Well, we have one more for Reali…../screeching noise of needle being pulled over a record surface/

No, no. There is nothing real in today’s review. Quite possibly my opinion is an unreal as everything else here. ^_^  The Vexations Of A Shut-In Vampire Princess, streaming on HIDIVE is the last of this season’s Yuri offerings and as offerings go, it’s pretty pale and thin in comparison to some of our other choices.

A weak vampire is not much of a threat
Until her army is much in her debt
When she throws down the glove
Her maid who’s in love
Takes on enemies and friends and et. cetera.

Terakomari Gandesblood is not a great vampire. Small, weak, unable to stand blood, she’s been a shut-in for the last three years. But circumstances drive her to ascend to the generalship of an army, which she runs with the assistance of her pervy, obsessed maid, Villhaze. As a series from a Gangan magazine, I had little to no hope that it would be good, but that I might find something to talk about. In both cases, I was correct.  ^_^

The plot is a very violent one and that, at least, I approve of. Vampires that are not appalling violence machines bore me. (Well, all vampires bore me, honestly.) But the violence here is impermanent, wars are pointless and death is played for a gag most times.  And then in episode 3, a plot complication arrives that completely killed my interest in the story, but it might be to your taste. 

We learn that Terakomari became a recluse because of bullying at school. When her bully returns, she is clearly entirely, sadistically psychotic and gloating, as she kidnaps and tortures Villhaze to manipulate Terakomari into fighting her. This one sentence contains all four things I despise most in story-telling, so I am highly likely to nope out of this series shortly.

Episode 3 also gives us the clearest glimpse that Villhaze’s perverted obsession with Terakomari is actually rooted in genuine admiration and love, and so is another example of exactly the kind of problematic behavior Rae engages in in I’m In Love With The Villainess for the exact reason she states that she does it. Villhaze has no hope that her love will be returned and so over-acts her affection as a creep, in order to make it a joke. For many queer viewers that kind of “joke” is well more than tired and trite. And loads of people have commented that Rae’s behavior makes them uncomfortable. So to see that same exact thing presented here as the “comedy” in an otherwise fairly horrifically violent series is…well, it’s not fun for me, at any rate.

I do like the OP of Terakomari dreaming she’s a pop idol, though. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – Murgh
Story – Dumb Ways to Die
Characters – The animals are far more likeable than the humanoids
Service – Yes, absolutely, constantly staring at Komari’s legs from below and between is extremely weird and creepy
Yuri – You have to ignore everything else about Villhaze to think her love for Terakomari is sweet

Overall – 4

Thankfully there are a number of other wonderful Yuri anime for us to enjoy this season and Whisper Me A Love Song coming our way in the new year. My hatsumode wish will definitely be “May we never to have to suffer the indignities of “funny” same-sex harassment in anime ever again.”