Always a Catch! looks like it's following the villainess reincarnation playbook at first glance: there's a denunciation scene, a scheming noblewoman, and a heroine with a suspiciously unflattering surname. But the anime quickly reveals it has no interest in playing those familiar games.

The real magic lies in Mimi, the youngest daughter of the Annovazzi family. After being passed over as her family's heir in favor of her younger brother Teodorico, she simply... accepts it. Rather than plot revenge or hide her true nature, Mimi decides her newfound freedom means she can pursue her real goal: marrying a "catch"—a genuinely desirable man. She packs off to stay with her old friend Aida in a neighboring kingdom to polish her noble credentials and find her perfect match.

What sets Mimi apart is her refusal to be anyone but herself. When Prince Renato mistakenly denounces her instead of Aida, she tells him to get glasses. When a bully named Rosalia confronts her, Mimi gets excited about meeting someone new and learning about perfume. There's no hidden agenda, no carefully constructed persona—just an endlessly enthusiastic young woman who happens to be genuinely kind and fundamentally honest.

That authenticity is disarming to everyone around her, and it's impossible not to root for. Her family doesn't doubt her ability to charm anyone. Aida forgives her for not fitting neatly into high society expectations. She's the kind of person who'll rescue a cat from a tree, save the queen from assassination attempts, and call out the crown prince for being an idiot—all without pretense.

The series subverts expectations by showing that genuine goodness and unshakeable optimism can be more compelling than the typical villainess's calculated schemes. Mimi doesn't need to manipulate anyone because people are naturally drawn to her warmth and sincerity. And when Prince Renato starts falling for her, it's not because she played him with a well-timed insult—it's because she's just that kind of remarkable.

Through its first three episodes, Always a Catch! proves you don't need duplicity or schemes to create an engaging fantasy romance. Sometimes all you need is a protagonist who's exactly who she appears to be.