'Tis Time for "Torture," Princess

'Tis Time for "Torture," Princess (姫様"拷問"の時間です) is a Japanese manga series written by Robinson Haruhara and illustrated by Hirakei. It started serialization on the Shōnen Jump+ manga website in April 2019. It has been published in fifteen tankōbon volumes as of May 2024. An anime television series adaptation produced by Pine Jam aired from January to March 2024. A second season has been announced.

Premise
In an ongoing battle between the humanity's Imperial Army and the demonic Hell-hordes, the princess from the army has been captured along with her holy sword Ex. Since regular torture is prohibited by the prisoner of war treaty between the two parties, the grand inquisitor, Torture Tortura, employs unusual "torture" (in air quotes) techniques, usually in the form of tempting foods and snacks from Japanese culture. The princess relents, but gives information that is usually trivial in nature, and the few times she does give useful information, the Hell-Lord does not take advantage of it.

Main characters

 * Princess (姫様)
 * The commander of the Third Order of the Imperial Army, and the princess of the Human World's kingdom. She is a formidable fighter but a food lover, thus is highly susceptible to the "torture" tactics employed by Tortura.
 * The commander of the Third Order of the Imperial Army, and the princess of the Human World's kingdom. She is a formidable fighter but a food lover, thus is highly susceptible to the "torture" tactics employed by Tortura.


 * Excalibur (エクスカリバー)
 * Nicknamed "Ex", he is the legendary holy sword belongs to the Princess, who acts as a straight man. He often tries to advise the Princess not to submit to the Hellhorde's tortures to avoid her from sharing the imperial secrets, but just as often his attempts fails as Princess ends up giving in anyway.
 * Nicknamed "Ex", he is the legendary holy sword belongs to the Princess, who acts as a straight man. He often tries to advise the Princess not to submit to the Hellhorde's tortures to avoid her from sharing the imperial secrets, but just as often his attempts fails as Princess ends up giving in anyway.


 * Torture Tortura (トーチャー・トルチュール)
 * The Hellhorde's Grand Inquisitor (the highest-ranking chief interrogator), and the Princess' main torturer. She specializes in food type "torture", utilizing the appetizing, irresistible aspects of foods and snacks to entice her interrogation target into spilling their secrets.
 * The Hellhorde's Grand Inquisitor (the highest-ranking chief interrogator), and the Princess' main torturer. She specializes in food type "torture", utilizing the appetizing, irresistible aspects of foods and snacks to entice her interrogation target into spilling their secrets.

Torturers

 * Datama (ダターマ)
 * The primary assistant of Torture Tortura who is depicted with a hand-painted star on his face and an intimidating stature. He usually helps with the cooking and presentation aspects of her food-based "torture".


 * Youki (陽鬼) and Inki (陰鬼)
 * Two-horned Youki and one-horned Inki are the Oni sisters (actually cousins) that hold the rank of "Lieutorments" (the intermediate-level torturers). They are good in friendship-bonding activity "torture", and seems to be genuinely interested in making friends with the Princess.
 * Two-horned Youki and one-horned Inki are the Oni sisters (actually cousins) that hold the rank of "Lieutorments" (the intermediate-level torturers). They are good in friendship-bonding activity "torture", and seems to be genuinely interested in making friends with the Princess.


 * Krall (クロル)
 * Top combatant and senior torturer, Beast Tamer Krall specializes in zoo-type "torture", employing many ferocious beasts and cute type animals in her possessions as her interrogation methods.
 * Top combatant and senior torturer, Beast Tamer Krall specializes in zoo-type "torture", employing many ferocious beasts and cute type animals in her possessions as her interrogation methods.


 * Giant (ジャイアント)
 * A gentle giantess, who the Princess called "Master Mama". She seems more interested in the relaxing activity and moderate leisure rather than tortures.
 * A gentle giantess, who the Princess called "Master Mama". She seems more interested in the relaxing activity and moderate leisure rather than tortures.


 * Mao-Mao (マオマオちゃん)
 * The Hell-Lord's cute and pure young daughter, who employs innocent and childish "torture" methods to tempt Princess into sharing her secrets, but she usually submit mostly because of Maomao-chan's adorability.
 * The Hell-Lord's cute and pure young daughter, who employs innocent and childish "torture" methods to tempt Princess into sharing her secrets, but she usually submit mostly because of Maomao-chan's adorability.


 * Gilga (ギルガ)
 * The Hell-hordes' weaponsmith, and Tortura's close friend. Although she's not an official torturer, she does help in a few of the Princess' torture sessions.
 * The Hell-hordes' weaponsmith, and Tortura's close friend. Although she's not an official torturer, she does help in a few of the Princess' torture sessions.


 * Vanilla Peschutz (バニラ・ペシュッツ)
 * A prideful yet immature young vampire of the Hellholm's noble clan "Peschutz". She holds the rank of the "Harm-Marshal" (the advanced-level torturers), but she is still inexperienced in tortures. Despite her repeating failures, she is able to bond with the Princess.
 * A prideful yet immature young vampire of the Hellholm's noble clan "Peschutz". She holds the rank of the "Harm-Marshal" (the advanced-level torturers), but she is still inexperienced in tortures. Despite her repeating failures, she is able to bond with the Princess.

Hell-Hordes

 * Hell-Lord (魔王)
 * The king of the Hell-hordes. A demon conqueror who wishes to subjugate the human world, he employs various torturers to interrogate the Princess and gain secrets of the Human World's kingdom for his army's invasion. However, oftentimes he ended up not using it due to his selfish excuses. He is also a family man, and he enjoys Japanese culture as well.
 * The king of the Hell-hordes. A demon conqueror who wishes to subjugate the human world, he employs various torturers to interrogate the Princess and gain secrets of the Human World's kingdom for his army's invasion. However, oftentimes he ended up not using it due to his selfish excuses. He is also a family man, and he enjoys Japanese culture as well.


 * Lulune (ルルン)
 * The Hell-Lord's wife, and the queen of the Hell-Hordes. Even though she holds the position of the queen in the Hellholm, she lives a modest life alongside the Hell-Lord and her daughter, Maomao. She is mature, smart and beautiful.
 * The Hell-Lord's wife, and the queen of the Hell-Hordes. Even though she holds the position of the queen in the Hellholm, she lives a modest life alongside the Hell-Lord and her daughter, Maomao. She is mature, smart and beautiful.


 * Canadge (カナッジ)
 * A dwarf humanoid pig who acts as the Hell-Lord's assistant.
 * A dwarf humanoid pig who acts as the Hell-Lord's assistant.

Humans

 * Louch Brittan (ルーシュ・ブリタン)
 * A Holy White Knight employed by the imperial army to save Princess from the Hellhorde's captivity, he is a powerful combatant but is quite unattractive.


 * Jimochi (ジモチ)
 * The imperial's honored former knight turned Princess' imperial butler who always appeared in her flashbacks. He was a strict supervisor of the Princess' training regimens, but he secretly treated her with the commoner's cheap snacks and Chinese restaurant foods after her trainings.
 * The imperial's honored former knight turned Princess' imperial butler who always appeared in her flashbacks. He was a strict supervisor of the Princess' training regimens, but he secretly treated her with the commoner's cheap snacks and Chinese restaurant foods after her trainings.

Manga
The series is written by Robinson Haruhara and illustrated by Hirakei. It started serialization on the Shōnen Jump+ manga website on April 4, 2019. The first tankōbon volume was released on September 4, 2019. As of May 2024, fifteen volumes have been released.

In October 2019, Manga Plus announced they would start publishing the series on their app and website.

Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced on June 27, 2023. It was produced by Pine Jam and directed by Yōko Kanemori, with scripts written by Kazuyuki Fudeyasu, character designs handled by Toshiya Kōno and Satoshi Furuhashi, and music composed by Masaru Yokoyama. The series aired from January 9 to March 26, 2024, on Tokyo MX and other networks. The opening theme song is "Massakasa Magic!" (まっさかさマジック！), performed by Shallm, while the ending theme song is "Ashita wa Ashita no Kaze ga Fuku" (明日は明日の風が吹く), performed by Leevelles. Crunchyroll has licensed the series. Medialink licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia, and is streaming on its Ani-One Asia ULTRA YouTube channel.

After the airing of the twelfth and final episode, a second season was announced.

Other media
The Princess is featured as one of the playable characters in the video game Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions that was released on the Nintendo Switch on July 28, 2022.

Reception
In 2020, the series ranked second in the Next Manga Award in the web manga category. Makoto Yukimura, author of Vinland Saga, recommended the series, calling it his "favorite manga these days".

In a review for the anime adaptation, Kevin Cormack of Anime News Network was slighty more critical of the series. He considered the show's central premise to be too repetitive despite some attempts to shake up the formula and compared the Princess to the protagonist of Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle, finding the former a significantly less interesting lead. Cormack did, however, found the other characters, such as Tortura and the Hell-Lord, to be more varied and was more positive of some "wholesome" moments in the show.