The Villainess Stans the Heroes

Did You Know?

• The protagonist is reincarnated after being killed in a merchandising incident.
• Eldea Euclair disguises herself as a financier named Ellua.
• Her partner is a dhampir assassin named Albert.

Media

Yamori Mitikusa wrote the web novel from 2 May 2020 to 12 January 2023 on Shōsetsuka ni Narō. Kaoru Harugano illustrated the light novel edition, whose first volume Fujimi Shobo released on 10 November 2020 under its Kadokawa Books imprint. Tsubasa Takamatsu adapted the series into a manga serialized on Square Enix's Gangan Online from 27 February 2021 to 26 July 2025. The first tankōbon volume appeared on 12 July 2021, and the sixth and final volume on 8 August 2025. Yen Press announced an English license in September 2022 and released the first English volume on 21 March 2023.

Reception

Jean-Karlo Lemus and Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network rated the manga 3 and 2.5 out of 5 stars respectively. Lemus called the work a big, fat sugar rush but a fun one, while Silverman stated that fluff is not bad and neither is the introductory volume. In an earlier review Silverman gave the first volume a C overall (C in story, B- in art), concluding that it simply does not come together as well as it ought, leaving the volume feeling somehow less than the sum of its parts. Sakura Eries of The Fandom Post assigned the first and third volumes B grades in content, art, and text/translation, and a B+ in packaging. Jenni Lada of Siliconera praised the focus on secondary characters such as Albert, Chikusa, and Cort, noting that the gacha-game setting allowed for storylines tied to individual characters and special events, though she acknowledged Ellua's standout nature due to her intelligence and care for the heroes. Lemus remarked that Eldea's fandom lends a nice romantic twist since Albert knows he is Eldea's favorite, and expressed surprise they are not already a couple. Eries noted that fans of Ellua and Albert will enjoy watching them risk everything to fight for each other. Lemus criticized the low degree of Eldea's on-screen intelligent and villainous actions in Volume 1, while Eries criticized the flat personality of the villains in Volume 3. Silverman found the general premise not distinguishing enough among villainess works, though Lemus digressed that the premise of a fangirl using her game knowledge to secure happy endings for the heroes was unique. Eries and Silverman criticized the writing quality; Eries voiced concerns about pacing and goal cohesion, and Silverman centered on the first volume's lack of effort to extend beyond total fluff or present full world-building. Eries criticized the first volume's subtitle as redundant due to Eldea's then-lack of on-screen villainous actions, while Lemus called the title a wordy eyesore. Eries praised the illustrations' detail and expressions, but Silverman found the art relatively busy while admitting it did not interfere with readability and that some of it was good.