The Perfect Prince Loves Me, the Side Character?!

Loneal wakes up realizing he’s been reborn inside a romance novel, but not as the heroine or the prince, just a peripheral character who plans to keep it that way. He carefully dodges Prince Alec and lets the story’s intended romance between Alec and Lily proceed uninterrupted. That plan falls apart when Alec starts showing unexpected interest in Loneal, flirting openly and praising his looks, which leaves Loneal bewildered and increasingly drawn into a relationship that never existed in the original book. The show follows Loneal’s uneasy attempts to preserve the novel’s script while dealing with feelings that complicate everything, and it keeps the tone light with awkward, sweet moments rather than big plot shocks.

Released in 2024, the animated series is directed by Akikonchi and created by G-zass. The production leans on a compact voice cast, including Danji Haru as Loneal Gravis and Santa Hiiragi as Alec Ray Garcium, with Mei Hanamori, Shuu Kasumi, and Shou Shioko rounding out key roles.

As of 2024 the show hasn’t received major industry awards or nominations. It’s early in the title’s life cycle, so formal recognition may come later if the fanbase and critics continue to pay attention.

The series has generated a lively online fan scene, especially around the unexpected pairing of the prince and the side character. Fans have shared fan art, gifs, and shipping threads that highlight the series’ playful inversion of standard romantic-genre beats, and its lines and moments have popped up across social feeds and discussion boards.

Early reception is modest but positive, with a community rating averaging 7.5 out of 10 from a small number of votes. Viewers praise the voice performances and the show’s sense of humor, while many appreciate its take on agency, identity, and how stories are allowed to change when characters act outside their assigned roles. The tone balances romance and comedy, making it easy to watch for people curious about queer-coded relationships and light metafictional twists.