Review by Sri Prasad
Kill the Villainess
Writer: Haegi
Artist: Your April
Publisher: Tapas (Webtoon), Ize Press (Print)
Localization: Kakao Entertainment
Genre: Romantic Fantasy
Transmigrated into the body of a villainess in a romance novel who is doomed to die after the main plot has concluded, Eris Miserian wants nothing more than to find a way to return home. But despite her attempts to defy her role as the female lead Helena’s tormentor and escape through her own death, Eris finds herself trapped by the novel’s Principle of Causality, which will not allow her to stray from the plot. Even worse, Eris’ desperate attempts to change the story lead to her gaining the unwanted, dangerous attention of Helena’s suitors. With the help of Anakhin, her loyal knight and lover, and Medea, a witch with her own agenda, Eris must use her wits and strength to find a way out—no matter the cost.
Since 2020, transmigration, regression, and reincarnation-centered manhwa with “villainess” leads have exploded in popularity, providing escapist revenge fantasies that scratch that itch for righteous justice on the behalf of women who have been misinterpreted and wronged. These women are determined to take advantage of their new lease on life, whether by attempting to change the plot to save their villainess selves from being mistreated, or simply through pursuit of a new life with their oft-newfound wealth and noble privilege, even if they initially want to leave.
What makes Kill the Villainess particularly intriguing is that it offers a deconstruction on these tropes. Eris’ life in the real world is an unhappy one—neglected by her family and exploited at her job, she leads a dreary existence. Despite this, Eris is single-minded in her goal to die and leave the story. She wants to return to a world where she is surrounded by the ones she loves, where she can change her circumstances and live the life she wants. She wants to return to a world where she has agency.
A lack of agency is the most significant barrier for not only Eris, but fascinatingly, most of the women in Kill the Villainess. One of the most powerful examples of this is captured in the complex relationship between Eris and the female lead, Helena. Instead of being set up in a genre-typical trope of the two-faced, backstabbing female lead, or being framed as inconsequential at all to Eris’ journey, Helena is a foil to Eris that serves to emphasize the different ways in which classism and patriarchy seek to rob them of their agency.
Eris initially sees Helena as complacent in the abuse that she suffers at the hands of Alecto, the novel’s male lead and crown prince, and Helena even recognizes this herself. Where Eris is bold and determined in rejecting the obsessive advances of Alecto and the other male leads, Jason the knight and Hubris the high priest, Helena is meek and allows herself to be pulled into whatever activities her suitors wish, only mildly interjecting when she finds an action objectionable.
While Eris makes effective use of her nobility and money to seek resources, Helena is a maid shown to be a victim of classism, unable to leverage any power and act as a person in her own right, even through her suitors, who see her as a soft, precious thing in need of their protection. And yet, despite taking action, Eris still finds herself caught in the whims of the men who wield power over her, to the point where she undergoes an experience so traumatic at their hands that she is almost trapped in the novel world forever. For all that Eris is portrayed as active to Helena’s passivity, Eris is ultimately just as stuck.
Interestingly, where Eris is (initially) self-serving, focused on using others for her own gains, and openly hateful towards Helena, Helena is unfailingly kind to Eris and refuses to hold grudges, seeing through to the fear and pain with which Eris struggles. It is this constant kindness and vulnerability that enables Eris to acknowledge how genuine and real Helena is in this fictional world, and that Helena, too, is a victim of the men around them. And in one of my favourite moments of the entire series, in direct contradiction to everything she has worked for, Eris reaches out a hand to Helena not as real person-to-novel-character, but woman to woman, person to person, just because she cannot stand to see Helena suffer—even if it means that Eris’ own goals are hindered. The complexity of their relationship is absolutely beautiful to watch unfold, and the depth afforded these women—and even other minor female characters—is one of the reasons this is my favourite villainess manhwa in the world.
Visually, Kill the Villainess is a treat—characters have their own unique designs and are easily recognizable (I’m especially partial to Eris’ design) and the outfits are designed tastefully without the excessive ruffles and nonsensical designs often seen in villainess manhwa. The panelling and lettering are clear and easy to follow, and they use perspective and different angles effectively to heighten tension and emotional stakes, especially as Eris becomes more and more desperate to escape.
Kill the Villainess is not without its flaws. Despite Anakhin’s narrative role as Eris’ true love and partner, their relationship leans strongly and uncomfortably into an unchallenged master/servant dynamic, especially as Eris is the one who gives him a name and even a “choker” marking him as hers. Even later into the story, Anakhin continues to lack any of his own agency or personality outside of being Eris’ support, and the narrative portrays Anakhin’s unwavering, servile devotion as admirable and romantic. While some moments between them are sweet and bring much-needed moments of levity to a heavy story, I found the romance uninspired overall; leaving their bond platonic would, in my opinion, have been far more interesting. Additionally, I found it off-putting—but not entirely surprising—that not one but two prominent brown-skinned characters in the manhwa happen to be obsessive suitors for Eris’ heart, one of whom is also unashamedly incestuous. This characterization is reflective of the racist/colorist underpinnings often found in these manhwa.
Overall, however, Kill the Villainess is insistent on treating its women’s stories with the gravitas they deserve, lending weight and substance to a genre that often lacks such nuance. It is a must-read for anyone who is interested in the transmigration genre.
Kill the Villainess Volume 1 goes on sale on February 18, 2025 everywhere books are sold. You can also find the vertical scroll comic on Tapas.
