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EP. REVIEW: My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! X


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DerekL1963
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Joined: 14 Jan 2015
Posts: 1112
Location: Puget Sound
PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 5:04 pm Reply with quote
Best. Review. Quote. Ever.

"There are still plenty of perils for Catarina to eat and nap her way through before she gets to any kind of happy ending."
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meiam



Joined: 23 Jun 2013
Posts: 3442
PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 6:40 pm Reply with quote
It's a bit worrying that the first multi episode arc in the second season feel like a re run of the first season ending arc (Katarina get kidnapped by someone with the dark art being involved, she doesn't really care and her positive attitude let her find out the kidnapper has some sobbing story, her harem gather around talk about doing something without doing anything).
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Dian Z





PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 8:03 pm Reply with quote
Just come to say that the opening animation is as fun and charming as ever.
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Covnam



Joined: 31 May 2005
Posts: 3627
PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 9:57 pm Reply with quote
It's been fun getting to see these knuckleheads again. I wish we got more of Katarina doing her evil villainess schtick during the play. It's the part she was (literally) born to play! Laughing

meiam wrote:
It's a bit worrying that the first multi episode arc in the second season feel like a re run of the first season ending arc (Katarina get kidnapped by someone with the dark art being involved, she doesn't really care and her positive attitude let her find out the kidnapper has some sobbing story, her harem gather around talk about doing something without doing anything).


I was about to post the same thing. It feels a bit early to be seeing the same plot points so soon.
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zztop



Joined: 28 Aug 2014
Posts: 642
PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 2:42 am Reply with quote
meiam wrote:
It's a bit worrying that the first multi episode arc in the second season feel like a re run of the first season ending arc (Katarina get kidnapped by someone with the dark art being involved, she doesn't really care and her positive attitude let her find out the kidnapper has some sobbing story, her harem gather around talk about doing something without doing anything).


I've seen people say the same thing about some of the novels beyond Vol 2 of the light novels, that the author was rehashing plot points because they were trying to extend an already-completed story. The original webnovel of My Next Life was meant as a short complete story, but popularity encouraged the author to continue the story as light novel exclusives.
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Covnam



Joined: 31 May 2005
Posts: 3627
PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2021 2:39 am Reply with quote
Catarina's naivete was stretching a bit too thin imo. She's surely seen enough romance in mass media (not to mention the games she played) to know exactly what Sora was going for both times even with her lack of personal experience. Even if you discount the second attempt, the first one was beyond obvious to not get some kind of (voluntary) reaction.

I really like the subtle animation on the hands when Ian and Selena were talking Smile
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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15433
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2021 5:25 am Reply with quote
Catarina indeed managed to accidentally seduce the kidnapper that should have absolute loyalty to his master, that he willingly gave himself up when the authorities got there.

Hopefully Geordo won't suddenly turn up, dead from "the plague", with Mary to pick up the pieces.
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AkaRed



Joined: 13 Jan 2016
Posts: 411
PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2021 6:16 am Reply with quote
Bakarina density is as massive as a Black Hole and I am all fine for that because I am here to laugh at her density lmao
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Dian Z





PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2021 6:46 pm Reply with quote
I wasn't prepared for how horny episode 4 is. I guess I'm also getting dense after watching too much Catarina, lol.
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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11306
PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2021 6:50 pm Reply with quote
Covnam wrote:
Catarina's naivete was stretching a bit too thin imo. She's surely seen enough romance in mass media (not to mention the games she played) to know exactly what Sora was going for both times even with her lack of personal experience.

I gotta disagree with that (though in many other areas, she's dense as a black hole). Catarina does seem to have some mild self-esteem issues in that she's incredulous any time anyone compliments her. That may stem from spending nearly her entire second life seeing herself as the villainess though she's trying so hard not to be. Or it could just be a holdover from her old life.

In any case, I think that even though she's not naive about romances per se, she simply can not see herself as being the subject of that sort of attention. There must be another explanation, and by god she will find it. If your best friend was holding a knife in front of you, your mind would deny any possibility that they intended to kill you, no matter how many times you've seen such betrayals in movies. You'd probably still be in denial after they stabbed you (they must've tripped!), because that only happens in movies, not to ordinary people like you. Smile This may be why she also can't believe anyone would seriously try to hurt her, villainess or not.

I think she's so conditioned herself to believing that no one could ever think of her as other than a platonic friend (to one and all) that it's not even a conscious thought process anymore. She just automatically looks for the "rational" explanation for seemingly amorous behavior directed at her.
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TarsTarkas



Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Posts: 5821
Location: Virginia, United States
PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2021 9:10 pm Reply with quote
I second what Gina said.

From a very early age, Katarina's sole goal was to survive her bad fates. Whether exile or death. Imagine the stress of living like that as a child. I think she is just happy she is alive and can be with her friends.
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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11306
PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2021 10:46 pm Reply with quote
Yes, you have to remember that her survival has depended on her not being anyone's love interest, as all such routes would lead to her doom. So maybe she's internalized that to the point of no longer being able to even comprehend that possibility for herself, though she can still recognize the potentials for other couples. She's the only one in her blind spot.

Btw, was I the only one who did a spit take at this exchange? Embarassed

Sora: You're a noble, but you go downtown?
Caterina: Sometimes, in secret.

I'm curious if there was such a double entendre in the Japanese or if this was just the translators having a giggle. Smile
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Covnam



Joined: 31 May 2005
Posts: 3627
PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 12:03 am Reply with quote
Ehh, I can see what you both are saying and I wouldn't strongly disagree, but that applies more to the second scenario to the first. In the first he's literally holding her head with one hand, raising her chin with the other and slowly moving his lips towards hers.

There should have been some reaction, even if in retrospec (maybe that will happen now though that she has gotten her first (I think) kiss).
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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15433
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 2:03 am Reply with quote
It could be character growth if Catarina could learn that people could be attracted to her and want to start a relationship, including both genders.
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Dayraven



Joined: 21 Jul 2021
Posts: 168
PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 2:41 am Reply with quote
DuskyPredator wrote:
It could be character growth if Catarina could learn that people could be attracted to her and want to start a relationship, including both genders.


CATARINA: “Yes, I understand that!…. But there aren’t any examples at the moment, right?”
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