Bibliophile Princess got off to a solid start, leaving fans with a lot to look forward to. Elianna and Christopher appeared to be the ideal couple to conquer 2022, and the anime had the potential to be one of the finest shojo romance anime of the year.
However, it didn't take long for the program to tank, leaving behind a dull plot and uninteresting characters. While 2022 was undoubtedly the year of strong female leads, with characters such as Yor Forger from Spy x Family and Kaguya Shinomiya from Kaguya-sama: Love is War, Elianna has fallen short as a heroine.
In Her Own Show, Elianna Isn't the Most Endearing Character
Elianna began as a powerful heroine who seemed to stand her footing without the need for a man to represent her. Her allure quickly faded in the face of the ever-dynamic Prince Christopher, who proved to be the actual star of Bibliophile Princess. His charm, humor, and flirtation have warmed hearts – and entirely overshadowed the main protagonist. In comparison, she has completely gone by the wayside, and the tale does little to elevate her character development or personality. She now appears to be a lost lamb, following her prince and without her own voice.
In the beginning, Elianna's obliviousness seemed cute, but now it's annoying, especially the way she's always blaming herself for being in the dark. She's still perplexed about why she can't remember her childhood meetings with the prince, while Christopher has based a large part of his life on those encounters. He's not only always in control of the situation but is criminally handsome, and he can't help but be the center of attention everywhere. The slow pace, the unnecessary buildup, and a fading female protagonist isn't letting Princess of the Bibliophile move up the ladder.
Is There a Bright Side for Bibliophile Princess?
Prince Christopher is the only bearable thing about Bibliophile Princess at this point despite romantic tension being at an all-time high. He's probably the first prince in anime to sacrifice so much for his princess and not let anyone get the better of him. Despite its downsides, Bibliophile Princess isn't a lost cause. Fans of the genre are still rooting for the couple, and the slow burn is definitely worth waiting for.
All in all, Princess of the Bibliophile underperformed and presented viewers with a simple, often clichéd story in a royal setting. There should've been a spicy element in the mix, considering it's actively competing with other new romance series like More Than A Married Couple, Romantic Killer, and My Dress-up Darling.
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