The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady is an easy-going fantasy lesbian romance

Every once in a while an isekai (parallel world) title so long or so weird sticks out to me in a list that I have to click it. Even in a genre where these conventions are standard ways to get noticed, I just can’t help myself. Nine times out of ten, a clever title covers for an utterly boring mega-ultra-power fantasy, a self-insert character reading out his cheat playthrough of a nonexistent RPG he invented alongside the full instruction manual of that RPG.

So The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady, hereafter Magirevo, was a surprise. The series takes two common isekai writing prompts— the other-world heroine and the villainous noble rejected by her betrothed— and weaves them into a fantasy romance starring an unforgettable couple.

The thing that makes Magirevo so interesting is that the viewpoint character is not the reincarnated princess, but the genius young lady. It is understood by all that Anisphia Wynn Palettia is a heretic warrior scientist RPG heroine zooming around the world map for adventure and materials. She is a delightful, flirty goofball, and though we see her adventures and battles up close from time to time, I’d argue she isn’t the focal point of this story.

The heart of Magirevo is the genius young lady Euphyllia, the noblewoman rejected in a public high-society shaming by her betrothed prince, Anis’ brother. When Anis takes her fellow outcast in as an assistant to her “scientific research” (adventuring, research, invention), Euphie is in a deep existential crisis. We see the world through the eyes of the quiet girl, watching Anis struggle and frolic and suffer from a distance. While she does so, we see Euphie reconsider what she’s going to do with herself from now on, begin to rebuild her sense of self, and slowly fall for Anis.

At the same time, Anis is burning herself out at both ends in pursuit of her power-leveling dreams and has no apparent limits: at one point she even seriously floats the idea of surgically modifying her own body ala Kamen Rider. Euphie has to rein this maniac heroine in, first because Anis will hurt herself if left alone, and second, eventually, because she loves her.

Yuri (lesbian themes/relationships as genre) is kind of in vogue in anime right now, so it’s not exactly surprising that there’s romantic tension between the heroines of this series. But unlike the tiresome teasing of a more cowardly series— like I dunno Lycoris Recoil— Magirevo is open and honest about the girls’ relationship as it develops, in a way that’s truly refreshing. Anis and Euphie have a warmth and a chemistry that flows throughout, and both give deeply of themselves for the other.

What actually happens in the plot of Magirevo— a bit of royal intrigue, some battles with monsters, a little RPG power escalation— is secondary to the cozy character relationships it allows us to enjoy. The highlights of this kind of show are the quiet character moments, and Anis’ big-sisterly maid Ilia and her straight-shooting goth friend Tilty are both delights. This whole show gives me that “Ah, that’s nice” feeling. You should try Magirevo and feel nice too.