English Dub Review: I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss “The Love of the Villainess Doesn’t Reach”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Claude loses his memory and magical powers, returning him into a normal human being. In order to show the appeal of that aspect to the public, he goes on an inspection of the third zone of the imperial capital. During this time, Aileen follows Claude and tries to confirm her position as his fiancee. However, she just ends up experiencing the bitter feelings of a one-sided love. When she returns to the demon lord’s castle, she finds the heroine of Regalia Of Saints, Demons, and Maidens 2, Selena Gilbert, fighting for demon incense with Auguste Zelm, the official hero…

Our Take:

Things are not looking too bright for the villainous couple. Claude has reverted to his human form thanks to the mysterious culprit who stabbed him. Even worse, he doesn’t remember Aileen and their adventures together. As a result, Aileen may be back on course to her eventual demise. Considering that the first season is drawing to a close, it makes sense that the villainess would face a bigger dilemma like this.  

The episode sees Aileen attempting to help Claude regain his memories of her as his fiancée during an important inspection, which is handled by Lester Crane. But, of course, it proved to be a bit more complicated than she thought, as her eagerness to win him over again seemed to have frightened Claude. I would honestly feel concerned myself if the same thing happened to me. What makes it even more challenging is that Claude’s refusal causes her to question her love and affects his connection with his demons.

The demons are connected to Claude’s heart and wishes, so they’re still obliged to follow his orders, even when he’s not in his demon form. So when the cyclops demon is carrying Claude’s carriage, it is simply to protect him. Although, the guards believe that it was posing a threat to their lord. Additionally, it’s also enough to convince Aileen that Claude doesn’t want her at all, resulting in her leaving him possibly for good after giving Claude a hard smack in the face.

After last week’s episode, I was a bit concerned that the season’s final arc would start retreading familiar ground from the first four episodes. The only difference is that Claude is an amnesiac human prince instead of a full-fledged demon lord. Following my experience with this episode, my concerns grew a bit bigger. It continues to follow Aileen’s similar quest to make Claude love her through her manipulative charm, but it also takes a cue from the previous arc, with Aileen posing as a male guard for the inspection.

It isn’t without a few moments that got me chuckling, including Beelzebuth cherishing a piece of Claude’s hair. Of course, there’s also Aileen getting jealous that Claude accepted Lilia’s sweets instead of her apple pie while hiding in the closet. There’s just something about Aileen’s squeals, either out of jealousy or nervousness, that usually tickles my funny bones. Other than that, “The Love of the Villainess Doesn’t Reach” continues this arc’s path toward familiarity while providing a devastating blow to Aileen’s heart that could spell doom to her life.