Note: TLDR at the very bottom.

Story - 8

If you like How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom, You will no doubt like The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt. Man, why are anime names getting longer? The two anime are operating within the same kind of concept and theme and I will be making comparisons to Realist Hero in this review too.

The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt is not an Isekai anime. The story starts with Crown Prince Wein who was put in charge of a small kingdom called Natra which is in debt when the previous King went out of commission. The problem is Wein is lazy even though he is cunning and a genius. At his side is his trusted sidekick Ninym who is from an oppressed minority race called Flahm.

The anime touch on topics such as making money, negotiating with other kingdoms, forging alliances, war and a lot of geopolitics. While Realist Hero also touches on similar kinds of topics, the huge difference is Realist Hero skim the surface without going deep into it while Genius Price goes into all the in and out of what is happening in a more micro-managed style.

Another huge difference between The Genius Prince and Realist Hero is that Realist Hero has a more laid back tone while in The Genius Price, Wein is literally navigating a minefield of politics with his kingdom's neighbours. It is also a much more cunning world where the leaders have to outwit each other. E.g. A prince from another country die cause of an accident in Wein’s kingdom and he has to avoid war from breaking out between the two kingdom or political backstabbing and that verbal promise shouldn't be taken to heart or attempted assassination.

There are a lot more backhanded deals compared to Realist Hero be it politics such as other kingdoms making one face in front but already got thing scheming with another kingdom. This also goes into the business side such as Wein’s making money out of products coming from kingdom A that is at odds with Kingdom B by lying the origin to kingdom B and shipping it to them.

The Genius Price does have some comedy elements to it. It is especially done with Wein being lazy and wanting to get rid of his own kingdom but accidentally improving it instead since he is a genius. There are also times when he is calm and composed but panicking inside. It is an amusing kind of comedy than the type that will make you laugh out loud.

Worldbuilding is decent, it feels a bit fast in some parts but the anime does do a fine job at making sure the viewer knows the different Kingdoms, their rivalry and so on using an overview map. The usage of Wein’s little sister Falanya studying with her tutors for the explanation and narrative of what is happening within the kingdom or what Wein’s doing is a pretty cool idea.

Character - 7.5

The characters also shine in The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt even though there are not a lot of developments. The characters are well designed and come with their own set of interesting personalities and characteristics which make for a fun experience throughout. The dynamic between the characters and outwitting each other is also a big highlight of the anime.

There are also quite a lot of characters but the major focus is on Ninym, Wein, LowellMina and Falanya.

Wein, the lazy but genius prince of the small kingdom of Natra. As much as he is lazy and often complains about selling his kingdom and running away, he got a lot of jobs done in a most spectacular manner. Sometimes also by accident.

Wein may sound like a goofball behind closed doors, the side he only shows to Ninym. However, he is very cunning, creative and very good at outsmarting other kingdom’s politicians or generals. He also takes a lot of calculated risks. All these factors alone make him a really entertaining character to watch. It's like watching Shiroe from Log Horizon plan things out. As cunning as he may be, he also cares for his loved ones and if someone hurt them, he will go out for their blood.

Ninym is an adviser and an excellent aide for Wein. Cool-headed, intelligent, mature and sometimes can be a slave driver when it comes to getting things done. She is also capable of accompanying Wein anywhere from a diplomatic mission to a battlefield. Ninym is also caring for people who she cherishes and much like Wein will show no mercy to people who hurt her close friends. Ninym's relationship with Wein is an interesting one too since they are more than a friend but not lovers too. Definitely waifu material though.

LowellMina, princess of Earthwold Empire and a close friend of Wein. She is somewhat similar to Wein. Intelligent, kind, not arrogant for a noble and have the best interest of the people at her heart. The anime takes some time to establish the back story and relationship between Wein, LowellMina and Ninym too.

LowellMina, being a girl, her advice and idea are often dismissed in favour of her brothers (the princes of the Earthwold Empire) and all of them are gunning for the throne of the Earthwold Empire. The outwitting battle and mind game between LowellMina and Wein is also an intriguing one to watch.

Falanya is Wein’s little sister and someone who looks up to Wein. She can be seen in many scenes where she is studying everything from politics to battlefield strategy with her tutor. She later got a good screen time and development where she proves she is capable as a princess.

Art & Animation - 7

While The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt is not groundbreaking in terms of production quality it is way better than Realist Hero. The overall tone and the details of the arts are pretty good while the animations, in general, are on the weaker side.

The character arts and design are nice. Not only they are unique looking, but also very suitable for the fantasy medieval theme. The details on the character are also fairly nicely done with all the ribbons, accessories, stripes and texture on their outfits. Facial expressions are also spot on from the character putting up a poker face but panicking inside to smirk faces when Wein is winning. The animation of Wein twitching like a kid out of annoyance is also amusing and well animated.

The background also looks nice with good art quality and a fair amount of detail to them. Indoor scenes are well detailed and populated with objects that give an actual vibe of the era. Some of the floorings also look really nice with detailed patterns on them. The outdoor scene also looks equally nice with well-detailed castles, houses and some pretty looking natural environments. Scenes that need background characters have no them and for an anime that is not focused on food, the foods look fairly delicious too.

I also like how the camera transit in the early part of the anime where there is a battle and the camera goes from a carved soldier looking piece on a strategic map to the real general of the enemy army. However, the combat animations are extremely weak. They are mostly still shots with effects, close up camera shots with a few awkward motions and animation.

Sound - 6.5

The opening and ending songs of The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt are decent, they are good for listening to a couple of times but didn’t have retaining power to be in a playlist.

Background music sound nice with appropriate instruments and nice-sounding music which super compliments the scene. They are not so memorable but they do sound good. The background music quality is also well above the music that is used in some budget fantasy anime.

I also don’t notice any sound effects missing from the anime. The anime has the standard level of detail and quantity that I expect from an anime when it comes to sound effects. Things such as the sound of a wooden block when Wein lifted a block from the strategic map or the sound of the carriage’s wheel when inside a carriage are all accounted for.

Voice acting is superb for all characters. The voice acting brings out the wit of each character nicely and things such as Wein panicking or twitching out of annoyance and complaining are also nicely voiced. As a fan of Rie Takahashi’s voice, it instantly makes Ninym a likeable character for me. Takahashi nailed the role of the character even if the character reminded me of Emilia from Re: Zero sometime.

TLDR:

An intriguing anime that goes deep into the geopolitics of the fantasy world. The outwitting battle and mind games between each character or kingdom are also fascinating to watch.