Danica Davidson
August 7, 2023 
Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss But I’m Not the Demon Lord is an isekai about a college student who is reincarnated into Eumiella, a character from an otome RPG she played in her last life. And she’s not the heroine of the game — she’s a bully who later turns out to be a hidden boss.
She doesn’t want to be a villain or hurt other people, though. But people are scared just looking at her, because of her dark hair. This is a world where people are prejudiced against that hair color. She goes off on her own and levels up with huge commitment, until she goes to the academy and it’s discovered that she’s at level 99. Other characters, at much lower levels, don’t believe her at first. But she is able to overpower and outsmart them, and then some of them start to wonder if she might be the Demon Lord, who is allegedly going to be resurrected in a couple years. This is a world where people can have magic powers, so there’s a strong fantasy element.
A lot of the first volume is about setting up characters and the scenario behind the story. For instance, the queen spends quite a bit of time explaining the Demon Lord to Eumiella. The explanation can be a little slow going, but hopefully that will pick up as the story continues. Eumiella is a fun main character who shares amusing commentary with the reader and can give the best deadpan look. It’s also a lot of fun to watch her overwhelm naysayers who don’t believe her abilities. There are a few hints of things to come that sound very intriguing, and not just the part about the Demon Lord. There is also the question of if any of the other characters are also reincarnated people who know what’s going on. If that’s true, things could get even more interesting . . .
All in all, Villainess Level 99 is a short, enjoyable isekai that has the potential to really build, and with Eumiella as a main character, it ought to be gratifying to see where she goes from here.
Manga: nocomi
Original Story: Tanabata Satori
Publisher: One Peace Books
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
