SPOILERS: Don’t read if you want to experience the events of The Do-Over Damsel Conquers The Dragon Emperor, Episode 1 yourself first
A synopsis of the plot of The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor, Episode 1
I am always thrilled when an anime I have been looking forward to delivers a strong first episode.
Such is the case of The Do-Over Damsel Conquers The Dragon Emperor, Episode 1 — a fantasy rom-com with a time travel theme that follows Jill Cervel, the God of War’s daughter.
A girl who has been engaged to Crown Prince Gerald der Kratos since she was 10-years-old, and was happy to be, until she finds out her first love is involved in an incestuous relationship with his sister.
It is that discovery that leads to Jill being wrongly accused of attempting to poison the prince’s sister, and sentenced to death.
As Gerald sends his guards to kill her, Jill’s only way of “escape” is to commit suicide by throwing herself off the castle’s highest tower.
That, however, doesn’t end as she expected, as she suddenly finds herself traveled back in time in the palace ballroom where she first met Gerald as a child, and where he immediately proposed.
And, yes, Jill is also back to her 10-year-old self.
What follows is a sudden involvement with Hadis Teos Rave, the Dragon Emperor and one of the most evil men in the world, and a betrothal to him even Jill cannot believe she suddenly proposed.
But, hey, at least she has avoided becoming engaged to Prince Gerald, right?
Oddly, however, instead of Hadis being the villainous man she remembers from her adult life, he turns out to be a sweet, kind, overly-trusting soul who wants to make her happy.
Now Jill must decide, can she marry Hadis, and keep him the sweet man he is instead of the tyrant who, in her already-lived future, destroyed much of the kingdom she grew up in?
Review of The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Empire, Episode 1
The anime first stands out for its well-written characters.
Jill, who is gutsy, strong and with a will of her own from the very first scene. Someone who is willing to do anything to create a better life for herself while also creating a better world.
Hadis Teos Rave, the Dragon Emperor, a man we first meet as he is burning down Jill’s world and ordering the murder of every man, woman and child in it.
But who, in Jill’s second past, turns out to be an absolute pushover when it comes to interacting with someone who loves him. He loves making cookies too.
Because, as it turns out, Jill’s future of a burning world and thousands of civilian deaths seems to have happened because someone destroyed Hadis’ life and all he held dear.
And now, in future episodes, we get to discover who that someone is, while at the same time watching Hadis confess undying love to the girl who is 9-year his junior. Then doing everything he can to make sure she is never harmed.
Even in Episode 1, both of these characters have immense presence right from their opening scenes, as you immediately get a sense of how strong and willful Jill is, while Hadis’ surprising cuteness and gentle voice (until he’s pissed at Gerald) have already elicited those “Awwwwww” vibes.
The introduction of Hadis’ actual Dragon God Rave towards the end of the episode is even cuter, as the tiny, obnoxious dragon’s personality befits a being a hundred times his size.
Especially when he thinks it’s hilarious Jill didn’t actually mean to propose to Hadis — “Well, I did warn you it was too good to be true”.
He also offers the always-loved “kawaii factor” in anime along with a huge dose of comedy, all while being brilliantly voiced by Shiori Izawa (Nanachi in Made in Abyss).
The tightly-written first episode of The Do-Over Damsel also does a lovely job of immediately pulling you into the story and caring about those characters. Characters you feel you know well before the episode is even half over.
A story that then hares off on a break-neck speed until, 15 minutes later, we are with Jill on Hadis’ ship heading back to his homeland and thinking “What the hell just happened?”
And sure, while The Do-Over Damsel is reminiscent of several recent anime with similar stories, this one does a brilliant job of mixing quirky and unique characters with action, drama and genuine laugh-out loud humor.
Can we not with the “problematic relationship”?
Finally, as someone who is so beyond exhausted with the work bullshit we are subjected to on a daily basis in the west, and that destroys the superb entertainment it critiques and then cancels, can we please NOT with The Do-Over Damsel?
After all, just reading a few viewer comments about The Do-Over Damsel, Episode 1 on various platforms and some people are already talking about a “problematic relationship” and “pedophilia”.
Really. Fuck off.
Jill is 10, and Hadis is 19 – a 9 year gap that, once they are actually adults and married, will mean diddly squat.
That type of age gap is also something that was incredibly common worldwide up until not that long ago, especially among nobility who often betrothed their young children to adults, with a marriage to take place when they were older.
Besides, an embarrassed and very cute Hadis himself points out, there’s a proper way to do things. “Taking tea together, talking, getting to know each other” — all of these must happen before any talk about marriage begins.
And that will take years.
In the same vein, I watched a video of a group of Japanese video game developers recently who were saying they are SO tired of having to alter game content just to make mainly Americans happy with what they produce.
Otherwise, if they don’t, there will be the usual woke whining about “inappropriateness”, “problematic relationships” or “non-inclusivity” because the game features characters who are “too young” or haven’t included woke characters that encompass all 4,897 genders.
They ended the conversation by saying, if push comes to shove, they would prefer not to have to sell their games to the west, and particularly to America, as the content they produce is not remotely ‘problematic” in Japan or in much of the rest of the world.
So why do they have to change it to satisfy narrow-minded, strange opinions from a small number of people most of the world doesn’t care about?
I am absolutely sure Japanese animators often feel the same damn way, as they have to deal with the arrogance of westerners who believe their opinions are correct, and so try to get the content of JAPANESE anime changed to suit them.
In other words, if you like anime, watch The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor for what it is – a fun, cute, romantic comedy, with two incredibly strong protagonists who, I have a feeling, we will discover down the road were meant for each other.
Regardless that there’s a difference in years lived. And you may just love it.
Besides, you might want to stop expecting the Japanese to change their sensibilities just for you.
Or, at some point, as Asia continues becoming more and more powerful and the west continues on its downward track, they will soon be the ones demanding the same of you.
Score for The Do-Over Damsel Conquers The Dragon Emperor, Episode 1Â
10/10 — as this one is highly entertaining, and does a brilliant job of floating all my boats.
Watch the first episode now on Crunchyroll.
