Bibliophile Princess started on a strong note giving fans much to anticipate. Elianna and Christopher seemed like the perfect couple to dominate 2022, and the anime could've easily become one of the best shojo romance anime of the year.
However, it didn't take long for the show to plummet, leaving behind a bland narrative and lackluster characters. While 2022 was truly the year of strong female leads with the likes of Yor Forger from Spy x Family and Kaguya Shinomiya from Kaguya-sama: Love is War, Elianna has failed to impress as a protagonist.
Elianna Isn't the Most Charming Character In Her Own Show
Elianna started out as a strong character who seemed to hold her ground and didn't need a man to represent her. However, her charm soon dulled in front of the ever-dynamic Prince Christopher, who turned out to be the true star of Bibliophile Princess. His charisma, wit, and occasional flirting has melted hearts -- and completely overshadows the lead protagonist. She has truly fallen to the wayside in comparrison, and the story does nothing to uplift her character arc or personality. She now seems like a lost lamb, following her prince and no longer has a voice of her own.
In the beginning, Elianna's obliviousness seemed cute, but now it's annoying, especially the way she's always blaming herself for being in the dark. She's still perplexed about why she can't remember her childhood meetings with the prince, while Christopher has based a large part of his life on those encounters. He's not only always in control of the situation but is criminally handsome, and he can't help but be the center of attention everywhere. The slow pace, the unnecessary buildup, and a fading female protagonist isn't letting Princess of the Bibliophile move up the ladder.
Is There a Silver Lining For Bibliophile Princess?
Prince Christopher is the only bearable thing about Bibliophile Princess at this point despite romantic tension being at an all-time high. He's probably the first prince in anime to sacrifice so much for his princess and not let anyone get the better of him. Despite its downsides, Bibliophile Princess isn't a lost cause. Fans of the genre are still rooting for the couple, and the slow burn is definitely worth waiting for.
All in all, Princess of the Bibliophile underperformed and presented viewers with a simple, often clichéd story in a royal setting. There should've been a spicy element in the mix, considering it's actively competing with other new romance series like More Than A Married Couple, Romantic Killer, and My Dress-up Darling.