An eccentric noblewoman who claims to be the villain of an otome game will make the leap to television in a romantic comedy full of misunderstandings.
On Monday, the official website opened to announce that the light novel series “Observation Records of My Fiancée: The Misadventures of a Self-Proclaimed Villainess” (Jishō Akuyaku Reijō na Konyakusha no Kansatsu Kiroku), written by Shiki and illustrated by Wan Hachipisu, will have an anime adaptation that will premiere in 2026.
The anime will be directed by Junichi Yamamoto, known for works such as Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You, and Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion, under the Ashi Productions studio. The adaptation of the character designs will be handled by Miki Matsumoto (Summer Time Rendering, Angels of Death), while Akiko Inoue (The Ones Within, GeGeGe no Kitarō 2018) will be in charge of writing and supervising the scripts.
What is this eccentric story about?
The story follows Prince Cecil, a young man so talented that life has become monotonous for him. Everything changes when he gets engaged to Bertia, the chancellor’s daughter. However, Bertia is no ordinary fiancée: she claims to be the villain of an Otome video game in a past life, and her goal is to become the perfect antagonist to bring about the breakup of the engagement.
Despite her constant attempts to behave like a villain, all her plans fail miserably, causing increasingly comical and endearing situations. Is she really meant to be a villain or is she just a romantic out of place?
Beyond Anime: Novels and Manga
The work was originally published on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō portal, but later withdrawn by its author. AlphaPolis published the novel in two illustrated volumes in 2017. The story continues with the sequel titled Jishō Akuyaku Reijō na Tsuma no Kansatsu Kiroku, the fifth volume of which will be released on May 23 in Japan. In addition, Hanashi Media will release the first English-language volume of the sequel digitally on June 30 under the title Observation Records of My Wife.
The manga adaptation, made by Natsume Hasumi, has six volumes and one extra volume, available in English on the Alpha Manga platform as An Observation Log of My Fiancée Who Calls Herself a Villainess. Hasumi is also drawing the manga version of the sequel, the third volume of which will be published in Japan on May 23.
A long-awaited premiere for fans of the otome genre
With its combination of romantic comedy, elements of inverted isekai and a protagonist as absurd as she is endearing, Observation Records of My Fiancée promises to be one of the most peculiar and fun releases of 2026. Fans of the genre are already looking forward to seeing Bertia’s delirious efforts to become the perfect villain on screen… and fail in style.
