Are you a fan of isekai stories with a twist? If so, you’re in for a treat with these anime like Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion. This intriguing series takes us on a journey with Park Eunha, who finds herself awakened in the body of Raeliana McMillan, the ill-fated character in a novel she once read.
But Raeliana is not your typical damsel in distress; she’s determined to change her fate and takes matters into her own hands. With a unique premise and a feisty protagonist, this anime offers a fresh take on the isekai genre. If you’re looking for similar anime that will captivate you with their engaging stories and strong female leads, here are a few anime like Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion.
10. Bibliophile Princess
Elianna Bernstein, also known as the Bibliophile Princess, loves books more than anything else just like her family for generations. She agrees to a special arrangement with the crown prince, Christopher Selkirk Asherald, to become his fiancée in exchange for access to the royal archives. She thinks it’s just a business deal without any romantic sentiment.
However, things change when Elianna starts noticing Christopher’s interactions with another girl. Despite the uncertainty, Elianna and Christopher’s relationship grows as they start understanding each other better and uncovering their genuine feelings.
Similar to Raeliana, the female lead in this story is initially engaged in a relationship without any romantic interest. As the story progresses, she develops a deeper understanding of her partner, leading to a genuine and heartfelt romance.
9. Earl and Fairy
Lydia Carlton is a fairy doctor who can see and communicate with fairies, which is pretty cool if you ask me. She travels to London, where she meets Edgar J.C. Ashenbert, an earl with a mysterious past and a reputation as a ladies’ man. Despite her initial skepticism, Lydia agrees to help Edgar find a powerful treasure that belonged to his family.
Together, they embark on a perilous adventure filled with rivals and obstacles. But with Lydia’s fairy friends and her sharp mind, they’re able to overcome everything and maybe even find love along the way.
Similar to Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion, Earl and Fairy is also a romance story with a strong female lead. Lydia is smart and resourceful, much like the titular character in Raeliana.
8. Snow White with the Red Hair
Snow White with the Red Hair is another fairy tale-inspired anime like Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion.
It follows the story of Shirayuki, a bold and independent girl with gorgeous red hair who charms everyone she meets. She is content with her life as a herbalist, but things change when the prince of her kingdom, Raji, becomes enamored with her and demands that she becomes his concubine. Unwilling to give up her freedom and dreams, Shirayuki cuts her hair and flees to the neighboring kingdom.
There, she meets a kind and handsome stranger named Zen, who turns out to be a prince of the neighboring kingdom. Zen sees Shirayuki’s worth and offers her a job as a court herbalist. She soon becomes an important part of Zen’s life and helps him in his duties as a prince.
As they work together, Shirayuki and Zen develop feelings for each other, but they face many challenges and obstacles, including jealous suitors and political schemes. However, with their strong wills and determination, they overcome these obstacles and become closer than ever.
7. Arte
Arte follows the story of a noble girl named Arte who dreams of becoming a professional artist, despite the fact that it’s not a very “ladylike” pursuit in her time period. She faces a lot of obstacles and opposition from people who think she should just settle down and get married, but she refuses to let them dictate her life.
And you know what’s interesting? Arte and Raeliana have a lot in common. They’re both lead noble girls who refuse to let life get the best of them. Furthermore, they both have a positive impact on the people around them, changing perspectives and helping others grow as people.
6. Romantic Killer
Anzu is a high school girl who’s content with her simple life of video games, chocolate, and her cat. She’s not interested in romance at all.
But things take a bizarre turn when a flying wizard named Riri emerges from her 3D otome game and claims that Anzu is the chosen one to experience a dating game harem storyline in real life. Riri takes away Anzu’s favorite things and forces her to focus on love. Anzu meets Tsukasa, a popular and attractive boy, but she’s determined to resist his charms.
Unfortunately, Riri keeps throwing other pretty boys into the mix, making it nearly impossible for Anzu to avoid romance.
Like Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion, Romantic Killer is a reverse harem anime with a beautiful and funny female MC. Moreover, the plot is based on Otome games.
5. Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte
Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte is a hilarious anime that follows Endo and Kobayashi, two members of a broadcasting club who play an otome game called A Magical Romance. They believe that the villainess, Lieselotte, is misunderstood and attempt to show her in a better light. When the prince, Lieselotte’s fiancé, overhears their commentary, he begins to understand her feelings, leading to a change in the story’s outcome.
Fans of Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion will definitely appreciate the tongue-in-cheek humor of Endo and Kobayashi Live!. Both shows poke fun at the tropes and cliches of otome games and romance novels, while still managing to deliver a compelling and entertaining story.
Additionaly, they both have strong female characters who defy expectations and challenge the status quo.
4. Ascendance of a Bookworm
Ascendance of a Bookworm is an isekai anime about a girl named Urano who’s all about books. But, get this, she has a freak accident and ends up in a world where books are super rare and expensive. Consequently, she decides to make her own books.
The only problem is, she’s not rich and books are only for the nobility. So, she has to work hard to make her dreams come true and overcome all sorts of challenges and obstacles along the way.
If you’re into shows like Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion, then you’ll definitely dig Ascendance of a Bookworm. Both shows feature a character who’s transported to a new world and has to figure out how to survive and pursue their passions despite all the odds being against them. They’re also both about the importance of knowledge and the power of determination.
3. Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs
A regular guy gets blackmailed into playing a dating sim game that’s all about girls being in charge. And let’s just say he’s not a fan of this kind of world. But he toughs it out and grinds through the game until he finally beats it.
But here’s the catch: his intense gaming sessions have left him sleep deprived and hungry. So when he heads out to the store to grab some snacks, he takes a nasty tumble down the stairs, and next thing he knows, he’s waking up in the game world as the background (mob) character, Leon Fou Bartfort.
And to make matters worse, this world is a real struggle for Leon. He’s gotta use his knowledge of the game to stay safe and survive in a society where he’s basically at the bottom of the food chain.
Both shows have themes of characters trying to change their predetermined fate and using their unique knowledge to try and succeed in a world that’s not their own.
2. My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
So, imagine you’re a girl who gets reincarnated in an otome game as the villainess. Sucks, right? Well, that’s exactly what happens to Katarina Claes in My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! Katarina quickly realizes that no matter what choices she makes, all roads lead to her downfall, whether that’s getting kicked out of school or even getting killed! So, she decides to take matters into her own hands and make all the game’s potential love interests fall in love with her instead of the game’s heroine.
Sound familiar? It should, because Katarina and Raeliana have a lot in common! Both girls use their knowledge of the story’s plot to try and change their fate, becoming powerful and cunning characters in their own right.
Plus, both anime shows explore themes of romance, power dynamics in noble society, and the consequences of making the wrong decisions.
1. I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss
Picture this: Aileen Lauren d’Autriche is all set to marry her fiancé, but he suddenly calls off the wedding! As if that wasn’t bad enough, Aileen realizes that she’s been reincarnated to an otome game as the villainess. Talk about a double whammy!
She knows that her fate is not a good one, but she comes up with a new plan to avoid it: marry the final boss, the Demon King Claude, and live happily ever after.
Like Raeliana, Aileen is a clever and resourceful character who uses her knowledge of the game’s plot to her advantage. She sets her sights on the powerful Demon King and tries to win his heart, all while trying to avoid the game’s bad endings.
