To love always means to fight, even if it’s against you. This is Tenten Kakumei.
Not even in my dreams, I would see something so beautifully written would come in the shape of yuri and isekai …
Perhaps, I wouldn’t be able to talk much about how amazed I am watching this show, or maybe I would just throw and blabber my nonsense, but hey, let me try my best here, okay?
Introduction
Tensei Oujo to Tensai Reijo no Mahou Kakumei (Eng: The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady, Magirevo) is an adaptation of the light novel with the same title written by Piero Karasu and illustrated by Yuri Kisaragi.
©2023 Karasu Piero • Kirasagi Yuki / KADOKAWA / Tenten Production Committee
Sets the place within the royal family and noble society, Tenten Kakumei is the story of the princess of Palletia Kingdom, Anisphia Wynn Palettia, which was happened to be reincarnated from another world (read: our world). Comes to the new world filled with magic, Anisphia, which her last life lived in the world without magic, felt an adoration and a burning passion for magic since she was a little kid.
©2023 Karasu Piero • Kirasagi Yuki / KADOKAWA / Tenten Production Committee
But here’s the catch, while Anisphia loves the magic, unfortunately, the latter doesn’t love her back. Yes, Anisphia was born without magic. Being born without magic is a huge problem for her since magic is a fundamental trait for the noble. But her admiration and love for magic didn’t stop there. Through the scientific knowledge of her previous life, Anisphia began to approach magic by using scientific theorem (Magic science, Jp: Mahou Kagaku, Magaku).
On the contrary, there was a girl who is blessed and loved by magic, yet felt her entire life was only to fulfill her duty as a noble. But what will happen to her if those duties were lifted from her, and be told that she’s done well? The girl who live her life solely to serve her duty suddenly lost her life purpose.
That’s the story of the lady of the Magenta family, Euphyllia Magenta.
Love and what it would do
“Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with heart and soul, there is no such thing as separation.” ― Rumi
©2023 Karasu Piero • Kirasagi Yuki / KADOKAWA / Tenten Production Committee
Love. One word which I feel was this story’s main plot-driver, engine, and soul if you would. What people would do to protect someone they love, and to what extent people would do to cherish someone they love? Anisphia towards Euphyllia, Algard towards her sister Anisphia, Anisphia towards her kingdom, Anisphia towards her beloved father and mother, and Euphyllia towards Anisphia.
Like what crossed Algard’s mind when he saw her sister giving up her inheritance right of becoming the future queen at an early age because of the rotten kingdom nobles, or why would Euphyllia would take the step to that extent for Anisphia even if she knows that it would costed her an endless miserable, lonely life. Why are these lovers willing to do so much just to hold their dearest’s hand? If it is not love, then I don’t know what it is then.
In short (to avoid spoilers), Tenten Kakumei is just a story about those who foolishly love and adore beyond salvation. Slaved by love, entrapped in adoration, which was a foolishly engaging show to witness. Really to my liking.
Polar opposite, tempo, and how to tell
One thing that pulls me into liking this foolish lovers isekai is the way it’s written. The way Wataru Watari narrates and composes each episode’s structure, each dialogue line is just simply beautiful. Of course, it’s all thanks to Piero Karasu who comes up with this incredible story. But again, composing a few light Novel volumes into an anime-length narrative was never easy. That’s why so many LN purists go mad whenever their lovely novels’ adaptations are half-heartedly failed.
How each character in their respective arcs is portrayed as the polar opposite is just mesmerizing. That Anisphia was envious of Euphyllia for her incredible talent of magic as she was magicless herself, while Euphyllia was envious of Anisphia for her freedom and intense love of pursuing her aim and passion as she was aimless herself. They yearned for each other, and thus they fell for each other. This kind of interpersonal characterization was done beautifully throughout the season and I enjoyed it so much.
This is actually my first time to feel and realized how well-paced each line of dialogue is thrown. Whenever I see an anime, it never comes into my mind how actual lines per line are done, but Tenten Kakumi, man, this show made me come and come and come again and again when it comes to it.
The best example of it was how Anisphia and Euphyllia’s dialogue in the final fight, how each dialogue topped the previous and the way these ‘flirting’ exchanges were thrown is just out of this world. Reminds me that it’s not merely just a duel in which the objective is to overpower the other, rather it’s the way for them to convince and prove the other side of their conviction and belief.
©2023 Karasu Piero • Kirasagi Yuki / KADOKAWA / Tenten Production Committee
Metaphor and the overlooked visual
With the unga-bunga visual giants like Kyoto Animation’s Tsurune: Tsunagari no Issha and Studio BIND’s Onii-chan wa Oshimai! this season which fairly overpowered any other show airing this season visually, I felt like Tenten Kakumei was been overlooked by the community despite having some nicely done cuts and directing. Not to mention the symbolic metaphor it brings which adds more flavors to this isekai show.
One of my favorites is the visual parallelism directions throughout the series which solidify the cohesion and continuity of the entire show. My best example would be the offering of hand which was shown a few times throughout the story, again and again, while the one who offers and the offeree is constantly changing which indicates how the two leads complement each other, in their turn, they would do the same for the other.
©2023 Karasu Piero • Kirasagi Yuki / KADOKAWA / Tenten Production Committee
Also, I found the visual storytelling by using visual metaphor in Tenten Kakumei done nicely, like how two birds constantly appear here and there as the representative of Anisphia and Euphyllia throughout the series pleasant to watch. While also episodes have some nice cuts like; mirror cuts, which could be seen whenever the reflected ones are in confusion or hesitation, or in some cases, imaginary prison, Oh! and also specifically speaking love that thread-cutting of Euphyllia’s bride dress which was shown to emphasize how Euphyllia was cut off from the palace as her engagement with Algard is cut off.
©2023 Karasu Piero • Kirasagi Yuki / KADOKAWA / Tenten Production Committee
As a nice addition to that, the floral cuts and some eye-fish camera angles are always welcomed to make dialogue more pleasant and engaging to watch. Not the mention some rainbow-colored hair strands at the close-ups to make the nuance more focused, uuuoooogghhhh ….
©2023 Karasu Piero • Kirasagi Yuki / KADOKAWA / Tenten Production Committee
While the animation and visual effect itself is not really great compares to those mentioned before, but not bad at all in my opinion. Especially when it is done elegantly like when Euphyllia tries her Arc-en-Ciel, or when Anis and Euphy dance in the dragon-slaying victory party. Still, done beautifully.
©2023 Karasu Piero • Kirasagi Yuki / KADOKAWA / Tenten Production Committee
Afterwords
And that’s all that I can say about Tenten Kakumei. While it’s not your perfectly crafted show as many detailed flaws can be seen here and there, I would say it’s worth a try considering it’s not your usual isekai template anime. Personally I would give Tenten Kakumei 8/10.
That being said, many thanks to you all who read this until the end. Please let me know if you see any misspells, errors, or misinformation in this review.
