Love stories with historical settings are well-loved among many anime fans. Most seasons have their own standout historic anime series, and that’s what 2022's Bibliophile Princess promised. Despite beautiful animation, a heartwarming love story and vast source material to work with, Bibliophile Princess sadly fell short. The anime started out with a great pace but soon turned astoundingly boring. It was supposed to sweep viewers off their feet with cheesy romantic lines and maybe indulge in a fun harem or reverse harem situation.
Luckily, Spring 2023's Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion hasn't followed in Bibliophile Princess' footsteps. This series is not only a spicy romance but also an isekai, making it all the more riveting. Without emphasizing too much of the “royal/historic politics” arc, here’s how it's managed to turn itself into one of the more popular anime of Spring 2023.
Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion Has a Stronger Female Lead Than Bibliophile Princess
It can’t be emphasized enough how important it is to have a strong female protagonist, and that’s entirely in the sense of her standing out from the rest of the cast. Elianna in Bibliophile Princess is someone who's not afraid to speak her mind, but it’s rarely impactful when she does so. Her character is simply too timid, quiet and easily lost in the crowd. Raeliana, on the other hand, isn’t afraid to be who she is. She may be reincarnated as a baron’s daughter, but she still has the spark and energy of a young high school girl. Raeliana keeps the audience attracted to her, and her confident personality is enough to drive the entire show.
Both Raeliana and Elianna are initially forced into an engagement they never wanted to be a part of. While Elianna's situation was much better than Raeliana's, the former still lacked the passion for being in a relationship. Still, it seems viewers love the fact that Raeliana is able to call the shots even when Noah’s character is the dominant one. Elianna is never able to find her own footing in Bibliophile Princess, but Raeliana throws the whole damsel in distress trope out the window -- and that’s a major reason Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion works.
Raeliana's Fiery Romance Easily Tops Bibliophile Princess' Dull Couple
Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion may be an isekai, but it’s a true romance anime at its core. The whole forced-into-a-relationship then enemies-turned-lovers arc can be a winner, provided it's well-executed. Noah and Raeliana have amazing chemistry, and it’s clear that under all that coolness and villain vibes, Noah has fallen for Raeliana.
The Spring 2023 anime has had a nice buildup, from scandalous romantic scenes to Noah’s cute teasing at every chance he's gotten. Bibliophile Princess turned into a snooze fest when it came to romance, and that was perhaps its biggest letdown. Prince Christopher was the only one burning with the fire of love, while Elianna was too busy worrying about books.
Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion has a strong narrative that fuels the romantic arc along with a dynamic main couple. Moreover, Raeliana is a side character in the fictional world she has been transported to -- which is actually a murder-mystery novel -- and that storyline is interesting enough to make it an improvement on Bibliophile Princess and a solid anime in its own right.