As I continue my search for the perfect villainess story I got plenty of time to think about this… genre? Theme? Whatever it is I got some thoughts, with the main being: these stories are kind of sad. Not in the meaning of “plot starts with a poor kid having terrible childhood” or plot progression, although that’s true, but rather because of the resolution of these stories - specifically: characters who make child’s life living hell don’t really change their way, not towards the original kid.

Whether it’s a time travel story or someone transmigrating into a different world, those behavioural changes don’t happen because characters realise their mistakes, they happen because characters interact with the “new and improved” MC and think to themselves “man, this kid is actually cool, why did I act bad towards them?”. Without that change kid would still be bullied, disregarded and treated like dirt.
The original kid doesn’t get to experience these improvements. At best, it’s something that their older version can indulge in after going through all the terrible stuff in their previous life. At worst, it’s something offered to a different soul yoinked from another world and with no real attachment to anything that happened before their involvement.
In the end, the original kid dies/gets replaced knowing nothing but suffering. It sucks.

The only story I’ve read that does deal with this plot point is The One Within the Villainess, every other series completely avoids this topic. They also tend to avoid or quickly skip over the long lasting psychological damage one would acquire while going through such experiences but I can’t expect too much at this point.

Anyway, some shower thoughts for today since I don’t have much I’d like to write about in regards to specific titles.