Young adult novel-based animes often utilize medieval settings as a backdrop against which to set slice-of-life narratives, and utilize elements of science fiction to experiment with the plot structure and characterization to produce great results. Touko Amekawa’s 7th Loop is a beautiful example in that regard, and uses the plot device of a time loop to explore an unlikely romance. For viewers who have become totally fatigued by the influx of shounen and seinen animes, Netflix’s anime adaptation of 7th Loop will feel like a breath of fresh air with its loving charm and wholesomeness.Â
Spoilers Ahead
How Did Rishe Plan To Break The Time Loop?
Rishe Weitzner, noblewoman of House Weitzner, is betrothed to the Prince Dietrich of the Kingdom of Hermity. Due to societal norms, Rishe is barred from exploring her curiosities regarding various disciplines of life. However, she finds herself entangled in a peculiar conundrum as Dietrich rejects her hand and annuls their marriage. Rishe’s family rejects her, and she goes off to explore new vistas of life, but five years later, she loses her life after she gets drawn into a vicious war waged by King Arhold Hein of the Kingdom of Galkhein. Right after her death, Rishe comes back to life and returns to the exact moment when Dietrich annulled their marriage, and no matter what kind of life she decides to pursue for the next five years, she inevitably loses her life in the war instigated by Arnold. This happens for six times, and during this period, Rishe’s pursuit of varying interests turns her into quite a polymath as she becomes a merchant, maid, alchemist, herbalist, mercenary, and knight. During the sixth loop, Rishe dies as a knight of the Kingdom of Coyolles at the hands of Arnold Hein himself, and returning to her seventh life, she decides to do things her own way as she is determined to survive by any means necessary.
This time, before Dietrich even gets a chance at announcing his rejection, Rishe rejects him herself and turns her back on her family to flee on her own. While doing so, she comes across Arnold himself, who was visiting the Kingdom of Hermity and hasn’t become the ruthless invading emperor yet. Rishe’s non-ladylike demeanor impresses the seemingly distant, taciturn prince a lot, and he ends up proposing to Rishe. Flabbergasted at this gesture coming from a person who had killed her in a past life, Rishe eventually agrees to the proposal after realizing that in this way she might have a better chance of reforming Arnold before it’s too late and averting the war that can claim the lives of many, including her own.
Rishe’s Kindness Spreads Across Galkhein
Rishe agrees to marry Arnold by imposing several conditions, which strictly forbid him from getting close to her or questioning her about any of her decisions. Arnold’s complex, calculative worldview remains incomprehensible to Rishe, but she remains wary about his motivations, as in her experience through the past six lives, he has been a cruel, ruthless warmonger. Meanwhile, the more Arnold learns about Rishe’s hidden skills in different disciplines of combat, apothecary, and diplomacy, the more he gets genuinely impressed with her, and even his cold, emotionally detached persona starts to fall off in front of her. Using her vast experience, Rishe decides to introduce reforms in Galkhein’s royal maid service, seeks help from Kaine Tully, merchant of Aria merchant service (whom she knows from her past lives), to employ the poor and destitute masses of Galkhein to mend the increasing gap between classes, and uplifts the livelihood of the slum dwellers. Rishe even goes out of her way to help bring the estranged brothers, Arnold and Theodore, closer to each other using her expert deductive abilities and heartfelt gestures. Arnold continues to be enamoured by Rishe, and she too gradually falls for him.
Was Rishe Able To Avert The War?
The situation becomes a bit terse when Prince Kyle of the Kingdom of Coyolles and his confidant, the alchemist Michel Hevin, arrive at Galkhein. Coyolles is a wealthy kingdom thanks to its reserve of gems and precious metals, but due to its geographical location in the uninhabitable snow covered far north, it is dependent on other kingdoms for resources and trade. However, with their stock of precious gems running dry, Prince Kyle is out of options and seeks the help of Galkhein to form a military alliance to protect the kingdom, but Prince Arnold outright rejects such a proposal as his realpolitik approach makes him consider Coyolles a useless ally in the long run. Arnold would rather invade and conquer the kingdom of Coyolles than use the resource of Galkhein to send them aid. Rishe helps an often-ill Kyle with her herbalist skills and wants to help him secure an alliance with Arnold.
Meanwhile, Michel has an entirely different, sinister idea in his mind, as he wants Arnold to put black powder, one of his inventions, to use—as he himself is unaware of its potential. In her past life, Rishe used to be Michel’s disciple, and she is well aware of the destructive potential of the black powder invented by the alchemist. Rishe hatches upon a plan by asking Theodore to get help from his retainers and uses the black powder, which was intended to showcase its destructive potential—to create beautiful fireworks that impress even Michel himself. Due to his personal sordid experiences since growing up, Michel wasn’t able to appreciate the tender side of life, and the way Rishe has helped him to get in touch with this unknown, unique potential of his own mastery of alchemy makes him consider turning a new page in his life. Rishe’s attempts to broker an alliance have finally won over Arnold as well, who agrees to help Kyle and the kingdom of Coyolles, going against his own rational judgment.
After all was said and done, peace was ensured among the kingdoms, and Rishe brought the ring Arnold had ordered to be made for her. Irrespective of whatever transpired in her past lives, Rishe has been able to learn of a much more humane, kind side of Arnold and has gradually fallen in love with him. After listening to Rishe’s honest, heartfelt confession about her feelings for Arnold, the Prince of Galkhein breaks his stout, stoic persona and proposes to her anew by putting the ring on her finger. As the first season ends on an endearing note, Rishe shares her willingness to explore the wonders of the world with Arnold by her side.
