Modern Villainess: It's Not Easy Building a Corporate Empire Before the Crash (Light Novel) Vol. 2

Modern Villainess: It's Not Easy Building a Corporate Empire Before the Crash Light Novel #2

by Tofuro Futsukaichi, KEI (Illustrator)

After narrowly pulling the Keika Group through what appeared to be an imminent collapse, Runa has ascended to new heights as The Little Queen. Leveraging currency, cunning, and financial power, she continues to establish the Fuchigami administration. However, danger and distrust lurk around every corner, leaving Runa to face still looming tragedy with her futuristic knowledge once again. And as this version of Japan looks towards the 21st century, Runa finds less and less time to save Japan from utter economic collapse. It seems that no matter what, the fate of Japan is set to occur once again.

Genres: Light Novel

294 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 25, 2021

Reviews

[Aria · Rating 1 out of 5]

Context, I am specifically the type of person who this light novel would have been targeting - I work in finance and love villainess isekai LNs (supporting document, my review for volume 1). But I cannot in good conscience recommend this LN series anymore, and volume 2 just makes that very clear for me.

** spoiler alert **
For this volume our main girl Runa starts dabbling into politics which is...well the logical conclusion, she's a finance girlie whose actions can affect a lot of economies. And from reading this I do understand that she thinks focusing on saving businesses would equate to saving peoples' livelihoods eventually, so she's in the think, don't feel camp of people, preferring to think of ordinary people as pawns instead of people as a very badass usually rational entrepreneur - we get that.

But I also get that as an very privileged multiracial girl, some of her international projects are very racist. There I said it. I'm SEAsian and the light bits of casual racism near the end were just too close to home to me. This is a reality where an elementary school kid can play with holding companies - it's sad to see that even with that much intelligence, she would not think well of people like me. Or does that add to her realism? You decide.

The one-star is still there because when sensei writes all their finance topics they're still rather relatively sound and grounded in reality. But yeah I can no longer continue reading this series, it was nice while it lasted though!

[Lissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting & compelling read.

A snapshot of history, but a little bit off…

I don’t love the whole “gated communities” and “race problem” that was brought up… and Runa very much being right wing? It’s an interesting experience of myself being very left wing & all for deregulation of monopolies, & such, & such, but also seeing where she’s coming from regarding the economic point of view, & knowing what she does about the financial crash… I’m super compelled.

I am incredibly interested in seeing where this goes…

[Ayanami Faerudo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm putting this as a placeholder for the volume 2 of the manga.

The story is full of a little in-depth-for-casual-reading explanations of finance, economy, and history. I admit that I skip most of these explanations as I have no patience with them right now. BUT I will go back (probably after volume 3) to read and actually absorb the little lessons because it's all so fascinating. I might not have much interest in the world of mergers, loans, buyouts, stocks, other than knowing how to invest and manage them, but it's still a view on this capitalist world (despite how I dislike it at times).

Now, I am intrigued what this being part Romanov will play in Runa's story and plans.

[Shady Lubbad]

I love this story...

[huntërre thomässön · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series possess extreme levels of jargon. Sometimes I’ll read a page and not understand a thing that was said. Nonetheless, it’s a great villainess story with an intriguing plot concept.