Princess Principal

Princess Principal

Company type	Anime television series
Industry	Animation, Entertainment
Founded	July 9, 2017 (2017-07-09)
Founder	Studio 3Hz and Actas
Headquarters	Japan
Products	Anime television series, films, mobile game, manga

Princess Principal is an anime television series from Japan, created through a collaboration between Studio 3Hz and Actas. The project was helmed by director Masaki Tachibana, with the script penned by Ichirō Ōkouchi. Character designs were originally crafted by Kouhaku Kuroboshi and Yukie Akiya, while the soundtrack was composed by Yuki Kajiura. The narrative concept partially draws inspiration from the American classic novel The Prince and the Pauper.

Set against an alternate early 20th-century England, the storyline centers on five young female spies enrolled at Queen Mayfair’s academy. These operatives secretly serve the Commonwealth in its covert efforts to dismantle the Kingdom, which has been fractured by a dividing wall across London.

The anime consists of 12 episodes that originally aired between July and September of 2017. Its universe has since expanded with a sequel film series entitled Princess Principal: Crown Handler, planned as six parts, with three chapters released by 2023. Alongside the anime and films, a mobile game called Princess Principal: Game of Mission was launched in August 2017 but ceased operations in December 2018.

Plot

The narrative of Princess Principal unfolds in a fictional nation named Albion, which parallels Britain. In the early 1900s, Albion dominated global power through its exclusive access to a mysterious element known as "Cavorite," which enabled the construction of formidable airships. This technological edge established Albion’s supremacy worldwide. However, social upheaval among the working class culminated in the "London Revolution," resulting in Albion’s division into two states: the Commonwealth and the Kingdom. These factions are separated by a massive wall bisecting London itself.

Several years after this split, the Commonwealth launches "Operation Changeling," aiming to substitute Princess Charlotte of the Kingdom with Ange, an agent bearing a striking resemblance to her. In response, the Princess proposes a pact: she will collaborate with the Commonwealth if Ange and her team support her claim to ascend as Queen. The series follows these five girls—among them the Princess herself—as they operate undercover as spies for the Commonwealth while attending Queen’s Mayfair school.

Main characters

At 17 years old, she is the central figure and spymaster, renowned for her expertise in deception and lie detection. She utilizes confiscated prototype Cavorite technology capable of manipulating gravity. Born as Albion’s legitimate princess, she adopted a new identity following the revolution. Her weapon of choice is a Webley–Fosbery Automatic Revolver.

Also aged 17, Charlotte stands fourth in the succession line to Albion’s throne and is the niece of the Duke of Normandy. Known for her composed and approachable demeanor, she seeks to restore Albion under her reign as Queen. It is disclosed that she is the authentic Ange, concealed by a false persona due to revolutionary events. She carries a Schönberger-Laumann 1892 as her sidearm.

A 20-year-old undercover student recognized for her lively nature and fondness for drinking. Dorothy excels in marksmanship and driving, often employing her charm during missions. Originally named Daisy MacBean, she changed her identity after escaping an abusive household. Her sidearm is presumed to be a revolver chambered in .410 bore.

A 15-year-old from an esteemed lineage serving as Princess Charlotte’s assistant. She possesses the ability to imitate voices through a device implanted by her father, who conducted experimental procedures on her.

A 16-year-old exchange student hailing from Saga Domain, Japan, who initially joined to safeguard a diplomat from assassination attempts. Skilled in samurai swordsmanship and regarded as the most formidable melee combatant among the spies, she exhibits a naive attitude and faces challenges adapting to cultural differences. Chise operates as a Japanese spy monitoring Albion’s factions to provide strategic advice to her government on potential alliances.

Supporting characters

L (エル, Eru)

Leader of Control, the intelligence division supervising Principal Team activities.

7 (セブン, Sebun)

Control operative assisting with Principal Team missions.

The Colonel (大佐, Taisa)

Member of Control representing Commonwealth military interests.

The Duke of Normandy (ノルマンディー公, Norumandī Kō)

Albion Kingdom’s Home Secretary and uncle to Princess Charlotte; oversees espionage operations and manages defectors for counterintelligence or neutralization.

Gazelle (ガゼル, Gazeru)

A trusted agent under the Duke of Normandy, adept at intelligence collection and threat elimination.

Anime

The anime adaptation was created by Studio 3Hz and Actas, directed by Masaki Tachibana with scripts authored by Ichirō Ōkouchi. Character designs were developed by Kouhaku Kuroboshi and Yukie Akiya. The series aired from July 9 through September 24, 2017. The opening theme "The Other Side of the Wall" featured Void_Chords with MARU, while the ending theme "A Page of My Story" was performed by the main cast portraying Ange, Princess Charlotte, Dorothy, Beatrice, and Chise Tōdō.

In Japan, the series was released on DVD and Blu-ray on September 27, 2017.

English release and international distribution

Sentai Filmworks acquired licensing rights for North America, UK, and Australia, streaming the series via its Hidive platform. Additionally, it was available on Amazon Prime Video in the United States and Crunchyroll in select territories among other outlets. The English dub of Princess Principal, directed by Kyle C. Jones, premiered on Hidive on September 21, 2018. North American Blu-ray distribution was handled by Section23 Films, released on September 25, 2018. In the United Kingdom, MVM Films licensed the series and issued it on home video on November 13, 2018. Australian distribution was managed by Crunchyroll’s local branch (formerly Madman Anime), with DVD and Blu-ray editions launched on December 5, 2018.

For South and Southeast Asia markets, Medialink secured licensing rights and streamed the show on their Ani-One Asia YouTube channel.

Episode list

The episodes were broadcast in a non-chronological sequence, with each installment identified by its respective "case" number.

Legend: A = broadcast episode number, C = chronological sequence.

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A	C	Title	Original air date

Mobile game

The puzzle game for mobile devices, Princess Principal Game of Mission, was accessible on both iOS and Android platforms from August 2017 until its servers were discontinued on December 28, 2018. Following the shutdown, certain offline functionalities continued to be available to players.

Films

On April 29, 2018, a six-part anime film project titled Princess Principal: Crown Handler was unveiled, serving as a continuation of the television series' conclusion. The production was handled by Actas, with Noboru Kimura stepping in as scriptwriter in place of Ichirō Ōkouchi. The majority of the original voice cast and staff returned for this project, except for Ayaka Imamura. Originally set for an April 10, 2020 release, the premiere of the first film was postponed until February 11, 2021, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsequent installments premiered with the second film debuting on September 23, 2021, followed by the third on April 7, 2023.

The film series was licensed by Sentai Filmworks, who released Chapter 1 on March 15, 2022, and followed with Chapter 2 on November 22.

Manga

A manga version illustrated by Ryou Akizuki started serialization on the Tokuma Shoten platform Monthly Comic Ryū website beginning November 8, 2019. These chapters were later compiled into a single volume as of March 13, 2020.

Reception

Princess Principal garnered widespread critical praise and is frequently regarded as one of the standout anime titles of 2017. Kotaku featured it among the top anime releases of summer 2017, commending its "jazzy madness" soundtrack alongside its striking animation quality, incisive storytelling, and captivating espionage elements.

The soundtrack received particular acclaim, especially the opening theme "The Other Side of the Wall." Chris Farris and Theron Martin from Anime News Network honored it as the best theme song of 2017. Moreover, it earned a nomination for best opening song at the 2017 Crunchyroll Anime Awards.