Honestly, if you haven't met Catarina Claes yet, you're missing out on the most lovable disaster in anime history. We call her Bakarina. It’s a term of endearment, really. When My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! first hit the scene, people thought it was just another generic isekai. They were wrong. So wrong.
It changed the game.
The story follows a young girl who hits her head and remembers her past life as a Japanese teenager. Standard stuff, right? Except she realizes she’s currently living inside Fortune Lover, an otome game she used to play. And she isn't the hero. She’s the villain. Specifically, she's the spoiled noble girl destined for either exile or a messy death.
The Bakarina Strategy: Farming and Friendship
Catarina’s logic is hilariously flawed but weirdly effective. She’s terrified of her "Doom Flags." To prepare for a life of poverty after her inevitable exile, she decides to become a master gardener. If she can grow her own vegetables, she won't starve! That’s her logic. It’s absurd. She spends her childhood digging up the royal gardens while the rest of the cast—the "others" in her complicated social circle—slowly fall head over heels for her.
This is where the "Catarina and the others" dynamic gets interesting. In a typical otome game, the male leads compete for the heroine, Maria Campbell. But Catarina is so aggressively kind and dense that she accidentally steals everyone's heart. This includes the girls. It’s a "Bisexual Panic" polycule where every single character is essentially in love with a girl who is more interested in eating sweets and talking to the five different versions of herself inside her own head.
The Inner Council of Catarinas
One of the best parts of the series is the "Council of Catarina." It’s basically her subconscious split into five distinct personalities: the chairman, the optimist, the timid one, the serious one, and the glutton. They sit around a table in her mind and debate how to avoid death. It’s a brilliant narrative device. It shows us exactly why she’s so "baka" (stupid). They often reach the most ridiculous conclusions possible because they are all fundamentally Catarina.
While she’s busy worrying about her doom, she’s actually saving everyone else from their own tragic backstories. Take Geordo Stuart, her fiancé. In the original game, he’s a bored, somewhat sadistic prince. Because of Catarina’s interference, he becomes a man genuinely obsessed with her, constantly trying to fend off other suitors. Then there’s Keith, her adopted brother. Original Keith was a lonely playboy. Catarina’s Keith is a protective, overworked soul who just wants his sister to stop climbing trees.
Breaking the Otome Mold
Why does this show still matter in 2026? Because it subverted the "Villainess" trope before it became an overcrowded market. Most modern villainess stories are about revenge or being "girl boss" geniuses. Catarina is neither. She is just a genuinely good person who is too busy thinking about snacks to notice she’s the center of a massive harem.
The relationship with Maria Campbell is the real heart of the show. In the game, Maria and Catarina are enemies. In the anime, they are best friends—and arguably the most popular "ship" in the fandom. Catarina’s instinct to protect Maria from bullies isn't a calculated move to win the game; it's just who she is. This sincerity is why the characters—and the audience—can't help but love her.
Let's Talk About the "Others"
The supporting cast isn't just background noise. Each one represents a "route" from the game that Catarina has thoroughly derailed.
- Alan Stuart: The fourth prince who had an inferiority complex. Catarina challenged him to tree-climbing contests. Now he’s a talented musician who is hopelessly in love with her.
- Nicol and Sophia Ascart: The "Devilishly Handsome" brother and his bookworm sister. Catarina bonded with Sophia over romance novels, effectively bringing both of them into her inner circle.
- Mary Hunt: Originally Alan’s fiancée, Mary becomes fiercely protective of Catarina, often acting as the gatekeeper against the male suitors.
The comedy comes from the disconnect. Every character has a dramatic, romantic moment with Catarina. She, in turn, usually interprets these moments as "we are such great friends!" or "wow, they must really like this snake toy I made!" It’s frustrating. It’s hilarious. It’s peak entertainment.
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Real-World Impact and Adaptation
The series started as a light novel by Satoru Yamaguchi. Then came the manga. Then the two seasons of anime by Silver Link. And let’s not forget the 2023 movie. The reason the franchise has stayed relevant is its refusal to take itself too seriously. It knows it’s a farce.
For fans looking to dive deeper, the light novels provide much more internal monologue from the other characters. You get to see exactly how much they struggle with Catarina’s density. It adds a layer of "tragic comedy" to their devotion. The anime is great, but the novels give you the emotional weight of Geordo’s frustration or Maria’s genuine admiration.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often say Catarina is "too dumb to live." That’s a misunderstanding. She isn't intellectually incapable; she's hyper-fixated. She spent her entire childhood focused on one goal: survival. Because she viewed the world through the lens of a "game," she failed to see the people around her as real humans with evolving feelings. By the time she realizes the "game" logic doesn't apply anymore, she’s already deep in the weeds.
Also, some critics argue the show is repetitive. While the "Catarina is dense" joke is a recurring theme, the actual plot deals with darker themes like classism, social isolation, and the weight of expectations. Behind the bright colors and slapstick humor, there's a story about a girl who refused to let "fate" define her or her friends.
Practical Ways to Enjoy the Series Today
If you're looking to get into the world of Catarina and the others, don't just stop at the anime.
- Read the Light Novels: Volume 1 and 2 cover the main game arc, but the story continues far beyond the graduation ceremony. The "Ministry of Magic" arc adds a lot of world-building.
- Check out the Spin-offs: There’s a manga called Veranda of Fate which is a collection of 4-koma style comedy bits. There’s also My Next Life as a Villainess: On the Verge of Doom!, which explores what would happen if Catarina regained her memories just before the "game" ended, rather than as a child. It’s much higher stakes.
- The Video Game: There is an actual otome game for the Nintendo Switch (All Routes Lead to Doom! Pirates of the Disturbance). It’s a meta-experience. You play as Catarina, trying to navigate a new plotline involving a luxury cruise ship.
Catarina Claes proved that you don't need to be a genius to change the world. Sometimes, you just need a shovel, a love for sweets, and the inability to realize that everyone is flirting with you. It’s a refreshing take on a genre that often takes itself way too seriously.
To really appreciate the depth of the series, focus on the "Year 2" content in the light novels. This is where the characters start to address their feelings more directly, and Catarina has to face the reality that her "Doom Flags" might be gone, but her responsibilities—and her feelings—are just beginning to grow. Pay close attention to the development of the Ministry of Magic characters like Sora and Dewey; they provide a great contrast to the original school cast.