Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle Succeeds by Defying Expectations
Turning stereotypes on their heads and flipping scripts aren’t an uncommon thing in media. Still, it’s always a delight when done well, and
Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle does exactly that. It offers its own take on the idea of a princess being captured by a demon king by focusing on how she might adapt once she’s in her new “home.” The ensuing anime is delightful, even once you have an idea of where it is going, because of how it’s handled.
Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle, as you might expect, kicks off with an abduction. Demon King Twilight comes to Goodereste and steals the beloved Princess Syalis, with her childhood friend/fiance/professional hero Dawner pledging to save her. But once the excitement is done, the focus shifts to the princess’ “struggle.” Which is that she has absolutely nothing to do in the castle except sleep. When she’s not kidnapped, her days involve packed schedules that give her no time to rest, which means its something of a challenge for her to sit still. So, her “quest” is to be as comfortable as possible.