Many villainess anime start the same way: a woman wakes up as the villain of a story she already knows and has to dodge the ending written for her. The shows split on what she does next. The place to start is My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, the 2020 comedy more AniList users have on their lists than any other show here (149,502). The best-rated is Though I Am an Inept Villainess, which scores 81 after its summer 2026 run.
The shortcut. If you want comedy, start with My Next Life as a Villainess or From Bureaucrat to Villainess. For romance, go to 7th Time Loop. If you read manhwa, Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion and Doctor Elise both adapt Korean webtoons. This page covers anime only; for the comics, see our best villainess manhwa list.
Villainess anime at a glance
| Anime | The setup | First season (AniList) | AniList score | On AniList lists | Where to stream |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| My Next Life as a Villainess | Avoid the game's exile and death endings | 12 episodes, spring 2020 | 73 | 149,502 | Crunchyroll, Hulu |
| Though I Am an Inept Villainess | Body swap with the court's hated villainess | 11 episodes, summer 2026 | 81 | 51,020 | Crunchyroll, Netflix |
| 7th Time Loop | Seventh life, married to the man who killed her | 12 episodes, winter 2024 | 75 | 91,141 | Crunchyroll, Netflix |
| An Observation Log of My Fiancée Who Calls Herself a Villainess | Her schemes keep failing in her favor | 12 episodes, spring 2026 | 77 | 33,736 | Crunchyroll |
| Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion | Fake engagement to escape her murder | 12 episodes, spring 2023 | 74 | 73,169 | Crunchyroll, Netflix |
| I'm in Love with the Villainess | The heroine courts the villainess | 12 episodes, fall 2023 | 73 | 68,979 | Crunchyroll |
| From Bureaucrat to Villainess | A 52-year-old dad reborn as the villainess | 12 episodes, winter 2025 | 73 | 43,811 | HIDIVE |
| I'll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History | She wants to be evil; the prince falls for her | 13 episodes, fall 2024 | 72 | 56,366 | Crunchyroll |
| Villainess Level 99 | Accidentally maxed out, mistaken for the Demon Lord | 12 episodes, winter 2024 | 71 | 80,480 | Crunchyroll |
| Doctor Elise | A surgeon reborn as an evil princess | 12 episodes, winter 2024 | 71 | 43,069 | Crunchyroll |
"On AniList lists" is the number of AniList users who have added the show, as of October 24, 2026. It is a rough guide to how many people have watched or plan to.
1. My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! (key visual via AniList).
The most-listed show here, and the classic setup. AniList's synopsis has Katarina Claes "hit in the head with a rock" before she "recovers the memories of her past life" and realizes she is the villain of an otome game. "The best ending the game has for Katarina is exile, and the worst, death!" So she sets out to "avoid triggering the flags of doom."
It plays as a comedy, and AniList tags it Mixed Gender Harem. One fan credits it with the wave that followed. In an r/OtomeIsekai thread about the villainess and romance-fantasy anime since 2020, the commenter wrote: "Bakarina did kinda pave the way for Rofan, huh? I guess she proved that people liked it."
AniList: TV, 12 episodes, spring 2020, SILVER LINK., average score 73. Season 2 (My Next Life as a Villainess X) ran 12 episodes in summer 2021 and scores 71, and a film followed in fall 2023. Streams on Crunchyroll and Hulu.
2. Though I Am an Inept Villainess
Though I Am an Inept Villainess (key visual via AniList).
The highest-rated villainess anime on this list, and the newest. There's no otome game in the synopsis. Instead it's a palace contest: "jealous Keigetsu uses forbidden magic to swap bodies with the beloved Reirin." Reirin, now in the villainess's body, "must answer for Keigetsu's crimes in a dangerous trial." AniList tags it Body Swapping and Ancient China.
In an r/OtomeIsekai thread asking who was watching it during its run, one reply read: "Yep and I'm loving it so far. The dance was awesome and that's all I'm gonna say."
AniList: TV, 11 episodes, July 12 to September 20, 2026, Doga Kobo, average score 81. A sequel is listed for winter 2027. Streams on Crunchyroll, Netflix and Disney Plus. Crunchyroll's official trailer:
Video: Crunchyroll's official trailer for Though I Am an Inept Villainess.
3. 7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy!
7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! (key visual via AniList).
The pick for romance. AniList's synopsis says Rishe "died at the age of 20" and "has already experienced this time loop six times," living "as a merchant, a doctor, a maid, a knight." On her seventh run she meets Arnold Hein, who "happens to be the one who killed her during her life as a knight," and he "begs her to become his wife."
The past lives are the hook. To "stay alive and prevent a war," the synopsis says, "Rishe utilizes her previous experiences" as the bride of an enemy prince. If you like the regression side of villainess manhwa more than the game side, start here.
AniList: TV, 12 episodes, winter 2024, HORNETS and Studio KAI, average score 75. Streams on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
4. An Observation Log of My Fiancée Who Calls Herself a Villainess
An Observation Log of My Fiancée Who Calls Herself a Villainess (key visual via AniList).
The second-highest score here, at 77. Bertia knows she is "engaged to the perfect Crown Prince Cecil" in "her favorite otome game" and tries to play the villain, but her "evil" plans "only make her more endearing!" AniList tags it Male Protagonist as well as Female Protagonist, which fits the title: the log is her fiancé's.
AniList: ONA, 12 episodes, April 3 to June 19, 2026, Ashi Productions, average score 77. Streams on Crunchyroll. AniList credits Akiko Inoue with its series composition and script, and she is writing The Remarried Empress anime too (see below).
5. Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion
Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion (key visual via AniList).
The first Korean-webtoon pick. AniList lists its source as the Korean webtoon by Go-Rae and Milcha, 158 chapters long. After her death, "Rinko is reborn as Raeliana," and she knows the ending: "her murder at the hands of her fiancé." Her way out is "a devilish duke and a phony engagement."
Raeliana isn't a villainess at all; the synopsis calls her "a loved and wealthy character in a novel." She's here because the setup is the same: a reader inside a story, dodging the ending she knows. AniList lists Mystery among its genres. Our Raeliana review covers the full webtoon if the anime leaves you wanting the rest.
AniList: TV, 12 episodes, spring 2023, TYPHOON GRAPHICS, average score 74. Streams on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
GO DEEPER: For the comics side of this list, The Villainess Isekai Trope, Explained breaks down where the setup comes from and why it keeps working.
6. I'm in Love with the Villainess
I'm in Love with the Villainess (key visual via AniList).
The genre flipped. The synopsis has "a corporate drone" wake up "as Rae Taylor, the heroine in her favorite otome game," and instead of the princes she takes "the opportunity to court Claire François, the game's villainess." AniList tags it Yuri, the only show here with a same-sex romance at its center.
AniList: TV, 12 episodes, fall 2023, Platinum Vision, average score 73. Streams on Crunchyroll.
7. From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad's Been Reincarnated!
From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad's Been Reincarnated! (key visual via AniList).
The funniest premise on the list. A "52-year-old civil servant Kenzaburou Tondabayashi awakens to find he's become Grace Auvergne," the villainess of an otome game. He tries to play the part so the young cast gets their happy endings, but "Kenzaburou's memories of being an affectionate parent" keep getting in the way. AniList tags it Seinen and Parody.
AniList: TV, 12 episodes, winter 2025, Ajiado, average score 73. Streams on HIDIVE, the only pick here not on Crunchyroll.
8. I'll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History
I'll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History (key visual via AniList).
The lead wants the villain role. AniList's synopsis puts it in her words: "I'm going to leave my mark on history by becoming the world's greatest villain!" The problem: "the harder I try to be evil, the harder the prince falls for me!" If the doom-dodging leads in other shows annoy you, this is the opposite.
AniList: TV, 13 episodes, fall 2024, Maho Film, average score 72. Streams on Crunchyroll.
9. Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss but I'm Not the Demon Lord
Villainess Level 99 (key visual via AniList).
The pick for game-system fans. A college student is "reborn as Yumiella, the hidden villainess of an Otome RPG," wants a quiet life, and then "accidentally reaches level 99!" Now "everyone suspects that she's the infamous Demon Lord." It's the closest a villainess anime gets to the leveling stories on the rest of this site.
AniList: TV, 12 episodes, winter 2024, Jumondou, average score 71. Streams on Crunchyroll.
10. Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady with the Lamp
Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady with the Lamp (key visual via AniList).
The second Korean-webtoon pick, adapted from Yu-In and mini's 156-chapter series. AniList's synopsis runs it backwards from the usual: "Making up for her sins in a past life as the evil princess Elise, Aoi Takamoto dedicates her life to saving people as a doctor." When she dies, "she's back to her previous life, 10 years before her death!" AniList tags it Medicine. If you finish the anime and want more like it, our manhwa like Doctor Elise list picks up from there.
AniList: TV, 12 episodes, winter 2024, Maho Film, average score 71. Streams on Crunchyroll.
Villainess anime coming next
Three shows to watch for, two of them from Korean webtoons.
Though I Am an Inept Villainess, season 2. AniList lists the sequel for winter 2027.
The Remarried Empress. The official anime site says the adaptation is "coming in 2027," with TROYCA animating and Akiko Inoue, whose credits include An Observation Log of My Fiancée, on series composition and script. Crunchyroll News says Crunchyroll "will stream the anime when it premieres next year." Our Remarried Empress anime guide has the cast and trailer.
Villains Are Destined to Die. The TV anime was announced as the webtoon's main story "concluded with Chapter 214," and Anime Corner notes that "No information about the TV anime's studio, staff, cast, release window, or format has been announced." AniList still lists it with no studio and no start date. We read the Prologue on Tapas to see what the anime will have to open with. It starts on "the latest romance simulation game that everyone's talking about." A woman leaves a family that told her "This family doesn't need you," then wakes as Penelope Eckhart and is told off over a scene "at the Crown Prince's homecoming banquet." The game shows her a man's "Affection score... Zero percent...?" and over another man's head it reads "-10%." The Prologue ends with two strangers discussing the game. One says "that character is so annoying. I quit playing," and the other answers, "Oh, the villain." Our Villains Are Destined to Die anime page tracks the news. The comic is on Tapas, which ends service on March 31, 2027; the Tapas shutdown guide explains what that means for unlocked episodes.
Our take: which villainess anime to start with
Start with My Next Life as a Villainess. It's the most-listed show here, it's a comedy first, and it sets up the otome-game rules most of the others play with. Then pick by mood. Though I Am an Inept Villainess is the best-rated, and its body swap and palace setting make it the most different. 7th Time Loop is the romance. From Bureaucrat to Villainess is the joke that works.
If you came here from manhwa, watch Raeliana first. It has a mystery at its center, and the full webtoon is there when you want the rest. Then keep an eye on 2027: The Remarried Empress has a year, a studio and a streamer, and Villains Are Destined to Die has an announcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best villainess anime?
By AniList score, Though I Am an Inept Villainess, at 81 after its summer 2026 run. The best place to start is still My Next Life as a Villainess (2020), which more AniList users have on their lists than any other show here.
Are there villainess anime based on manhwa?
Yes. Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion (2023) and Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady with the Lamp (2024) both adapt Korean webtoons. The Remarried Empress gets an anime in 2027, and Villains Are Destined to Die has a TV anime announced with no date.
Where can I watch villainess anime?
Crunchyroll has nine of the ten on this list. From Bureaucrat to Villainess is on HIDIVE, and in some regions Netflix also carries Though I Am an Inept Villainess, 7th Time Loop and Raeliana.
Is there a villainess anime with a yuri romance?
I'm in Love with the Villainess (2023). Its lead wakes up as the heroine of an otome game and sets out to win over the game's villainess instead of the princes. AniList tags it Yuri.
Will Though I Am an Inept Villainess get a season 2?
AniList lists a sequel for winter 2027. No exact premiere date was on the listing when we checked on October 24, 2026.
Related Reading
- Best Villainess Manhwa: the comic version of this list.
- Villainess Manhwa Hub: every villainess guide on the site in one place.
- Villains Are Destined to Die Reading Guide: how to read the webtoon before the anime arrives.
How we checked this
We read the Prologue of Villains Are Destined to Die on Tapas on October 24, 2026. Every format, episode count, season, studio, score, list count and streaming service comes from each show's AniList record, pulled the same day; scores and counts move as users vote. The Korean-webtoon sources for Raeliana and Doctor Elise come from the AniList entries for the original comics. The Remarried Empress details are from the official anime site and Crunchyroll News, Akiko Inoue's credits from AniList's staff page, and the Villains Are Destined to Die announcement from Anime Corner. On October 29 we swapped an AniTrendz citation for Crunchyroll News because the AniTrendz page was returning a server error. Each fact has a row with a quoted line in our sources table.
Last reviewed: October 29, 2026
References
- My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! on AniList
- Though I Am an Inept Villainess on AniList
- 7th Time Loop on AniList
- An Observation Log of My Fiancée Who Calls Herself a Villainess on AniList
- Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion on AniList
- I'm in Love with the Villainess on AniList
- From Bureaucrat to Villainess on AniList
- I'll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History on AniList
- Villainess Level 99 on AniList
- Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady with the Lamp on AniList
- The Remarried Empress official anime site
- Crunchyroll News: The Remarried Empress anime adaptation announced for 2027
- Akiko Inoue on AniList
- Anime Corner: Villains Are Destined to Die TV anime announced
- Villains Are Destined to Die on Tapas
- Tapas end-of-service notice
