7th Time Loop

is a Japanese light novel series written by Touko Amekawa. The series originated on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website in February 2020, before being published in print with illustrations by Wan Hachipisu by Overlap beginning in October 2020. As of December 2023, six volumes have been released. A manga adaptation with illustrations by Hinoki Kino began serialization on the ''Comic Gardo'' website in December 2020. As of February 2024, the series' individual chapters have been collected into six volumes. An anime television series adaptation produced by Studio Kai and Hornets aired from January to March 2024.

Premise

A young noble Rishe Weitzner has had her engagement to the crown prince annulled, but this is the seventh time it's happened; she's stuck within a time loop, where no matter the job she takes or location, she always ends up dead at 20, five years after the annulment. This time she catches the eye of Prince Arnold of the neighboring Galkhein Kingdom, who becomes smitten with her at first sight; he was the source of a world war, pestilence, resource depletion, and even direct murder in all her previous loops.

Although wary and resentful towards Arnold, Rishe accepts his proposal of marriage on the condition she doesn't have to perform royal duties, have Arnold keep a safe distance from her and gets to loaf around; also helps Arnold, as she fulfills his father's request to "technically" take a foreign fiancée/hostage. However, she soon starts using all her past life skills to help out the people of the Galkhein Kingdom and sees Arnold is not the same cold person as in her 6th loop; making Rishe wonder what made Arnold's heart grow cold.

Characters

Main characters

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:Rishe was a political pawn of her parents, who disowned her when the engagement was annulled. However, she found self-confidence thanks to her various jobs in multiple repeats; being a merchant, herbalist, scholar, maid, hunter and knight. Exasperated with her efforts to live a good life being made futile by the Galkhein Kingdom's actions, Rishe decides to take advantage of Arnold's proposal in order to have a lazy life, but soon finds herself growing closer to Arnold.
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:Crown Prince of the Galkhein Kingdom. In the sixth loop, Rishe was killed by him while posing as a male knight. In the seventh loop however, he conveys kind but solemn personality on his early appearances. He falls in love with Rishe and is constantly amazed by her beauty, knight prowess and other skills; finding her interesting.

Supporting characters

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:The president of Aria Trading Company, who picked up Rishe on her first loop. While a trickster willing to stick others with his invoices, he cares very much for his little sister Aria.
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Galkhein Kingdom

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:Arnold's younger brother. He sees Arnold as a monster for his ruthlessness and tries to help Rishe escape; not understanding their situations.
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:Arnold's personal attendant.

Hermity Kingdom

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:The prince to whom Rishe was engaged in every time loop. After lies are spread about Rishe, he annuls their engagement. He's narcissistic and full of himself, so it was a shock that Rishe tells him off in the current loop; plus his kinder father forcing humility to ask Rishe to marry Arnold to ensure peace with the Galkhein Kingdom.
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:The new fianceé of Prince Dietrich who made up the lies about Rishe. However, she did it so she could marry the prince for the sake of her family. Rishe informs her that she is aware of the situation and holds no anger towards her, telling Marie to find happiness for herself.

Media

Light novel

Written by Touko Amekawa, the series began publication on the novel posting website Shōsetsuka ni Narō on February 7, 2020. The series was later acquired by Overlap, who began publishing the series in print with illustrations by Wan Hachipisu on October 25, 2020. As of December 2023, six volumes have been released.

In October 2021, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they licensed the series for English publication.

Volumes

Manga

A manga adaptation, illustrated by Hinoki Kino, began serialization on the ''Comic Gardo'' website on December 5, 2020. As of October 2024, the series' individual chapters have been collected into seven ''tankōbon'' volumes.

In December 2021, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they licensed the manga for English publication.

Volumes

Anime

An anime television series adaptation was announced on August 18, 2023. It will be produced by Studio Kai and Hornets and directed by Kazuya Iwata, with scripts written by Touko Machida, character designs handled by Kenichi Ōnuki, and music composed by Satoshi Hōno and Ryūnosuke Kasai. The series aired from January 7 to March 24, 2024, on AT-X and other networks. The opening theme song is "Another Birthday", performed by Shun'ichi Toki, while the ending theme song is , performed by The Binary. Crunchyroll licensed the series. Muse Communication licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia.

Episodes

Reception

Rebecca Silverman from Anime News Network praised the heroine, artwork, and the story, calling it unique.

Naoki Harada, an editor for ''Comic Gardo'', picked the manga as his favorite manga from 2021.

By February 2024, the series had over 1 million copies in circulation.

See also

* '' An Observation Log of My Fiancée Who Calls Herself a Villainess'', another light novel series with the same writer

Notes

References

External links

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{{Studio Kai

2020 Japanese novels
2024 anime television series debuts
Anime and manga based on light novels
Crunchyroll anime
Fantasy anime and manga
Japanese webcomics
Josei manga
Light novels first published online
Light novels
Muse Communication
Romance anime and manga
Seven Seas Entertainment titles
Shōsetsuka ni Narō
Studio Kai
Time loop anime and manga
Villainess anime and manga
Webcomics in print