This story is...unusual.
By the title, you'd think it was cashing in on the villainess craze. Maybe it is—but you couldn't tell that by reading it. This isn't an isekai, either—a story where the protagonist is reincarnated or transported to another world, usually inhabiting the body of a girl who is destined to become or who has already become the villainess in a romance story.
All of the characters in Futsu Aku are from the world they inhabit. A world inspired by historical China, and the story mostly takes place at the imperial palace. There's a lot of political intrigue at the court as five imperial consorts compete for the crown prince's affections, though our protagonist, Reirin, seems the obvious choice. The prince dotes on her and she is very sickly.
It's enough to make her competitors jealous...jealous enough for one of them to steal Reirin's body and her place next to His Majesty.
And yet, Reirin doesn't care because she's finally been given a body that isn't frail and weak. No more days in bed. No more struggling to breathe, endless medication, or any other troubles. Not once is she discouraged by her upcoming execution or her new terrible reputation, or her old friends denigrating her.
It's difficult to explain why Reirin is such a fantastic protagonist. She's consistently upbeat, but she isn't naive. She gets angry. But she's never, never, never defeatist in her attitude. It's so easy to see why everyone is drawn to her. And as the story reveals, even when her body was weak and frail, she was immensely strong. Her will was immensely strong.
With a body strong enough to match her soul, there's really nothing to stop Reirin anymore.
It's hard to explain why I love Reirin, but find A Certain Magical Index's Touma to be grating at times. I think it might be her shrewdness that comes through when characters challenge her on why she's doing something they consider stupid or reckless (or both). She's a charming character.
Reirin's so charming, in fact, that her way of viewing the world infected me, too. It would be so easy to hate the woman who stole her body, but Reirin never does. She's only grateful to her; she only shows her compassion and understanding. Through that lens, even the vile villainess everybody at court despises just becomes...an inept, intense girl who tends toward extremes. Their interactions later on are magical.
I've found that when a lot of stories want to be dark, they do it so extremely and irredeemably. To the point that it's not believable or interesting or has any gravity. The magic of Futsu Aku is how it starts off so darkly and Reirin is able to restore it to a soft, forgiving equilibrium with the element other stories are missing: Hope. In a world with actual magic, spirits, and supernatural phenomena, somehow everyone falls under Reirin's spell.
Futsu Aku is a fantastic story with a fantastic protagonist.
Go buy this from Seven Seas Entertainment. Do it now!
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