I'm in Love with the Villainess

Episode 12

There was zero chance that this finale – or this season – would ever wrap up all the hanging threads and ideas it introduced. That's not exactly a shock to anyone familiar with light novel adaptations – the number of those that have covered the entirety of their source material is so rare as to be practically non-existent. Deflating as it might be, I'm in Love with the Villainess, as a singular season of television, was not going to offer an ending that wasn't either "wait for season 2!" or "go read the novels!" So with no hope of revisiting the political uprising of the previous arc, nor the larger implications of Rae's whole isekai situation, the only real hope of closure for this finale was to finally, fully address its central relationship.

In that regard, I'm of two minds on the whole thing. It's quite nice to see Rae and Claire finally admit their feelings for one another in a way that both can actually accept. It's just that the mechanics of getting there are iffy. I've never really been a fan of characters lying to and manipulating others "for their own good." As much as I enjoy Manaria's personality, that's her role here. There's perhaps something to her willingness to play the villain(ess?) in other people's love lives and how it contrasts with Rae playing the fool, but there's simply not enough time to flesh out that aspect of her. As-is, she's a fun character being used for some necessary but frustrating narrative progression.

My bigger issue comes with the Amour Festival and those magic scales. See, what I thought the show was heading for was that the rarity or value of Rae's gift ultimately wouldn't matter. Rather, it would be the intensity and sincerity of her feelings that outweighed whatever magical flower Manaria offered, or else the actual decision would come down to how Claire felt about her suitors. Either option would be, if a tad cheesy, an honest and direct way of breaking down the barrier that's kept our heroines apart. Either Rae's feelings would be demonstrated in a way that Claire couldn't keep denying, or better yet, she'd choose to be vulnerable and trust Rae's feelings entirely in good faith. Instead, Rae uses her immense magical powers and knowledge of secret game lore to get an uber-special magical item. While that certainly shows some dedication, it also feels less meaningful – both as a romantic gesture and as a way to resolve this conflict.

Thankfully, there's enough good stuff to outweigh those misgivings. Easily, my favorite scene in the entire episode is Claire just talking about how she feels about Rae. The way she loses herself in remembering the times they've shared and comes out of her reverie smiling and blushing is a beautiful little moment that feels far more personal than any grand proclamation. I also like that Claire and Rae's dynamic doesn't totally shift even after the confession. Rae is still clingy and uproarious; it's just that now Claire's objection is to her new partner getting lovey-dovey where everyone else can see. It's a fun way to preserve what made this duo funny while still acknowledging how they've grown closer. The last scene of the episode loses a bit in translation – Rae says "aishitemasu," a far more intimate expression of love than her typical "daisuki" – but it's still an adorable moment to go out on.

In a lot of ways, that sums up this whole series. It bears the telltale marks of an enthusiastic but inexperienced creator trying to create the kind of story they love, and that brings equal amounts of scuff and charm to the whole project. There's undeniably clunky writing and a lot of leaning on familiar story ideas, yet also an earnest and sympathetic perspective at the heart of it all. Like both its heroines, I'm in Love with the Villainess has its flaws, but if you can work past those issues, you may find something to love all the same.

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I'm in Love with the Villainess is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.