Catarina Claes, the young daughter of a noble family, one day bumps her head and regains memories of her past life as an otaku. It is then that she realizes she has been reborn into the world of the otome game Fortune Lover as the game’s villainess who, regardless of what route the player took in the original game, is doomed to be either exiled or killed.

I’ll be honest, this is one of my favorite comedies! As a frequent reader of reverse harem isekai romance, I can attest that this series is a cut above the rest. The manga maintains the troupes we know and love (princely suitors with wonky personalities, smart and quiet scholars, and so many others!) while keeping the genre fresh and hilarious.

COMEDY: This series sticks to its guns with comedy. Although you may hear one or two “comical” references to romantic intimacy, no jokes ever become explicit and the dialogue is quickly dismissed by another character. Two female characters occasionally put on airs of being lesbians, but it’s kept as comic relief and never acted on. All other aspects of comedy are wholesome and light-hearted. As I mentioned earlier, this series is a favorite of mine featuring some of my favorite comedy styles: jokes on common troupes and dialogue based humor. The reactions and facial expressions leave me in stitches! With so many different personalities, all vying for the heart of the main love interest, the story is bound to create many humorous situations!

ROMANCE: There isn’t loads of romantic situations in this series. It’s mostly just comedy. But the present romance is modest—limited to hand kissing (think Victorian style), dates over tea, and the like. Later on, there is a kiss on the cheek, but that is when the characters grow into their teen years (they’re kids in volume one). If you’re concerned about a relationship between children, have no fear! The two characters in question are betrothed Victorian-style and their “dates” are referred to and presented as a playdate. They are simply forced to spend time with one another to eventually grow a fondness for an eventual marriage.

REVERSE HAREM: This genre can be sticky, I know. Often times, it’s a short cry of clean. But I like to scope out those shiny gems that are simply fun and lack the idea if polygamy. Rest assured, this is one of those gem-like reverse harems. Every man is fighting to be her one and only one. Each man either “protects” her from the other suitors, finds witty ways to win her affection (like buying her sweets! Hehe), or exchanging hilariously passive aggressive arguments with one another. It’s jokes, banter, and funny misunderstandings at their best!

PORTAL FANTASY: Yeah, I know, this genre is getting a bit old these days. But I can assure you this portal fantasy is different! You’ll see the generic romantic troupes twisted in hilarious ways, experience a world that’s immediately easy to understand, and find yourself following a hilarious protagonist who knows nothing of European aristocracy and its rules. Who knew farming would be unbecoming of a lady, right? Hahaha! I kid.

MAGIC: This series highlights the simple and good magic. No incantation circles, wacky symbols, or the usual magical elements that can occasionally make one squirm. The system is simple: some people are gifted with elemental abilities and some aren’t. Magic featured in the series includes: casting light from your palms, making wind, and creating a walking golem out of dirt.

BRIEF WARNING: When looking into volume three, I can confirm that there is a scene that could potentially be disturbing to some readers. Mild Spoilers Ahead! One chapter briefly contains non-graphic death (a background character is killed) and a short scene where one child “swaps” bodies with another via magic. No symbols, summoning circles, or the like are present and the scene is non-violent, just a little on the dark side. Viewer discretion is advised!

FINAL THOUGHTS: My Life as a Villainess is a wholesome and hilarious read! I highly recommend the series if you need a good laugh or a light-hearted story. The art is beautiful and expressive, the characters lovable and unique. If you’re intrigued, I hope you give this manga a try!