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The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady Episode 8: Favorites

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The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady Episode 8 – Quick Summary

In The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady Episode 8, “The Magic Definition of the Monster and the Commoner,” Ilia and Lainie waited in the villa for Anis and Euphie to come back from the previous episode’s presentation. Neither the maid nor the vampire expected the intruder alarm to go off. And they certainly didn’t expect the intruder to be him. Can Ilia take care of Lainie until Anis and Euphie get back? Is this part of a larger plan? And if so, how who is really behind things?

Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.

Favorite Quote from The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady Episode 8

The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady Episode 8: Ilia tried to boost Lainie's spirits

Ilia did her best to cheer up Lainie. She made some good progress, too. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

After taking a few episodes off, Ilia reclaims the honor of uttering my favorite quote of the episode. It’s all the more impactful because of what it represented – namely, a fleeting happiness before disaster struck.

And wow, did it ever strike.

Lainie still struggled to accept that she’s a vampire. Like Euphie had been in previous episodes, Lainie didn’t know where she fit into the scheme of things. She was so distraught that she didn’t even touch the tea that Ilia had brewed for her.

After sharing some wisdom that didn’t seem to get through to Lainie, Ilia decided to try some humor. Saying that there was one problem that Lainie could fix right now, Ilia said (05:16), “A maid’s concern that the excellent tea she brewed will go cold.”

That cheered up the vampire! For a few moments, at least.

Favorite Moment from The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady Episode 8

The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady Episode 8: Anis knew what she needed to do

I recall Anis taking down a dragon, with Euphie’s help. That was before her tattoo. I don’t care how powerful Lainie’s magicite makes Algard. The dude’s toast. I hope. I really, really hope. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

Setup: Algard’s Descent

If I have a complaint about this episode (and for the record, I don’t), it’s that we didn’t get to see Tilty really cut loose. Her power impressed the daylights out of Euphie, which tells me Count Chartreuse has seriously underestimated her. My only regret is that we didn’t get to see just how much he had underestimated her.

Because I tell you what – I want to see that guy get what’s coming to him. And judging from Tilty’s grin, she’s ready to dish it out.

But, let’s move on to my favorite moment.

For a while there, I almost felt sorry for Algard. It had to be hard growing up in the shadow of Anis’s sheer creative brilliance. I can imagine Algard had to struggle to accept a kingship when he didn’t feel worthy. And I can imagine him blaming Anis for his predicament.

The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady Episode 8: Algard has no idea what real suffering is

“Just look at how terrible my life is.” It had to be terrible to endure being so pampered and fawned on. What a misery! Boo-effing-hoo, Algard. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

But after this episode? When I was growing up on the farm, we tried to take very good care of our animals – from the chickens to the pigs to the cattle and even the dogs and cats. But if even one of our favorite dogs contracted rabies? Well, I know some of you are tender-hearted when it comes to animals. I not only respect that; I think it’s great. So I won’t say what we did.

But let’s just say remembering those times made me think of Algard.

First, the dude shot Ilia.

Second, he tore Lainie’s heart out. Not figuratively. He really tore it out. My God, that was brutal! Intentionally so. The fun times are over, at least for now, and now we see the kind of thing that “Revolution” entails. Watching the battle with the dragon in episode 5 proved this show had the visual and writing chops to go as dark as they needed. Now, seeing Lainie’s crumbled form on the lawn, I realized I had underestimated the show.

Delivery: Anis’s Clear Vision

All while Algard was spilling his guts to Anis, all while he lamented the horrors of his pampered and privileged position, in my notes, I wrote, “Boo-effing-hoo.” Maybe he’s just a self-pitying weakling pretending to be a man, and maybe the more politically savvy Chartreuse manipulated him. Maybe it’s a combination. But the guy really turned a corner in this episode.

The portrayal of his fall was so dramatically effective that I now actively wish him harm. Dude’s earned my fictional hatred. Earned it, not through effective manipulation of trope short cuts or cliches. But by establishing himself as a character that might have been sympathetic, but whose choices put him directly at odds with who I am. And what I’m willing to fight for. 

I think Anis is in that same position.

I might be reading a little too much into it. But I think that after seeing what Algard was willing to do to both Ilia and Lainie, Anis knows the dude can’t be allowed to persist. Given that he shoved Lainie’s magicite into himself, I doubt Anis can be gentle about the extraction. She knows that, too.

The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady Episode 8: Algard did wrong by Ilia and Lainie

I’m not in the least bit squeamish. But when I tried to get a screencap of Lainie, I felt like I was violating her privacy. Now, that’s effective character building. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

Algard tried to trash talk her. Her game was so much better that it was pathetic. He kept trying to assert that he needed absolute power to put a halt to social inequity (by turning everyone into his slave). Anis told him she would (21:33) “stop my brother’s little game.”

He tried to tell her that it was too late for anything like that. And all through that sequence, I could see her resolve harden.

This is my favorite moment. I think Anis realized where this is heading. I think she knows what she needs to do. What’s more, I think she is determined to do it.

She said (21:41), “Yes, it really is… too late.”

I have no idea where the story’s going. I doubt Algard actually dies in the next episode, though if the real villain of the series is Count Chartreuse, it might happen. But in all honesty, I hope it does happen. I hope Anish puts him down and does for Lainie what Mika did for Chisato in Lycoris Recoil. I hope she puts him down in the opening moments of the next episode.

Because she had more important things to do. That hole in Lainie’s chest ain’t gonna heal itself.

What did you think of the short battle when Moritz Chartreuse tried to detain Anis? What were your favorite moments in this episode? Please let me know in the comments!

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6 thoughts on “The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady Episode 8: Favorites

  1. I have forgotten most of what Algard said, but if I recall correctly, he was talking about changing the country in a way which he needs more power to accomplish. Reason being, his grandfather tried to do something similar but had a rebellion on his hands as a result. Thing is, a king does need to keep in mind that he is nothing without his supporters, so even the most powerful king has limits. In that sense, I can see a certain reasoning to what Algard is doing, trying to make himself so powerful that he can force the nobles to accept his reforms or die if they rebel this time around. Thing is, his thinking is so convoluted, self-centered, and short-sighted – if I am recalling this correctly – that he doesn’t even see the solution right before his eyes. Anis’ magicology is going to change things no matter what, but instead of getting on board with and supporting her in an effort to create a gradual change, he’s using, betraying, and discarding the people around him just to build himself up. He’s a ruthless, remorseless, blood-soaked tyrant in the making.

    1. “Thing is, his thinking is so convoluted, self-centered, and short-sighted – if I am recalling this correctly – that he doesn’t even see the solution right before his eyes. ”

      I think you hit the nail on the head right there!

      I have to wonder how much Chartreuse and others manipulated him. Or coerced him — I guess I had not thought of that. Though given his willingness to put the lives of Anis, Lainie, and Ilia at risk, and given the outcome of his actions would have been at least the ouster if not the death of his parents, I wonder what Chartreuse could have held over him.

  2. I really doubt Angard will die. My main reason is this: Who’s next in line for the throne, if he dies? Will Anis take the throne? Can she, after she killed the current crown prince? I don’t think the show’s on its way to dig that deeply into politics. The fight with the dragon suggests there’s a different line going forward (the dragon called her, what, “traveler”?) If Anis kills Angard here and now, we might see succession wars between different houses, for example. At the very least we need one new character. Nah, I can’t see Angard dying (which may still happen, of course).

    That said, I’m not as hard on Angard, or as easy on Anis (depending on how you see it) as you seem to be. What Angard did is without a doubt dispicable. Nobody disagrees, not even Angard. But the situation is… interesting. I mean Anis has basically said, she’s not going to be Queen, you be King. I’ll do what interests me instead. Interestingly, both siblings are working towards more egalitarianism respective magic, in their own ways. Did they ever talk? Did Anis even know what’s driving Angard. She’s the type of character who just presses onwards towards things that interest her. I wouldn’t be surprised if she just never thought about that. Someone’s going to be regent; well there’s my little brother. Nobles factions come out of the woodwork to play him because he’s… “weak”? “Easy to manipulate”? Would they have tried the same thing with Anis?

    Magic is political capital in this world, and Anis has none. But she is of royal linage. That’s a type of status incongruity that would have caused conflict, no doubt, between conservatives and reformers (you’ve seen the crowd shot at the lecture, no?). If you’re not politically inclined, but you’re suddenly in one of the most powerful positions, what do you do? Angard, for his part, plays along, lets them use him while using them in turn. Angard, as I see it, was always going to betray his backers. But how? How will this work? The vampire’s charming power is perfect for this situation, no? You just mindcontrol your political opponents…

    All this could possibly have been prevented if the siblings had talked more. Sure Angard’s pride is to blame for a lot of it. But so is Anis’ reckless forwardness. It’s a terrible situation, and I certainly don’t want to be Lainie, here. In her place, I’d probably prefer to die than to be saved. Imagine being at the heart of the reason current crown prince has… died? What’s the public narrative going to be?

    It’s a terrible mess, and it started before any of the current key players were even born. It seems to me, we’re in the middle of a social upheaval, but not one that started only with this story. I’m honestly not sure where the story’s going, but I do think it’s going to lean towards magic more than politics (though both strangs are going to remain strong; I’m going to be immensly impressed if they actually find a near 50:50 balance – I don’t expect that).

    1. This reply contains spoilers for episode 9! So if you haven’t seen it yet, please do skip this comment.

      Last chance to skip!

      We saw that you’re right — Algard didn’t die. At the same time, I really think that Anis was willing to put him down. She seemed to have second thought just before her dragon claw hit, but I don’t think she could have stopped it. That’s what made Euphie’s gesture so important.

      I get your point about the relationship between Anis and Algard. I’ll go even farther than that — I think you’re right. At the same time, I’d still weigh my opinion against Algard. The consequences of Anis’s decision is that she’s not line for the throne, and she isn’t actively harming anyone in the process. Algard ripped out Lainie’s heart. He injured Ilia. If there was truly no other way to achieve his goals, he might have some excuse (though a poor one). But he could have elected instead of pull Anis into his confidence. He could have asked for her help. He could have done that as soon as Chartreuse approached him.

      Which is kind of what you alluded to when you said the siblings should have talked more.

      Thinking about what I just wrote, and considering your observation that “t started before any of the current key players were even born,” I wonder if I’m giving insufficient weight to the wider political discussion. Chartreuse might be dead, but he certainly wasn’t alone. It could be that the socio/political structure of the kingdom itself is the enemy.

      Bottom line: I love how the show’s characters and world are complex enough to hold up to his kind of conversation!

      1. We also saw that I was wrong: my rationale, after all, was that Algard dying would take him out of the way of the throne, which I didn’t think the show would do. And while Algard survived, that’s what the show did anyway. He’s no longer the successor to the throne, which is exactly what I didn’t think would happen.

        I also didn’t expect that Anis renouncing her right to the throne was partly due to her recklessness endangering her little brother, and partly to the complications that caused due to her not having any magic. The writing’s much more involved, merging the personal with politics, than I gave it credit for. The writing’s pretty conventional; there’s nothing here I haven’t seen before many times. But it’s very clever at putting it all together.

        As a side note, I think the show might be building up to some reveal about Illia. I’ve been having the feeling all along that something about Lainie’s situation triggered her personally.

        1. It’s a real treat to watch a show that has some complex characters. Both of us have watched our share of anime — and the show surprised both of us! I appreciate a show that can do that.

          A reveal about Ilia? Her forwardness in offering blood to Lainie did feel a little — not out of character, but more like a character development. I’m going to keep my eyes open!

Please let me know what you think!

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