My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! (Manga) Vol. 1 by Satoru Yamaguchi

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! (Manga) Vol. 1 (My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, #1)

by Satoru Yamaguchi

At the age of eight, Katarina, a girl of noble birth in another world, has an accident that unlocks her memories - of playing an otome game that’s exactly like the life she’s living now. There’s one problem: she realizes that she’s playing the role of the villainess, and only bad endings await her! What will it take for her to “break the game” and live a happy life?

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4 of 5 stars

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I received a copy of My Next Life As A Villainess Vol. 1 through Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.

My Next Life As A Villainess Vol. 1 is the first in a new light novel series; one with a unique twist of a tale. This series combines character-driven plots with classic video game elements and romance in the most hilarious and entertaining of ways.
One day Katarina took a rather hard hit on the head. That’s not terribly out of the ordinary for an active child, even the daughter of a Duke. What is strange is that the bump she took reminded her of her past life.
The important thing to take away is that she recognized the life she’s currently living – for she had played that plot in a game of all things! Worse yet, she’s the villain in that game, doomed to die no matter which path is chosen.
Desperate to find a new path for herself, Katarina immediately begins reaching outward to make alliances. All while plotting ways to save her future and life. Naturally, chaos and entertainment ensue.

My Next Life As A Villainess Vol. 1 is a highly unique and amusing read. This is the sort of plot that only manga can pull off, as it is full of charm and interesting characters. This series is perfect for anybody looking for a light yet entertaining read.
Katarina’s realization is not a typical one, nor are all of her plans to save the day (for herself, that is). The plans are grand in nature, which sounds about right for this girl. No wonder she was naturally inclined to be a supervillain.
There’s love triangle upon love triangle to be found in this story, as Katarina runs around –sometimes literally – trying to get in the good graces of those who would otherwise someday kill her. It’s a chaotic mess for her, but that just makes it all the more interesting for us!
This was a great start to a series, one that will surely be fascinating down the road as well. I’m glad that I took a risk and gave it a try, and I’ll have to remember to keep my eyes open for the next volume. I think that one will also prove to be worth checking out.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 4 February, 2020: Finished reading
  • 4 February, 2020: Reviewed
  • Started reading
  • 7 April, 2023: Finished reading
  • 4 February, 2020: Reviewed