Villainess Level 99

Seriously, whoever created those 3DCG monster models needs a lifetime ban from working on a computer. The dragon, the skeletons... it's the kind of terrible that should never be allowed in anime. Now that I've got that off my chest, let's dive in. The story was enjoyable, though not exactly groundbreaking. The first episode had a neat twist, but after that, it felt rushed at times. The resolution of the main heroine's romance, for example, seemed to happen out of nowhere, which felt unnatural. The ending didn't leave me with any great sense of satisfaction either. I did like the main heroine, though. She reminded me of a slightly smarter version of Mashle in a skirt. The narrative style from her perspective, with those internal dialogues, made her more interesting and likable to me. Of the other characters, Patrick stood out. This was largely because the three men around  Alicia — prince, magician, soldier — seemed so poorly written in comparison. They were so bad they brought to mind The Rising of the Shield Hero, where the protagonist's charisma stands out because the other heroes are insufferable and dumb. With that kind of "material" here, Patrick really shined. As for the humor, I chuckled occasionally, though sometimes it was a bit hit or miss. At least there weren't any moments where a joke felt outright stupid or cringey. In the end, it's a pretty decent series, but it has some glaring flaws in terms of pace, animation, and characters. It entertained me more than it bored or annoyed me, but I can't give it more than a 5.5/10. (26/03/2024)