TV-Series
Description
The Princess, called Hime-sama by everyone around her, is the protagonist of the anime Tis Time for "Torture," Princess. She is the princess of the human kingdom and the captain of its Third Knights Division, a proven warrior who has led her forces through many battles against the Demon King's army. She is visually defined by her long blonde hair and the small crown that always rests on top of her head, which is swapped for a crown-embroidered knit cap whenever she visits cold places such as ski slopes or skating rinks. She is never given a personal name and is known only by her royal title.
Her background is that of a career soldier and royal. She was raised within the generations-long conflict between the royal army and the Demon King's army, and her battlefield record made her an important target for the enemy. At the start of the story she has been captured and held prisoner in the Demon King's castle, where the army's highest-ranking torturer is assigned to make her talk. Because she is too dangerous to handle through force, the demon side resorts to psychological methods.
In personality, the Princess is proud, brave, and genuinely composed when facing real danger. She is also stubborn and sincerely loyal, and at the beginning of every interrogation she fully intends to protect her kingdom's secrets. Her weakness, however, is temptation. Confronted with hot buttered toast, cup noodles, late-night ramen, video games, amusement park outings, cute animals, tasty snacks, or other simple comforts, her resolve collapses almost immediately and she happily reveals whatever she knows. The information she gives away is frequently trivial or useless, either because it is merely a personal preference or because the demon side happens to have scheduling conflicts, such as the demon king having a class that day, that prevent them from acting on it.
Her central motivation is to protect her kingdom, but her captivity introduces her to an ordinary world she never experienced as a soldier, and she is increasingly drawn to good food, play, and friendship. This tension between duty and delight drives the whole story, as each session tempts her with something new and she resists, argues, and finally surrenders in exchange for being allowed to enjoy it freely. Once she has given in, she is treated as used up for the moment and is permitted to savor the food or activity at her leisure, which she does with great enthusiasm.
Her role in the story is that of the central figure around whom the entire cast revolves. The narrative follows her daily life as an unusually well-treated prisoner, the repeated questioning scenes, and the bonds she forms with the very people supposed to be her enemies. Her repeated surrenders are the series' running joke and the source of most of its warmth, as the harsh concept of torture is replaced by meals, games, and outings.
Her key relationships shape her development. Ex is her partner, a legendary holy sword with a will of its own; he is entirely devoted to her and constantly declares that she will never break under torture, only to have her prove him wrong every time, and his exasperated commentary makes him a frequent straight man to her behavior. Torture Torture is the Demon King's highest-ranking torturer and the Princess' main interrogator; despite being on opposite sides, their sessions have the relaxed feeling of friends sharing a meal. The mid-level torturers Yōki and Inki introduce her to video games and amusement parks, the beast tamer Croru tempts her with adorable creatures, and the gentle Giant appeals to her need for motherly affection. She also becomes a playmate of Maomao, the young daughter of the demon king, joining her kindergarten sports day, and she builds a genuine friendship with the vampire heiress Vanilla, who starts as a menacing figure but eventually takes the Princess ice skating. Even the demon king himself becomes a rival she competes against directly rather than merely an enemy to fear.
Over the course of the story, the Princess develops from a stoic soldier with no time for simple joys into someone who treasures good food, friendship, and play. She gains access to experiences that were previously closed to her, such as childhood amusements, maternal care, holidays, and the comforts of civilian life, and the line between captor and friend steadily blurs as she grows attached to the demon army's members. Her attachment shows in moments such as when the possible transfer of Torture means the end of her interrogations, and she becomes determined not to surrender, revealing how much the routine has come to mean to her.
In terms of abilities, the Princess is an elite fighter whose strength in battle is exactly why the demon army treats her with such caution and avoids a direct confrontation. She has strong mental endurance in genuine combat, with her vulnerability limited to creature comforts rather than pain or intimidation. She also has notable quirks and blind spots: she talks in her sleep and can be manipulated into revealing secrets while dreaming, and she reacts dramatically to the sight of a needle during a health examination. Her long captivity also leads her to mistake ordinary leisure activities, such as ice skating, for yet another round of torture, showing how thoroughly her daily life has come to revolve around the demon army's unusual methods.
Her background is that of a career soldier and royal. She was raised within the generations-long conflict between the royal army and the Demon King's army, and her battlefield record made her an important target for the enemy. At the start of the story she has been captured and held prisoner in the Demon King's castle, where the army's highest-ranking torturer is assigned to make her talk. Because she is too dangerous to handle through force, the demon side resorts to psychological methods.
In personality, the Princess is proud, brave, and genuinely composed when facing real danger. She is also stubborn and sincerely loyal, and at the beginning of every interrogation she fully intends to protect her kingdom's secrets. Her weakness, however, is temptation. Confronted with hot buttered toast, cup noodles, late-night ramen, video games, amusement park outings, cute animals, tasty snacks, or other simple comforts, her resolve collapses almost immediately and she happily reveals whatever she knows. The information she gives away is frequently trivial or useless, either because it is merely a personal preference or because the demon side happens to have scheduling conflicts, such as the demon king having a class that day, that prevent them from acting on it.
Her central motivation is to protect her kingdom, but her captivity introduces her to an ordinary world she never experienced as a soldier, and she is increasingly drawn to good food, play, and friendship. This tension between duty and delight drives the whole story, as each session tempts her with something new and she resists, argues, and finally surrenders in exchange for being allowed to enjoy it freely. Once she has given in, she is treated as used up for the moment and is permitted to savor the food or activity at her leisure, which she does with great enthusiasm.
Her role in the story is that of the central figure around whom the entire cast revolves. The narrative follows her daily life as an unusually well-treated prisoner, the repeated questioning scenes, and the bonds she forms with the very people supposed to be her enemies. Her repeated surrenders are the series' running joke and the source of most of its warmth, as the harsh concept of torture is replaced by meals, games, and outings.
Her key relationships shape her development. Ex is her partner, a legendary holy sword with a will of its own; he is entirely devoted to her and constantly declares that she will never break under torture, only to have her prove him wrong every time, and his exasperated commentary makes him a frequent straight man to her behavior. Torture Torture is the Demon King's highest-ranking torturer and the Princess' main interrogator; despite being on opposite sides, their sessions have the relaxed feeling of friends sharing a meal. The mid-level torturers Yōki and Inki introduce her to video games and amusement parks, the beast tamer Croru tempts her with adorable creatures, and the gentle Giant appeals to her need for motherly affection. She also becomes a playmate of Maomao, the young daughter of the demon king, joining her kindergarten sports day, and she builds a genuine friendship with the vampire heiress Vanilla, who starts as a menacing figure but eventually takes the Princess ice skating. Even the demon king himself becomes a rival she competes against directly rather than merely an enemy to fear.
Over the course of the story, the Princess develops from a stoic soldier with no time for simple joys into someone who treasures good food, friendship, and play. She gains access to experiences that were previously closed to her, such as childhood amusements, maternal care, holidays, and the comforts of civilian life, and the line between captor and friend steadily blurs as she grows attached to the demon army's members. Her attachment shows in moments such as when the possible transfer of Torture means the end of her interrogations, and she becomes determined not to surrender, revealing how much the routine has come to mean to her.
In terms of abilities, the Princess is an elite fighter whose strength in battle is exactly why the demon army treats her with such caution and avoids a direct confrontation. She has strong mental endurance in genuine combat, with her vulnerability limited to creature comforts rather than pain or intimidation. She also has notable quirks and blind spots: she talks in her sleep and can be manipulated into revealing secrets while dreaming, and she reacts dramatically to the sight of a needle during a health examination. Her long captivity also leads her to mistake ordinary leisure activities, such as ice skating, for yet another round of torture, showing how thoroughly her daily life has come to revolve around the demon army's unusual methods.