It's me again.
Since we are all staying at home and nothing to do to amuse myself, I decided to be active in blogging. Well, to say that I have "nothing-to-do" may be wrong, because I have a lot of work and deadlines, but hey, WORK LIFE BALANCE, please! So I tried to get away from my work related as best I can do during weekends.
This time, unusually, I wanted to recommend an anime that I recently watched. I am writing this recommendation while waiting for the new episode coming up. So, I don't want to miss the moment to happily review it to you all.
My Next Life as a Vilainess: All Routes Lead to Doom or in japanese is Otome Game no Hametsu Furagu Shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei Shitteshimatta, but please call it simply as Hamefura, is an ongoing anime that I watched the trailer on Animax first then got captivated easily after. It is an isekai anime with hillarious scene and adding a reverse harem! Hell yeah! Why should I miss this gem?
Quoted from myanimelist website, the synopsis is as below,
Unfortunately, the character she was reincarnated into—Katarina Claes—is the game's main antagonist, who faces utter doom in every ending. Using her extensive knowledge of the game, she takes it upon herself to escape from the chains of this accursed destiny.
However, this will not be an easy feat, especially since she needs to be cautious as to not set off death flags that may speed up the impending doom she is trying to avoid. Even so, to make a change that will affect the lives of everyone around her, she strives—not as the heroine—but as the villainess.
Hamefura is a complete package for me. As a girl, it must be very lovely to watch a reverse harem, where all ikemens are in love with the main cast. Although, reverse harem can be super boring, like Diabolik Lovers, but please don't talk about it, let's put that only as a bad example. I was not really a fan of it and already took down on the first episode.
So what went wrong in Diabolik Lovers is the female lead and how all ikemens are surrounding her without any effort. Nope, not my ideal.
But Catarina Claes, the female heroine of Hamefura is very lovable. She is active, persistent, and super dense. Since she was the antagonist of the game and in order to survive, she would do anything to prevent herself to the doom. So she approached other main characters in her own way, and also catched their hearts without her knowing. But the adding points of Hamefura is when the female characters are also hooked on the main cast. She really created her own harem!
Now let's review each point!
9/10 for Story
It is very enjoyable to watch the anime. It is that type of story that is light but will melt your heart easily. I am amused at how every characters are developing their interest on Catarina and how Catarina being herself, funny and foolish.
Even though this is based on a light novel and there is adapted manga also, I still don't know the ending and who Catarina will end up with. I am fine with anyone, between those four male leads. I don't even know who to choose, since I love each 8 main characters.
So I am taking out the 1 point only to prepare if the ending is not as I hope for. Since I am now in episode 8 and Catarina did not show any interest to anyone, I suspect there is a chance this will lead to no romance at all. But maybe not, there is "romance" tag in the anime though.
Anyway, Hamefura is the good example of Isekai and Reverse Harem story and how the story is fast-paced and always interesting to keep up.
8/10 for Rewatch Value
Since I am stuck at episode 8, I am now reading the manga first, but I think I will stop at the same story as episode 8 ended. This proves that I enjoyed repeating the story, since it is hillarious and I want to know is there anything in anime that is not in Manga.
10/10 for Cast
It is too obvious to tell that I love each of the 8 Main Characters! So please let me introduce each one to you!
1. Catarina Claes
It will be hard for a girl to love the female characters, since it will be mixed up with jealousy as if we all want to be like her. But no, Catarina is not a kind of character that will make you jealous like that, but I am actually jealous to not being her friends, actually. I love how she is being funny to every of her actions. I mean, who can even resist her charms??
2. Maria Campbell
She is the actual heroine of game. Since Catarina is the enemy of Maria, and how Catarina reminded her as the perfect type of heroine that will make all the men leads fall in love with her, I was being anxious to her appearance and started to despise her. Oh yes, she is that type of character that I despise the most. But weirdly, in this story, she is only being the supporting character that is not stealing Catarina's charm at all. How surprising, I thought at first she will become the nemesis. But the funny part is, she is also in love with Catarina. Oh, Maria, I can't hate you for that.
3. Geordo Stuart
Geordo is the first male lead that is supposed to be in love with Maria, despite being Catarina's fiancee. For information, there are 4 male leads in the game that the player can choose to love with different ending paths. I thought at first Geordo is the main lead, but his portion is just as same as other three. He is potrayed as a perfect type of prince, no other comment needed then.
Rank of choice: 4th
Well, he is the last person that I want Catarina to end up with. It is not that I hate him or dislike him, but aside from being her fiancee and keep rejecting to break off the engagement, he is just... that. It will be too obvious if he is Catarina choice and I cannot think how the story will develop.
4. Alan Stuart
Aha! You notice there must be a kind of rough guy that must exist in any otome game, right? Well, I think Alan is the one. He is the brother of Geordo, with arrogant personality and seeing Catarina as his rival (at first, yes, then turned to have a crush on her, also). Yeah, this is that kind of guy who will I choose first if I played otome game but then gave up.
Rank of choice: 1st
Hell yeah! (Spoiler alert) Since he is as dense as Catarina to observe the situation even his own feeling, I am surprised to see the last credit of episode 8, and eager to watch more!
5. Mary Hunt
I put Mary after Alan because she is his fiancee, actually. But yeah, Catarina stole Alan's main line that made Mary fell in love with her instead. So in order to keep up with her rival, Mary put Alan as her fiancee and keep him away to realize his feeling. Mary is the first female lead that being in love with her. I thought at first she will be just besties, but her actions are always too exaggerating to be called as best friend and she is always jealous when Alan approached Catarina.
6. Keith Claes
Keith is Catarina's adoptive brother that is playbooy in her actual character due to lack of attention because of Catarina used to bully him. But the present Catarina prevent it and give him a lot of attention that makes him actually in love with Catarina from the start. He is more like a puppy love interest in a typical otome game, but luckily his personality is not that childish and always be protective towards Catarina, especially whenever Geordo is around.
Rank of choice: 3rd
Well, even though he is adoptive, but I cannot think how Catarina will change his brotherly love to be an actual one. But still, I love how he is always around Catarina so I put him even before Geordo. But no, younger one is a no to me.
7. Sophia Ascart
Sophia is bullied due to her figure, silver haired and bloody red eyes that is considered weird to the world. But since Catarina is looking for a partner to share her romance story thirst, Sophia ended up become one and become her best friend. Catarina changed her life and make Sophia has a crush on her also. It is appeared that Sophia is a reincarnated version of Catarina's previous life best friend, and it is actually beautiful to know that.
Rank of choice: 2nd
(Spoiler Alert) By the way, I am melted when he danced with Catarina in her birthday party, when Catarina asked is there anyone that he has someone he's interested on and asked who it is, this is what he said,
It seemed that since Catarina is engaged, then it is quite forbidden to him. I hope he really means Catarina instead of Sophia (because that will be incest then it's ew...). But hell yeah, I am expecting a lot and thinking it as a hint when Catarina said that good things will come for him.
Well, talking about anime, I also had one title in mind. I am considering to write the recommendation of it but I think that I have no talent to review anything. My mind is such a mess and I put a lot of emotion in it. It is always looked too abstract and clueless.
But Hamefura is a fresh anime and I really recommend you to try it! Look at the polling below. Hamefura is being #1 in 2 weeks and Catarina with almost anyone in cast dominated the couple-ships!
