My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom X Part 3 Episodes 9-12

Keith has vanished.  There are many theories but Katarina is worried she might be the cause of her brothers absence.  Little does Katarina know, dark forces have come for Keith and his life is in actual danger.  On top of all that, Graduation is nigh and Katarina must finally make a decision about her next steps in life.  Can she save Keith, make it to the Graduation ceremony and sort out her feelings for the several people who are openly confessing their feelings for her?  And is a memory message from Atsu true…could there really be a Fortune Lover II?

Much like with the end of the First Season, this Season Finale (yes Season, not Series, silly me) of My Next Life as a Villainess decided to dial up the tension with potentially the darkest storyline to date, one that would push Katarina to her limits and test just how kind of a heart she has when someone was close to her as family is threatened.  For a finale, those are good ideas to explore.  Sadly, I think that the finale highlights the many negative qualities Next Life’s Second Season has had and even the finale itself cant recapture some of the lost magic, save only for the end when the setup for a proposed Third Season starts to take shape.  Katarina still rocks like nobody’s business, but could even her wholesome goodness save this climax?  Let’s find out.
 

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom X Part 2 Episodes 5-8

Unable to think of a life without Katarina after her abduction, Geordo makes a stunning move that puts the rest of Katarina’s friends on high alert.  After all, if Geordo’s being more honest (and physical) with his feelings, he’s well on the way to winning the war for Katarina’s heart.  But Katarina still has adventures of her own waiting for her and those dearest to her heart, including a reunion in a haunted forest and a trip into the Department of Magic where a haunted Doll House and some old friends await them.  Between ideal lives, overbearing parents, political intrigue and the prospect of one of their own leaving forever, will Katarina even have time to worry about who she herself might have feelings for?

After a premiere that introduced potential stakes early on, My Next Life as a Villainess Season 2 dialed things back considerably with several reflective and classic fun tales that relied heavily on flashbacks to simpler time and the reusage of a familiar plot from Season One.  While it feels like things weren’t progressing very far or old ground was being retreaded, there was still good stuff to come out of it.  Granted the most boring character finally got an episode and I still don’t think that was enough to make him interesting…yeah all in all this set of episodes was a little uneven and I wish we couldve just delved more into the political mess Katarina got kidnapped to implement.  Let’s break it all down.
 

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom X Part 1 Episodes 1-4

Reincarnated into her favorite video game after an untimely demise, Katarina Claes worked hard to avoid all of her “Doom Flags”.  Now that she’s in the clear, a new adventure begins…the rest of her life.  But just because Katarina dodged her demise, that doesn’t mean she’s completely out of trouble.  The School Festival’s big play requires a Villainess and she might just fit the bill.  Then Katarina becomes a pawn in a secret deception that could have dire consequences.  But worst of all: Katarina doesn’t realize she’s become the object of the affections of every friend she’s made since she’s come to this world…and now the battle for her heart is on.

And we’re back.  Back when I wrapped up the First Season of My Next Life as a Villainess: All Roads Lead to Doom, I felt like the full story had been told and a Second Season might not even be needed.  Well, surprise, surprise.  Even though the main campaign of Katarina’s quest has been successfully completed, there’s still a lot of fun to be had in what I’m calling the “Post Game Content”.  To quote Sarah Conner from Terminator 2: Judgement Day, “We’re in uncharted territory now, making up history as we go along.”  Katarina has not clue what’s going to happen to her now and that actually makes the beginning of All Roads Lead to Doom X a lot of fun.
 

FIF#179-Kaze No Stigma

The Kannagi’s are a proud and strict family of Flame Magic Users.  When he is unable to defeat his young cousin, Ayano, in battle, Kazuma Kannagi is stripped of his title as “heir” and is banished from the Kannagi Clan.  Four years later, a mysterious foe is using Wind Magic to kill off various members of the Kannagi Clan.  The prime suspect is Kazuma, recently returned and now practicing powerful Wind Magic that puts him on par with those who shunned him.  Ayano vows to kill Kazuma to avenge her Clan but only Kazuma is aware that someone else is pulling the strings behind this forced conflict.

 
Brooding Anime Protagonist.  Cute, random haired color high school girl with magical powers.  Espers and Magic Users.  Kaze No Stigma could be mistaken for an early 90s Anime sans the copious amounts of blood, not that the first episode doesn’t lack its fair share.  And yet, like many Anime I come across sometimes, it not only fails to bring anything new or unique to the table, but what’s presented is…well kind of annoying and irksome and only a small portion of that falls on the protagonist.  It’s the supporting cast that are a major pain.
 

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom Part 3 Episodes 9-12

Ever since her reincarnation into Fortune Lover, Katarina has been very careful to ensure her character “The Villainess” doesn’t meet one of her fated “Doom Endings”.  But despite her best efforts, something has been stalking Katarina from the shadows, fully intent of making sure she doesn’t get her happy ending.  When that darkness captures Maria, Katarina and her friends are on high alert.  Katarina has fought hard and forged genuine friendships along the way.  But is it truly impossible for her to escape her fate?  Katarina’s Judgment Day has come.

It always catches me off guard when comedy Anime decide to take a slight detour into darker territory.  Like, why does it need to do that when the conflict comes from the comedy and the light heartedness is doing just fine on its own?  Still, a lot of RomCom Anime tend to take that route: Fruits Basket and Love Hina come to mind, each with varying degrees of success in that divergence.  So how does the Season Finale of My Next Life as a Villainess handle a somewhat last second villainous twist?  Well…for the most part rather well but that’s mostly thanks to the power of the awesome that is Katarina Claes.  Let’s get into it and wrap this season up, shall we?