The popular light novel series, The Villainess Is Adored by the Prince of the Neighbor Kingdom (Akuyaku Reijō wa Ringoku no Ōtaishi ni Dekiai Sareru), is officially receiving an anime adaptation. The announcement was made by Kadokawa’s B’s-Log Bunko imprint on July 4, 2025, confirming the highly anticipated transition of the beloved romance story to the animated screen.
Origins and Premise of the Series
The series began its journey as a web novel on the online publishing platform Shōsetsuka ni Narō in March 2016, authored by Punichan. Its popularity led to a light novel adaptation, which commenced publication under Enterbrain’s B’s Log Bunko imprint in October 2016, featuring illustrations by Akeno Naruse. As of November 2023, the light novel series has released 14 volumes.
The Villainess Is Adored by the Prince of the Neighbor Kingdom is a fantasy romance that centers on a protagonist who finds herself reincarnated into the world of “The Ring of Lapis Lazuli,” her favorite otome game. However, instead of the heroine, she is reborn as Tiararose Lapis Clementille, the game’s villainess. The story initially follows the original game’s plot, leading to the expected breakage of Tiararose’s engagement with Prince Hartknights, the crown prince of Lapis Lazuli. A surprising twist then occurs when Aquasteed Marinforest, the crown prince of the neighboring kingdom Marinforest, steps in to propose marriage to her.
Expanding Media Franchise
Beyond the light novels, the Villainess Is Adored by the Prince of the Neighbor Kingdom universe has expanded into various other media, demonstrating its widespread appeal. A manga adaptation, illustrated by Hoshina, began serialization on Enterbrain’s B’s Log Comic service in December 2017 and has been compiled into 15 tankōbon volumes as of January 2025.
Furthermore, the series has also been adapted into an otome visual novel game. Developed and published by Operahouse, the game was released for Nintendo Switch and Steam in March 2024. The otome game features a full cast of popular voice actors, including Mai Fuchigami as Tiararose, Yuuichirou Umehara as Aquasteed Marinforest, and Takuya Sato as Hartknights Lapis Lazuli Lactomuth. Other notable voice actors in the game include Yumiri Hanamori, Marina Yamada, Junichi Suwabe, Hikaru Midorikawa, Ai Furihata, Minami Takahashi, and Sho Karino.
Future of the Anime Adaptation
While the anime adaptation has been officially green-lit, specific details regarding its staff and cast have yet to be revealed. More information on the production is anticipated to be released in the future, building excitement among fans of the popular light novel and its extensive media franchise.
