The Price of Smiles [Season 1]

The Price of Smiles: A Spark That Faded Too Fast

Let’s cut to the chase—The Price of Smiles had me hooked in episode one. I mean, come on: a 12-year-old princess named Yûki ruling a vibrant, fantasy kingdom called Smile? Sign me up. The first episode painted this picture of a kid trying to keep her people happy while hiding the weight of the crown, and I was all in. The animation looked bright, the music felt hopeful, and Yûki’s big smile? It felt like it could light up the whole screen. But then… things went sideways.

If you’re like me, you probably started watching because the premise sounded fresh. Yûki isn’t your typical “perfect princess”—she’s awkward, she trips over her own robes, and she’d rather eat street food than fancy royal banquets. The early episodes lean into that charm: she sneaks out to play with kids her age, she messes up royal speeches, and you can’t help but root for her. The fantasy world of Smile is cool too—think floating islands, talking animals, and castles that look like they’re made of rainbows. It’s the kind of place you’d want to visit on a Saturday afternoon.

But here’s the thing: the show forgot what made it good. By episode three, the vibe shifted. Suddenly, there are these random subplots about political intrigue that don’t make sense, and Yûki’s personality gets lost in the chaos. One minute she’s a goofy kid, the next she’s giving speeches about “the burden of leadership” like she’s 40. It’s jarring, and it doesn’t feel real. Fans on MyAnimeList put it best: “The first episode was awesome, but everything went downhill from there.” I couldn’t agree more.

The worst part? The supporting characters. Remember that funny knight who helped Yûki sneak out? He disappears after episode two. The talking fox who was her best friend? He becomes a side character who only shows up to give exposition. The show introduces new people every episode—like a mysterious prince or a grumpy advisor—but none of them get enough screen time to matter. You never learn their backstories, their motivations, or even why they’re in the story. It’s like the writers threw them in just to fill space.

And don’t get me started on the pacing. One episode will be about Yûki trying to save a village from a dragon (which is cool!), and the next will be 20 minutes of characters sitting in a room talking about taxes. Boring. The show can’t decide if it wants to be a fun kids’ anime or a serious political drama, so it tries to do both—and fails at both. By episode six, I found myself checking my phone during scenes that were supposed to be emotional. That’s never a good sign.

The animation also takes a hit. The first episode has these vibrant, colorful scenes—like Yûki flying on a giant bird over Smile’s capital—but later episodes look cheap. The backgrounds are blurry, the character movements are stiff, and there are even a few episodes where the art style changes for no reason. It feels like the studio ran out of money or time, and that’s a shame because the first episode looked so promising.

Now, I’m not saying The Price of Smiles is a total disaster. There are still moments that work. Yûki’s relationship with her mom, the queen, has some sweet scenes—like when they bake cookies together or talk about what it means to be a leader. And the final episode? It tries to wrap things up with a big emotional moment where Yûki finally understands the “price of smiles”—that keeping people happy sometimes means making hard choices. But by then, it’s too little, too late. The build-up just isn’t there, so the moment doesn’t hit as hard as it should.

So, who is this show for? If you’re 10 or under, you might enjoy the bright colors and silly jokes. But if you’re a teen or older, you’ll probably get frustrated by the messy plot and underdeveloped characters. It’s like the writers had a great idea but didn’t know how to finish it. As one fan put it: “It had so much potential, but it just slowly got worse.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.

In the end, The Price of Smiles is a show that starts with a bang and ends with a whimper. It’s a shame because Yûki is such a likable character, and the world of Smile is so cool. But unless you’re willing to sit through messy writing and forgotten characters, you might want to skip this one. Save your time for something that actually delivers on its promise—like Spy x Family or My Hero Academia. Those shows know how to keep you hooked from start to finish.

The Price of Smiles? It’s a smile that fades way too quickly. And that’s the real price.