Wolf Girl and Black Prince (Madman – 2016) Review

Wolf Girl and Black Prince is a twelve episode long anime adaptation of a Japanese manga series that follows the main characters, Erika and Kyoya, in a rather amusing, light hearted, romantic story.

The series introduces us to Erika, a rather lonely girl who longs to be accepted by her classmates. In an attempt to win herself friends, Erika inadvertently lies about having a boyfriend. Kyoya, a cold, too cool for school, teenage heartthrob agrees to play the role of Erika’s boyfriend on the condition that she be his dog.

The premise of the anime is entertaining and rather typical of a high school, slice of life drama involving two characters of the opposite sex who begin the series strongly disliking one another, but develop feelings for each other throughout the course of the anime.

The first notion that came to mind when watching Wolf Girl and Black Prince is the concept of Stockholm Syndrome, wherein a victim of a kidnapping or a hostage develops feelings of affection for their captor. Erika is subjected to oftentimes humiliating and ruthless tasks and situations as Kyoya’s ‘dog’ in order to have him pretend to be her boyfriend. However, despite being treated as such, Erika sees through Kyoya’s coldness and cruelty, ultimately falling for him. This was a rather strange concept to watch on screen, yet, through great visual storytelling, I found myself enjoying the couple’s dynamic and the way in which their relationship develops.

Visually, Wolf Girl and Black Prince isn’t superbly spectacular but is sufficient and satisfying enough to convey the story. The animation is well done, making character movements and activities appear realistic and seamless, something that some animated shows tend not to focus on too much, which can be rather distracting and unappealing.

This anime provides an emotional rollercoaster ride much like that of any romantic dramas. What I particularly enjoyed was that this anime also focused on friendships, humour, and all around good feels, a must for me when watching teenage, slice of life type anime.

If you’re a fan of anime series such as My Little Monster and Kaichou Wa Maid Sama, Wolf Girl and Black Prince is an anime that you’ll want to watch.