no doubt about it, even the parts I disliked at the end, I will easily admit, the animation was up to par. Soundtrackwise,nothing offensive, nothing outstanding either.

Storywise, this show falls apart at the end. One of main characters did a 180 degree turn in character, that was not hinted at well and extremely forced. The crisis that could have caused this dramatic shift was solved too nicely for the character to have such a sudden shift in attitude. Had it been resolved in a the worse possible fashion, sure this character shift would have been realistic and made this show great.

Shows that drop the ending are salvageable. Shows that drop the ending within its own internal logic are not salvageable. This anime falls towards the later.

21
Not Recommended
C
ChiefGamer

over 2 years ago

5

Started good but fell apart in the first few episodes. If you are expecting a fun isekai with yuri then don't watch this. It is full of melodrama. Like too much melodrama. There is hardly any focus on the magic science that the protagonist is supposed to be all over. Rather it focuses more on interpersonal relations and politics. Btw the parents are horrible. The nobles are horrible. And there isn't any revolution by the protagonist. Rather she totally conforms to them. Euphyllia would have been a better protagonist since her character development is actually quite good. She is great by the last episode. ComparativelyI liked the protagonist in the beginning but by 11th episode I wanted to drop it due to her. I only finished since there was just 1 more ep left. I hope this doesn't get another season.

Short version - there wasnt any revolution. Its mostly melodrama and politics (the bad kind). No fun magic science or the usual isekai fun vibe either. All characters are usually just sad most of the time. Don't waste your time.

9
Not Recommended
Informative
O
Ory_Senpai

almost 3 years ago

5

Viva the Yuri Revolution!! Or that’s what I’d say if this series left me feeling excited about it. Sadly I didn’t really enjoy it as a whole. I enjoyed PARTS of this show, but way, way too much of it was bogged down in seriousness and depression. Why can’t I just have a cute little yuri isekai slice of life series???? I dislike series that can’t pick a tone, and this series definitely had that issue. It started off with the hilarious antics of this bloody, wild princess, who steals away her brother’s fiancé to take for herself. It’s very comedic. I was legitimately laughing at howthe princess shows up the first time. I need a good laugh these days. Life’s too serious to be serious all the time.

But, the problem comes after this, because all of the important obstacles in the story are TOO big, and TOO serious. Really killed the mood.

The titular ‘reincarnated princess’ is from our world, by the way, which is never really used as much more than a B-side subplot device to give her a reason to come up with various magical inventions that look like stuff from our world. Not that that’s a bad thing, but this series definitely puts me into the frame of mind where I’m questioning what the point of this series being an ‘isekai’ is in the first place. The origin world stuff really doesn’t come up that much whatsoever. Could have been default fantasy without a problem.

This is a problem because on the one hand, we have a ridiculous princess who makes flying brooms and magic swords, and there’s vampires and dragons, etc. and on the other hand we have a very serious plot with characters being worried about rites of succession and having to bear offspring that will carry the royal bloodline. There’s a serious divide here. Ultimately it led to me feeling pretty bad about the series in general.

In the end, this series became one I completed mostly for the sake of not leaving something unfinished, but I couldn’t really bring myself to care very much about it. The visuals were stunning, so it certainly wasn’t a drag to watch, but I don’t think I’ll think about anything aside from it having a cute little yuri couple. I ended up buying the manga after the first episode, and with the dramatic tone shift, I actually felt pretty baited. Not likely to continue to buy volumes of this, or watch a season 2 if they make one.

39
Not Recommended
-
-Danyal

about 3 years ago

5

I wasn't sure sure why this show was fetting such good reviews until I watched the last episode. It seems that a yuri ending will help a show through the rankings when it has (almost) nothing else going for it. On a more serious note I can't in all honesty say this was a bad show. The animation is on point, the story, in spite of being quite stereotypical, is still good enough to be worth watching. On the other hand I can't say it was a good show either. The dialogue are overly lenghty and repetitive, to the point that I alomost had to fastforward through some of them. Some people may like that but it was a complete turn-off for me.

10
Mixed Feelings
g
gpmkanime

about 3 years ago

10

I think most avid viewers of the yuri genre and readers of the series can unanimously agree that this is the best Yuri anime we have to date. Easily surpasses Bloom Into You which is the current Top Yuri anime now. The story is unique and it's not generic because it's a mixture of the isekai and yuri element. Well, sadly I think there will be avid haters of the yuri genre that will give this a low score. We should not give it a low score. Let's just watch and enjoy. They missed a few yuri moments but it's all good. Story: 10 Adaptation: 9Visuals: 10

Total: 29/30

3
Preliminary
Recommended
Funny
Preliminary
p
p0migranate

about 2 years ago

4

I think this show's writing is very sloppy and suffers from a lack of focus. I was expecting a cute romance with a fantasy royalty backdrop, but I ended up getting poorly realized political drama and flimsy worldbuilding, with a little romance on the side. I'm usualy not one to fuzz about stuff like this but I think the magic system, the basis for the entire setting, is kinda wack. It's like they decided the names of the spells before they invented them. Like, how did the work of the old masters end up at "Water Hammer?"* *water hammer = a hammer made out of water. (╯▔皿▔)╯ Theworldbuilding being as underdeveloped as it is wouldn't have been such a problem if the show just focused on its strong points, the cute yuri moments and the romance, but I was surprised to see this take a backseat for most of the show in favor of the poorly thought out political drama surrounding the concept that only nobles get to have magic. This plot is written very sloppily to say the least, being riddled with incompetent characters who present ultimatums that make no sense but get immediately accepted regardless, and the entire ruling system is made out to be very flimsy with how handwavy things seem to be run. It feels like the writers wanted to make a romance about princesses and nobles, but felt some kind of misplaced obligation to include a more serious plot, and totally halfassed their way there.

That being said, the parts I did enjoy I thought were great. The romance is cute and emotional, and the characters really feel like they change and grow through their relationships to each other, so if you're more patient than me with sticking through the bad parts, you may still get something out of it.

3
Not Recommended
M
MetalSlug7

about 3 years ago

10

As a reader of the novel, I'll give my review, so I'll say that the anime, so far, is doing a great job. First, I will give a general idea of ​​the work to make it easier to understand what it is about. But first, I want to make it clear that nothing I'm going to say is a spoiler, I'm just clarifying some things. In addition, some topics that I mention, but leave the explanation open, it is because the work will explain, and therefore I will not say anything. Here we have the protagonist, Anisphia, who recalls memories of her past life when she was a child. Atthat moment, our protagonist, in addition to being the princess Anisphia of the kingdom, also becomes the Anisphia of our world.

Why am I saying all this? Because I want to make it clear that:

--- The protagonist does not have the "overpower knowledge", which isekai protagonists usually have. But yeah, she's smart, and she tries really hard to accomplish what she wants.

--- The fact that she has the memory of our world is something very important for the development of the character. I'm just making it clear that the "isekai" factor is not used as a cheat, but as something really important.

Having said that, let's move on to explaining the world.

The story revolves around the monarchical system (royalty, nobility, commons), and the location is the Kingdom of Palletia, which has a tradition of idolizing spirits and magic.

In a kingdom with such a tradition, Anisphia is the princess, but she was born without the gift of magic.

However, due to the way the kingdom works, royalty and nobility are able to use magic, while commoners do not.

The fact that the princess, from a kingdom with such a strong tradition, is not able to use it is a big problem.

If you already know the least about monarchy, even in works of fiction, we already know that Anisphia will have problems with the nobility.

However, since Anisphia wants to be able to use magic anyway, she creates her own study of magic, called Magicology, and the story goes from there.

With everything explained, what is the brilliance of this work, and what made me like it so much?

The strengths of this work are certainly the characters and the world.

As you saw above, I explained the basics about the protagonist, which is basically what we see in the synopsis and at the beginning of the work, but we already noticed that things are not so simple.

The characters are not just a stereotype, as the work develops, we see that there is a lot of depth in each one of them. and they all interact with the world in some way, making everything more alive.

The world is only alive because the work makes a point of explaining and detailing it, and although it is restricted to the Kingdom of Palletia, it still conveys a sense of naturalness.

One example I can give is Prince Algard, the protagonist's brother.

I'm sure when he shows up, all of you will just say, "What a shitty, fucked up character."

Yes, I said that too, until I found out that the character has a lot behind it, which made me like him a lot later.

In short, it's a great work, with great characters and a great world.

About the anime itself, it is well produced, I think it will adapt the first 3 volumes of the Light Novel (first arc).

I believe that this is a good rhythm for this work, since the focus is on the interaction between the characters and between the world.

5
Preliminary
Recommended
Well-written
Preliminary
L
LeoneMirajane

about 3 years ago

8

This anime takes the normal old royal relationships like arranged marriage and turns it so upside down, that I love it. The characters are very unique but I do hope that they will show more of the other characters as well later in this anime. The story in itself is something that I never saw in an Anime before and is evolving at a good pacing. Also the yuri-part is evolving in a good pacing, too. If you like fantasy and yuri this anime could be something for you. If you like an unique main character I can also recommend this anime to you.

3
Preliminary
Recommended
Preliminary
B
Bing_101010

over 2 years ago

10

Really this anime is so cute an wholesome, if you havent seen it do yourself a favor and do, its an emotional rollercoaster where you fall in love with bot main characters, i personally cried a lot during this anime, i loved it, tbh one of the best yuris i´ve ever seen, really, you get catched up on this anime since episode one and you´ll finish it fast, characters have a good backstory and in my opinion each of them has a unique personality, the art is amazing i swear, there are some combat scenes where you go lit crazy from how good it is,even if it is isekaish i think as a couple the two main characters live very common situations between lesbian couples, im sure youll love it as much as i did, and if youre searching for a cute yuri to watch, please choose this one.

7
Recommended
P
PixelB

almost 3 years ago

3

Tensei Oujo to Tensai Reijou no Mahou Kakumei lacks any depth because of how discordant Anis is portrayed as a character compared to the actual theme and tone of the other characters. To put it in simple terms, while this show is an isekai, so the main character should be "eccentric" and different compared to other characters in terms of personality and ambitions, it shouldn't be this drastic. Anis is a typical character straight out of a comedic isekai while the rest of the characters feel like they're in a historical drama. She's a typical Mary Sue (why not?) character and she's a genius in thestudy of magic while also possessing the maturity of an elementary schooler. She lacks any social ability and manages to make everything something comedic and funny. Isn't it super funny when she "lacks common sense," does something stupid, and everyone else reacts? Haha!! While this doesn't seem that bad if the show wants to be comedic, the show is definitely trying to be serious.

In every scene Anis is not in, it's pretty serious, dialogue-heavy, and more somber. Then immediately, when Anis is in the scene, it deflates into something "funny." Euphyllia, for example, the love interest, is a very serious, straight-laced person that has real troubles that a real person would empathize with. The position that she's in troubles her, and she's in inner turmoil. Her monologue and her personality reflect more of a drama and serious story, as do all of the other characters. Then, Anis is more like an OP character that's just there for comedic relief that just decides to do whatever she wants that others wouldn't be able to do due to their lack of OP ability, status, or knowledge.

I believe Anis becomes less cringe and also leans into the drama-heavy plot that comes later down the line, but who the hell cares? The premise of the show is shit, and so is the beginning. It's hard to find a show to have any depth when the main character tries to be super funny and "lack common sense." When she picks up Euphyllia on a whim and it turns out she's romantically invested in her, you know the show is just deliberately trying to make her facetious, trying to comedically interject into serious events. If you want a drama/romance story in a medieval swords and magic world, don't set your foundations upon a blatantly flippant OP main character that constantly breaks the tension of the story, only for it to turn into a more serious later on.

7
Preliminary
Not Recommended
Preliminary
m
mick3y92

almost 3 years ago

5

Don't be fooled by the first few episodes, this anime will disappoint you. I love yuri, especially new ones were we can get fantasy and action, but this isn't it. The show starts off good, the animation is nice and you think you're in for a slow burn sort of romance with individual character growth but it takes a downward turn. The "villians" have contradictory reasoning for why they are opposing the MC. The episodes feel like they are lacking resolution and barely push the plot forward. It got to a point where i was watching this anime just to say i completed it becauseit wasn't enjoyable anymore.

Spoilers below

How did they make a story where the MC gives up her rights to the thrown yet she still has to fight her brother over power she doesn't even want. The fight with her brother was drawn out for no reason and his anger towards his sister/kingdom is contradictory in the most asine way possible.

Yes, the two main characters get together but that's not enough to say this is a good yuri anime. There were a lot of things that made me lose interest in the outcome of this story but the one that annoyed me the most is the fact that the yuri relationship they built is doomed to fail.

The only way for the MC to be "happy" is if the girl she falls for takes her place as the new queen by using a cursed power. They literally have someone who's done the same thing before and they show how she loses all of her human emotions and cannot feel love anymore. How is this a happy ending? Why is this the only resolution?

If this was going to be the outcome for the story the least they could have done is made the yuri more blatant but thats subdued as well. All in all its just lackluster.

1
Spoiler
Not Recommended
Spoiler
J
JD_101

over 2 years ago

3

This is my first review on the site, so I’m gonna keep it short and sweet. The characters are the best part of the show. The VAs do an amazing job and it really helped sell their relationships. They are all cute and well characterized. That’s about all I have positive to say about the show though. The story is a little slow at first, but by episode 9 I was on the edge of my seat. The confrontation between the two siblings is so powerful. So after the fight what happens next? They throw it all away and now it’s some dumbass immortality yurihappily ever after except not because my girlfriend is going to be tortured for all eternity. The ending isn’t awful, but it’s just so wasteful. I desperately wanted the characters to do a ACTUAL revolution like Al was planning because HE WAS FUCKING RIGHT.

In conclusion, good characters, shit show. Do not watch if you value your time.

1
Spoiler
Not Recommended
Spoiler