Being constantly ill, a girl passed her time in the hospital playing otome games. However, one day she wakes up in the world of the game she was playing. What’s more, she wakes up as Aileen Lauren Dautriche, the villainess of the game. After childhood friend and crown prince Cedric publicly breaks up with her for the game’s protagonist, Aileen makes moves to avoid the tragic future that results in her death. She decides to propose to Cedric’s half-brother, Demon King Claude who, if left alone, would transform into a dragon and off-handedly kill her in the game. So begins her quest to tame him.
Sometimes you just watch a series that should be pretty sub-par, but just jives with you so hard. This is exactly that. It’s not special, but damn if it isn’t just a joy to watch. If you are looking for more anime recommendations like I’m the Villainess So I’m Taming the Final Boss, head on down below.
Anime Like I’m the Villainess So I’m Taming the Final Boss
For Fans of Otome Game Romances
My Next Life as a Villainess – All Routes Lead to Doom!
At eight years old, Katarina Claes, the only daughter of a duke, hits her head and suddenly remembers she was once a seventeen-year-old otaku that got isekai’d. She realizes that she is now in the world of Fortune Lover, the otome game that she had been playing before her death. Unfortunately, she is not the heroine, but rather the villainess who usually ends up dead or exiled at the end. As such, she endeavors to change her fate and avoid all doom flags.
There is no more obvious recommendation. Both series are about girls who got isekai’d into their favorite otome game as the villainess. To escape their fate, they aim to do better. However, My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom isn’t about wooing one person. She essentially builds herself a large bisexual harem but is too innocent to do anything with anyone.
Trapped in a Dating Sim – The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs
After starving himself to beat an otome game for his sister, office worker Leon falls down the stairs and dies. When he awakens, he is a young son of a minor noble that wasn’t featured in the game. Looking to live quietly as a nobody “mob” character, he is soon saddled with an arranged marriage he is against where he decides to use his knowledge of the game to get out of the match and reach for his own happiness.
Think of Trapping a Dating Sim like I’m the Villainess So I’m Taming the Final Boss, but told from the male main character’s perspective. As it is like that, it doesn’t focus on the romance aspect. Yet, at the same time, it also shows the female antagonist of the otome game falling in love with him as he becomes essentially the antagonist to the proper main characters of the otome game by showing them up at every turn.
For Fans of Female-Led Isekai Stories
The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent
Sei, a young office worker, is summoned to a new world. However, the people who summoned her to banish dark magic from the world only meant to summon one person they would call Saint. Instead, they summoned two, and Sei discovers that they actually like the other girl better. Not really caring about that, she ends up making potions at a research institute using her newfound magic. Unfortunately, while she is unexpectedly talented at her work and happy doing it, she begins to think that she is indeed the Saint.
While My Next Life as a Villainess is easily the most similar series to I’m the Villainess So I’m Taming the Final Boss, The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent is probably the next most similar series. Both series are about female characters who get isekai’d, things don’t go as planned, but they make the best of it. The big difference is that I’m the Villainess So I’m Taming the Final Boss is solely focused on her landing a husband while also doing career moves, but The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent is the exact opposite. She focuses on her career passion, but also just happens to fall in love.
Meiji Tokyo Renka
On the night of a red full moon, Mei, average high school girl, is transported through time to the Meiji Period by a magician named Charlie. In this era, everyone believes in the existence of ghosts, and Mei discovers that she possesses the unique and rare power to see them. Her powers are coveted by the men she meets there and used to keep the peace.
While Meiji Tokyo Renka isn’t about being transported into an otome game, it is based on one. As such, you get a lot of those otome game tropes in it. The main character is sent back in time and under constant threat of falling in love with any number of beautiful historical boys. It’s not the same fantasy setting as I’m the Villainess So I’m Taming the Final Boss, but it is the same otome game sensibilities.
In the Land of Leadale
After an accident put her on life support, Keina took up playing the VRMMO game, World of Leadale. After a power outage at the hospital, she wakes up fully inside the game as her avatar, Cayna. Furthermore, it seems that 200 years have passed since she last played and no other player characters can be found.
While there isn’t any real focus on romance in In The Land of Leadale, it is also an isekai series about a girl who died and ended up in the game she played while in the hospital. Even though she isn’t falling in love, In The Land of Leadale is a joy to watch based on the cute ways that Cayna interacts with her “children” she created in-game.
For Fans of Fantasy Romances
Snow White With the Red Hair
Shirayuki is an herbalist that lives a normal life in the country of Tanbarun. However, when her beautiful red hair is noticed by the Prince Raji, he tries to make her his concubine. She then decides to cut her hair and flees into the forest. It is there she is rescued by the second Prince of neighboring country, Wistalia, named Zen. In order to repay her life debt to him, she sets her hopes on becoming the court herbalist in the capital of Clarines.
Part of the charm in I’m the Villainess So I’m Taming the Final Boss is that the couple has pretty great chemistry, and that sort of makes up for a lot of flaws. The couple in Snow White With the Red Hair is the very same way. It is a joy to watch the main couple interact in each show, but they also put focus on characters exploring other aspirations outside of romance as well.
The Ancient Magus’ Bride
After being abandoned by her family, Chise Hatori is a 16-year-old teenager without hope. In order to not have to worry about herself, she sells herself to slavers, only to be purchased by Magus Elias Ainsworth. There she is told she will become his apprentice and, in the future, his bride. Together they work together to build a relationship and work to control her own magus powers that will eventually result in her early death.
The Ancient Magus’ Bride and I’m the Villainess So I’m Taming the Final Boss are essentially beauty and the beast stories where a girl grows close to a secluded and mysterious gentleman that others find terrifying or repulsive. The Ancient Magus’ Bride, however, is more of a slow burn romance, but makes up for that with excellent world building.
Earl and Fairy
In Scotland, Lydia Carlton makes her living as a fairy doctor. Though no one believes her, she insists that she can see and communicate with fairy creatures. However, Edgar believes in her powers, and after rescuing her, becomes her employer hoping that she can help him deal with the many mysteries that follow him.
While Earl and Fairy is more Victorian setting with fantasy elements, it, like Villainess, features a girl that kind of gets caught up in the allure of a dashing yet mysterious gentleman with a somewhat sad past. However, Edgar in Earl and Fairy is more of the scoundrel-type who actually needs some taming compared to Claude.
Maoyu – Archenemy and Hero
After fifteen years of warfare with the demon world, the Hero is unsatisfied with their advance and rushes forward to the Demon Queen’s Castle. There he not only finds a beautiful woman that is the queen, but she needs his help. To his surprise, she offers a way to not only help his country, but hers as well. Together, they join forces to make that dream a reality.
Both series are about romancing the ruler of demons. However, while Villainess has a bit of a shy demon lord, Maoyu features a demon queen who is pretty straightforward with her affections. While Villainess is heavier on the romantic moments, both series have a strong focus on fixing the various problems in their world instead of having just a plot full of romantic wooing.
Do you have more anime recommendations like I’m the Villainess So I’m Taming the Final Boss? Let fans know in the comments section below.
