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I'm in Love with the Villainess Author Responds to Alterations in English-Language Release

UPDATE: 03/19/2021 Seven Seas has issued the following statement:

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Those portions of the text were removed during the editorial process at the time, but we have since changed how we edit these books to make sure important lines are not lost. We'll be revising the eBook within the next few weeks to add the cut portions back into the book, and the revision will also be reflected in all future printings of the paperback.

The rest of the original article appears below.

I'm in Love with the Villainess author Inori responded to fans on Twitter in light of the recent discovery that parts from the first novel were omitted from the English release. Inori, who often writes tweets in English, Japanese, and Korean, responded to fan concerns that she felt there must have been an "unavoidable reason" for the change but that she's "still a little sad." She further clarified that she hopes the novel readers will act "calmly and rationally" involving the issue and thanked fans for their support.

The omitted content from the novel focuses on the inner dialogue of the story's protagonist, Rae. In the story, Rae begins reflecting on her actions pertaining to Claire, her female love interest. She compares her overenthusiasm with overstepping boundaries and how gay entertainers are represented on Japanese television. The reference is cultural as there are specific comedic stereotypes that are intentionally played up by gay entertainers on Japanese television programs. Members of Japan's LGBTQ+ community have been critical of these portrayals and how they may perpetuate homophobia. Rae reflects on how she might also be perpetuating these ideas as a defense mechanism so she can be accepted and posits that gay entertainers on television are making the same decision.

Readers on social media have expressed dismay over the decision to cut the inner monologue, stating that its absence hinders Rae's character development and makes the character look unapologetic for her actions.

I'm in Love with the Villainess is licensed and released in English by Seven Seas. The publisher previously acknowledged editorial changes to its releases of Mushoku Tensei and Classroom of the Elite novels. The publisher announced it would re-release Classroom of the Elite Vol. 7 and would be "re-evaluating our editorial choices, and will be making necessary adjustments on some volumes [of Mushoku Tensei] soon."

Source:J-Novel Club forums (rsog412), @blu_online_, Inori's Twitter account