The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady Volume 3 Review

The anime adaptation of The Magic Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady is wrapping up an enjoyable run in the Winter 2023 season. But of course with the light novels continuing, there’s still plenty for fans of the series to enjoy. Today let’s take a look at what Volume 3 has to offer! 

As we begin this third instalment, we find Anisphia and Euphyllia dealing with the fallout of Volume 2, where Anisphia’s brother Algard fought her in a battle to the death and ended up being disinherited and exiled from the kingdom. With Algard no longer in line to take the throne, it falls to Anisphia to take up the position, something she never wanted but accepts nonetheless.

Having spent quite a lot of time by Anisphia’s side, it doesn’t take long for Euphyllia to realise that all is not well with the princess as she pushes herself harder and harder to do her duties to prepare for one day being queen. Maid Illia and close friend Titly are also concerned about Anisphia but no matter what they say, she simply wears a smile and assures them she’s okay.  

In the chapters told from Anisphia’s perspective we find that the princess is anything but okay. Torn between taking up a mantle she never wanted but feels duty bound to and wishing for her freedom to further develop her “Magicology”, our protagonist is only one step away from a complete mental breakdown. This is why the rest of the cast are so concerned as they watch her put up walls around her heart, showing nothing but a fake smile that is likely to never give way to her real feelings if someone doesn’t intervene. 

So it falls to Euphyllia to save Anisphia, a reversal of their roles from Volume 1. The more time Euphyllia has spent with the princess, the closer the pair have become and now Euphyllia freely admits that she loves Anisphia (yes for you yuri fans out there, this is meant romantically) and she can’t stand to see the person she feels so strongly for heading into a future where she’ll no longer be happy. If there’s even a small chance of finding someone else or something else to prevent Anisphia from becoming queen, then you can be sure Euphyllia will find it. 

While in the afterword of Volume 2 author Piero Karasu said it was the end of the first arc, it’s clear that the actual end of the first arc is here in #3 where it wraps up all of the remaining loose ends. The series has continued for another three books since this one, but this could have very easily been the end because Karasu does such a good job of finishing the storylines we’d been following so far. It certainly explains why the anime has pushed to cover all three, despite having to condense down this instalment quite heavily because it truly is a good place to put the series down. 

It’s not just the storyline that makes this a good book, it’s also the emotional heft to it and how well Karasu has depicted Anisphia’s feelings. Her emotions are very raw and realistic, especially those tied to how she feels obligated to be a good daughter and member of the royal family. To do her duties and be needed, approved of even, is extremely important and I think the author does a good job of showing us this while not laying it on too thick. Having spent two books with a happy-go-lucky protagonist, watching her fall apart is painful but also not unexpected. We’ve had just enough hints about Anisphia’s inner feelings that it’s not surprising it all comes to a head in this way and that’s what makes this whole book so rewarding. 

In my previous review, I said it felt like Euphyllia had taken a back seat, but I’m happy to report that for as much as this book is about Anisphia, it also does a fantastic job of developing our other heroine. Euphyllia has to face up to her feelings for Anisphia and figure out where she wants to be in the future, something Volume 2 had been building too. As with Anisphia, I’m so pleased by how the author chose to develop her character this time around and by the end, it feels like both of our heroines are in a great place. I also appreciate that the author hasn’t been coy about Euphyllia’s feelings, where a lot of other series would have struggled to commit to the romantic nature of it. 

I’m looking forward to seeing where the story goes from here, although I’d be surprised if this didn’t end up being the best entry in the whole series. It seems unlikely anything else will be able to top the emotional heights of this one, but you never know. 

Volume 3 of the series comes to the West thanks to Yen Press where it continues to be translated by Haydn Trowell. The translation reads well with no problems to note. As a general note, I would advise against looking at the colour pages at the front of this release before finishing the book since there are some significant spoilers contained within the scenes depicted this time around. But as always the artwork from illustrator Yuri Kisaragi looks beautiful in colour and even the black and white images throughout the volume capture the emotions of the cast satisfyingly. 

At the time of writing Volume 4 is scheduled for an English release in April, so if you’re looking for new content after the end of the anime you won’t have long to wait. 

Overall, The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady Volume 3 brings the first arc to an incredibly satisfying conclusion as it puts us through some powerful emotions. Author Piero Karasu once again shows us they’re a talented writer who can condense their ideas down to a short but rewarding narrative that comes together to become the best entry in the series so far.