Best Isekai Villainess Anime

Leaving one’s mundane existence behind for a new life of adventure is the tried-and-tested premise of isekai anime, yet some deviate from this narrative and offer an entirely new concept. Not all isekai protagonists are lucky enough to be reincarnated as heroes in their next lives, as some get the short end of the stick when they find themselves as villains in the new world.

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Isekai villainess anime are an emerging subgenre within the isekai landscape, as viewers are enticed by the interesting dynamics between the newly transmigrated villainess in an entirely new world. These anime series often take place in otome game settings, which leaves these characters with no choice but to take on the role imposed upon them. These isekai anime have a charm of their own as they follow the main character’s journey of avoiding the grim, predestined fate of an otome villainess.

Updated December 31, 2025, by Mark Sammut: While waiting for Winter 2026 to debut two new villainess isekai anime, we have added two sections that seek to explain the theme.

What Is A Villainess Isekai Anime?

"Villainess isekai" has been a trend since the mid-2010s, when the light novel scene became flooded with girls reincarnated as an otome game's big (or minor) antagonist. For a time, these types of stories dominated the isekai market, reaching a point of exposure that made them inescapable. As the anime industry needs a few years to adopt trends popularized by light novels and manga, we didn't really start to get villainess isekai series until the 2020s. Nowadays, every season seems to have one anime that fits this subgenre, a pattern that seems unlikely to end anytime soon.

So, what exactly are villainess isekai anime? Well, as implied by the title, they involve protagonists who are reincarnated as an existing story's villainess. Typically, they become trapped in an otaku game, but the latter can easily be swapped out for a novel. The "villainess" part refers to the fictional character that the protagonist ends up embodying, and it is not a reflection of the MC's personality. In fact, these shows traditionally feature main characters who are so all-around good that they manage to rehabilitate the villainess's reputation within a couple of episodes.

Here are some common elements found in most villainess isekai anime:

Otome game setting. Feature protagonists who are intimately familiar with the villainess's story, and they use that knowledge to avoid death flags. A proactive and competent protagonist who must fight for their survival. Romance is almost always part of the equation, although it does not have to be the focus. Usually, the MC is an overworked woman; however, some stories feature a young girl or even a guy. Why Villainess Isekai Is So Addictive

Why are there so many villainess isekai shows? Like, do we really need a new anime per quarter? Similar to standard isekai, villainess anime offer the ultimate escape from reality, and they feature protagonists who use their past lives' experiences to take control of their destinies.

Anime, in general, favors male protagonists, and isekai is far from an exception. Villainess stories are often a season's only fantasy series with a female lead, and they blend agency and wish-fulfillment to craft a journey that can satisfy isekai, adventure, and shojo fans.

11 The Dark History of the Reincarnated Villainess Living Through Her Own Story

The Dark History of the Reincarnated Villainess is a unique take on the isekai villainess concept. The protagonist, Konoha, is reincarnated as the prologue villainess, Iana, in the story she wrote as a teenager, so she has to deal with all her adolescent eccentricities. The result is a show that ventures into shojo parody territory, as the characters are meant to be quite cliché. Hopefully, as the anime goes on, it will start to do more with its personalities.

A neat twist is that the MC absolutely loves the story's heroine, who was written as a self-insert. She does not particularly care for the villainess, who is only really meant to be a significant player in the first part of the story. Outside of that somewhat unique idea, this anime is quite run of the mill and forgettable. Nothing offensive, but nothing that sticks in the mind either.

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10 Special Mention: Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte A Unique Take On The Villainess Concept (That Is Not Quite Isekai)

OK, here is an inspired take on the villainess concept, although it is only loosely connected to the isekai genre. Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte has an otome game, an uppity villainess, a charming prince, and "normal" male and female protagonists who are just trying to navigate the fictional world. Basically, the anime has all the required ingredients to be a traditional isekai villainess anime. However, it has one important twist: the normal MCs are not sent into the otome game. Instead, they become god-like beings who can speak directly to the characters, enabling them to steer the story's direction.

Endo and Kobayashi regularly meet after school to play MagiKoi. When they realize that they can broadcast their voices into the game and speak to the characters, Kobayashi's goal becomes to create a happy ending for the story's villainess, Lieselotte. A harsh tsundere who constantly pushes Siegwald, the crown prince and her fiancé, away, Lieselotte is pretty much the typical otome game villainess. However, with Endo and, especially, Kobayashi's guidance, she gradually begins to change her behavior and, eventually, her present and future.

9 The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess To Savior A Desperate Attempt At Altering a Doom-Laden Fate

In an otome game, Pride is a heinous ruler with several crimes against her very own people. After she is slain, however, a Japanese high school girl is reincarnated to take her place, forcing her to become the new villainess in this world. Knowing how the game plays out, the new Pride now tries to right her wrongs by altering the game’s timeline, though her efforts are mostly in vain as the game corrects itself every single time. Each time she corrects her actions, the game forces other characters to carry out the goal, forcefully correcting the original timeline.

However, Pride is dedicated to mending things in her new kingdom, becoming a benevolent leader in the world of The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen. Unlike its isekai counterparts, the series spends a considerable time fleshing out its characters and focusing on worldbuilding. Romance and harem antics also take the backseat in this villainess narrative, presenting a storyline that does the theme justice without relying on the usual clichés of the isekai genre.

8 I'll Become A Villainess That Will Go Down In History Political Intrigue, Kingdom-Building, and Royal Drama

Isekai villainess anime have deviated considerably from the original premise of a transmigrated villainess desperate to fight off her unfortunate fate. I'll Become A Villainess That Will Go Down In History is no different, as it presents a transmigrated villainess who has vowed to become the greatest villainess of all time.

After realizing that she is in the body of her favorite otome game character, Alicia sets off on an intriguing endeavor to become the greatest villainess known to mankind. The series takes a different path from its otome counterparts in several ways, whether it's the heavy focus on kingdom-building and politics or the lack of romantic interest early on in the series. Moreover, Alicia is a determined character whose sole focus lies on being the perfect villainess, though this aspect of her persona also leads to several amusing moments.

I'll Become A Villainess That Will Go Down In History is not a bad show by any stretch of the imagination, but it does take quite a while to really pick up steam. During the first half of the series, Alicia does not accomplish all that much, as she is still quite young and fairly weak. However, we get to see her change as the episodes (and in-universe years) pass, growing into a villainess who blends intimidation and nobility well. If you do not love the first few episodes, I recommend trying to stick around until about the halfway point of the season.

7 Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady With The Lamp A Double Reincarnation With a Villainess Subtext

Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady with the Lamp presents a premise that is certainly a first within the isekai genre. Dr. Aoi Takamoto is a famed surgeon devoted to helping others, yet her previous existence as villainess Elise de Clorance was quite the contrary. Her selfish antics led to her family’s demise, including herself, though she realized the error in her ways after being reincarnated as Dr. Aoi.

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However, her second go at life is cut short after a tragic plane crash, but she miraculously opens her eyes once more in her original body as Elise. With the memories of two past lives intact, Elise vows to right her wrongs and relinquish her previous villainess existence. Being a case of reverse isekai and double reincarnation, Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady With The Lamp doubles down on its isekai elements. The series is one of the few manhwa-adapted anime out there, and its success showcases the potential for manhwa within the anime industry.

6 I'm The Villainess, So I'm Taming The Final Boss Avoiding a Grim Fate By Seducing the Endgame Boss

Reincarnated in an otome game as the villainess, Aileen Lauren d'Autriche regains her past-life memories and realizes her grim fate thanks to her knowledge of the game. Knowing that Claude, a former heir to the throne and the lord of demons, is eventually going to slay her, Aileen begins to take appropriate countermeasures to mitigate this. Instead of staying away from her eventual killer, Aileen tries to get closer to Claude to tame him through her charms.

With time running out and the imminent destruction getting closer, Aileen must convince Claude that she means no harm. I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss is a classic Isekai Otome series with a premise that is bound to keep viewers enticed. The most promising aspect of the series is Aileen herself, as she subverts the frail, doomed villainess trope by taking on a fierce, headstrong persona.

The Most Powerful Villainess Of All Time

Yumiella Dolkness is the villainess of an otome RPG, with a doom-ridden fate awaiting her as she must eventually face off against the game’s protagonist. However, at the age of 5, Yumiella regains her memories, realizing she has been transmigrated to an otome RPG. Yumiella initially resigns herself to a quiet life in the countryside, but her attempts at lying low fail stupendously after her Level 99 is discovered at the Royal Academy’s entrance.

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With everyone suspecting her to be the Demon Lord, Yumiella is forced to navigate through the game’s storyline and prove her worth. Villainess Level 99 has been at the forefront of Winter 2024’s lineup, garnering a sizable fanbase with its intriguing premise. While the series starts similarly to any other isekai otome anime, the storyline takes a turn and subverts expectations in all the right ways. Yumiella also differs from the archetype usually enforced upon the transmigrated character through her stoic personality, allowing her persona to stand out among the many otome villainesses out there.

4 I'm In Love With The Villainess An Isekai Villainess Series With a GL Twist

After passing away due to severe exhaustion, Rei Oohashi finds herself transmigrated to her favorite otome game, ‘Revolution’ as Ray Tylor. Instead of indulging in the game’s preset love interest routes, Ray has her eyes set on the game’s misunderstood villainess, Claire Francois.

On the surface, I'm in Love with the Villainess is a whimsical isekai villainess anime that focuses on Ray’s attempts to win Claire’s heart despite her incessant bullying. However, the anime has several profound subtexts embedded in the narrative that question sexuality and attraction. The anime also stands out as the only LGBTQ+ isekai villainess series out there, which is a step towards bringing same-sex narratives to mainstream anime.

3 From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad's Been Reincarnated! A Hilarious Villainess Isekai Anime With A Fun Twist From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad's Been Reincarnated!

Release Date 2025 - 2025-00-00

Network TBS, MBS, CBC, Tulip Television, BSN, tys, NBC, HBC, RKK, i-Television, SBS, IBC, BSS, MRO, OBS, TUF, RSK, TUY, tbc, RKB, SBC, KUTV, RBC, UTY, RCC, MRT, atv, MBC

Although somewhat common in light novels, villainess isekai anime with male MCs were avoided until the arrival of From Bureaucrat to Villainess, one of the most entertaining entries in this subgenre. If you are specifically craving a comedy, this is arguably the best series for you. The 52-year-old Kenzaburou Tondabayashi meets truck-kun and ends up inhabiting the body of an otome game's villainess, and he is not that familiar with the story. Consequently, he relies on his decades of otaku knowledge to dad joke his way through the campaign, hoping to eventually break free and return to his family.

Firstly, Kenzaburou is absolutely delightful as the lead, as he gives Grace a middle-aged charm that sets her apart from the crowd. She, or he, quickly befriends the heroine, giving Anna advice that eventually leads to her developing a crush on the MC. In fact, Kenzaburou's antics accidentally start a reverse harem with Grace unwillingly stuck in the middle.

Kenzaburou's wife and daughter also contribute by playing the game in the real world, which is a really cool idea.

2 A Wild Last Boss Appeared! An OP MC Isekai Villainess Anime Done Right

A Wild Last Boss Appeared should satisfy anybody's craving for an overpowered main character who can demolish god-like beings without breaking much of a sweat. While not unheard of, OP MCs are not that common in this subgenre, as most protagonists are capable but not Goku.

A Wild Last Boss Appeared is pretty much on Overlord's level, where a guy – yes, a guy – is reincarnated as the super-powerful female character he created in a game, just a long time after their supposed death. As Lufas, the protagonist is a walking nuke, and the anime seems to have the budget to showcase their power competently. Although nothing too special so far, A Wild Last Boss Appeared is just plain old entertaining, which is more than enough. It might go down as 2025's best isekai villainess anime​​​​​​.

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