The Genius Prince's Guide To Raising A Nation Out Of Debt - What We Know So Far

The Japanese light novel series "The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt" is getting the complete anime treatment by Yokohama Animation Laboratory, per Anime News Network, and readers will soon see their favorite characters on screen.

While the series' name might sound a bit like an economics textbook from a few hundred years ago, it is actually relatively humorous. The light novels, written by Toru Tobu, explore what happens when responsibility is thrust upon a young prince who, despite being surprisingly ready for the task presented to him wants very little to do with the crown. That may sound like a concept viewers might have encountered before, but the twist here is that the story's prince isn't just disinterested — he is actively seeking ways to sell off his debt-ridden kingdom to a foreign party.

While only some of the light novels are available in English, the series should premiere in Japan shortly, and thanks to the wonderful news anime fans recently got about the merger of Crunchyroll and Funimation, subtitled versions of the shows can arrive quicker than ever. Here is everything fans need to know about the release date, characters, and plot of "The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt."

While English-speaking audiences don't know when a translated version of "The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt" will arrive, there is at least confirmation on when the show will be airing overseas. Crunchyroll has translated a Twitter post that has announced that the upcoming show will begin airing in Japan in January 2022.

Sadly, it might be a while before the anime can determine whether or not it is financially viable for them to dub the series and deliver it to audiences in English, as that process can be expensive and time-consuming. Hopefully, the studio will provide a version subtitled in English that fans can enjoy through services such as the newly combined Crunchyroll and Funimation on a faster timetable.

The fact that Crunchyroll announced the date on which "The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt" could be a good sign. Fans on Reddit have observed that of the two primary anime streaming services, Crunchyroll was the more likely to carry lesser-known anime that didn't yet have a dubbed version. Hopefully, fans can see a subtitled version of the upcoming anime in the months after its release in Japan, and fans can enjoy it alongside some of the best anime coming in 2022.

It may be a while before fans can watch "The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt," but the Anime News Network notes that some of the light novels on which the upcoming series is based have been published in English by Yen Press. Since some of those novels have been translated, fans already know a bit about the main characters in the series.

At the center of the story is the titular genius, Prince Wein, whose ascension to the throne of the Kingdom of Natra begins the story. While Prince Wein would like to have nothing to do with the struggling nation, he quickly proves too competent for his own good and accidentally finds success after success.

His closest confidant is his aide, Ninym Ralei, who met Prince Wein in school. While of noble birth, Ninym Ralei hid her social status, and the two soon began to understand each other on a deeper, although nonromantic, level.

The final central character familiar to fans is Prince Wein's younger sister, Falanya. Her only goal is to assist her brother in any way possible. However, she is also subject to Prince Wein's deception as a man dedicated to the throne and kingdom due to his accidental competence. Other important characters likely to be seen in the anime include Lowellmina, an Earthworld princess, Zeno, a Marden leader, and Fyshe, an Imperial Ambassador.

Thanks to the ongoing translation of the light novels that provide the source material for "The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt," fans also have a good idea of what story arcs the upcoming anime might include.

Prince Wein's story begins when his father, King Owen, falls ill, leaving the young man to take up the responsibility of ruling the Kingdom of Natra. As noted in a fan review on Reddit, Natra is a small place in the story's universe, with a population of about half a million citizens and no natural resources to speak of. The only value that Natra seems to have to any of its neighbors is its central location, which makes it a main passageway on the continent.

Due to his lack of interest in the nation at large, Prince Wein seeks to trick the Earthworld Empire's governing bodies into taking over the Kingdom of Natra, all while making it seem like he is doing his best to protect his country. Much of the plot of Volume 1, which the anime will likely cover, revolve around these actions. In addition, Volume 1 covers the extended military campaign the prince finds himself a part of.