Introduction

This is a love story adapted from real history, surrounded by complex political conflicts and conspiracies, yet it remains dramatic and romantic from beginning to end. How does a naive and innocent young girl become the empress of an empire? When the love she yearns for conflicts with the freedom she pursues, what choices will she make? The most beautiful empress in European history did not have a happy finale, but in this story, perhaps we can allow her to find true happiness.

Concept Art

Let’s start off with the pop-up book and story map. Did you like the overall design and the music that came with it?

Up next, the clothing illustrations for “Vienna Stroll” and “Forest Dreams”. Do you fancy these outfits? 😊

And here, we have Speedster Kitty! This was the draft design of the cat badge for the story, what do you think? 😽

We had three variations prepared for the ending page. Do you have a favourite? ✨

Next is the 2D cover art for our 14th main story, Princess Sissi. The first draft showed her holding a fan, later revised to the rose design you see now. Between the two poses, which one do you feel suits her best? 🌹

Now, let's explore a couple of sketches and drafts of the characters in Princess Sissi!

First up are the design drafts for Ida Ferenczy, our country girl from Hungary. She may be sharp-tongued and stubborn, but she’s kind at heart. Do you like her final design? 😉

And here’s a look at Ida’s different 3D animated expressions~ How did you think they brought out her personality?

Next is Ryszard, our mysterious Austrian military officer or… emperor (psst… it’s really Franz Josef!). What do you think of his overall design? 🤭

And speaking of him, here’s his awakened relic design draft, this time with a slight smile. Do you like the design we eventually settled with?

Next, we have the draft relics of our Bavarian princess, Helene. One with her gaze slightly lowered, and the other looking directly at us.

Here, we have Helene’s awakened relic. Again, one with her soft gaze, and the other with a sweet smile. Do you prefer her shy glance or her confident gaze? 👀

Altogether, here are the sketches of our three main characters in Princess Sissi. What do you think of their designs?

Moving on, let’s explore a couple of design drafts of the CGs in Princess Sissi!

Starting with Lake Starnberg, we explored different drafts to emphasise the scenery. Here are three variations we tested, which version do you feel best captures the atmosphere? ⛰️

We also explored Lake Starnberg under different times of day and weather, each creating a unique mood for the story. Do you have a favorite?

Next up are the pencil sketches for “Bavarian Rose”, where Sissi and Ida raced alongside each other. What do you think of these three variations?

In “Love of a Lifetime”, we show Franz Josef and Sissi from different angles to bring out the moment of his choice. We explored perspectives that would capture not only the scene but its emotion. Between options A, B, and C, which angle do you prefer?

Next is “Weathering with You”. We used close-up framing of Ida and Sissi to highlight their sisterhood, making it feel like a climactic moment. Which option would you choose?

Next, we have the sketches for the Empress Mother Sophie. Did you like her personality and her design?

Lastly, we have the design sketches for Andrássy Gyula. What are your impressions of him and his design? 🤭

We’ve also prepared some outfit design drafts to share with everyone today!

First up, here are the outfit drafts for “Star of Sissi”, featuring shining stars embedded in the gown. We chose the design on the left, with its softer bluish hue that highlights elegance~ What do you think of our final pick?

Next, we have the drafts for “Young Prayer”. The main differences lie in the trailing hem of the dress and the ribbon details. In the end, we settled on a mix of both. What are your thoughts on these two variations? 😊

Next, we have the draft iterations of “Forest Dreams”. We eventually settled on the core design on the left, keeping the soft green palette but removing the shoulder straps for a cleaner silhouette. Did you like the final version of the dress?

Q&A Session

Q: When will the story continue? Are there any spin-off stories planned for Princess Sissi?

A: Let us share a little secret… We’re planning to write the second half of Princess Sissi’s story, and we believe it will be ready to meet everyone soon! What kind of developments would you like to see in the next part?

Q: What was the inspiration behind this book?

A: For many of us, the Sissi films once wove a fairytale dream—romantic encounters, dazzling courts, and the blissful ending of a prince and princess. But Brigitte Hamann’s biography Empress Elisabeth and the Sissi musical lifted the heavy curtain of history, revealing Elisabeth’s true struggles beneath the empire’s glitter: a free spirit suffocating in the rigid court, her tangled emotions with Emperor Franz Joseph, and the profound tragedy of her time. This stark contrast struck me deeply. The creation of this story comes from an urge to bridge that gap between dream and reality. While respecting history, we hope to reimagine Sissi’s tale with fiction, carrying forward her relentless pursuit of freedom.

Q: Ida was real?!

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Q: So Ida's full name is Ida Ferenczy?

A: Many of the characters in this story are drawn from historical records, then enriched with imagination and dramatic tension. While Sissi’s story is well known, we’d like to share a few of the less familiar figures who inspired certain roles. For instance, Ida Ferenczy, a Hungarian young woman, became the Empress’s confidante after Sissi ascended the throne. Ida entered the Viennese court at the age of 25 and remained by Sissi’s side throughout her life, her presence shrouded in mystery. She was personally chosen by the Empress to serve as a lady-in-waiting, with the official title of “Reader to Her Majesty the Empress,” and was regarded as Sissi’s closest companion. In our story, we imagine a “prologue” to their first encounter.

Q: Just finished this story and... oh my. Feels so unfinished 😭 I have so many questions.

A: Due to the constraints of time and space at that moment, many plotlines we wanted to write were left unexplored. This includes Sissi and Franz's grand wedding, the development of Sissi's relationship with Count Andrássy Gyula afterward, and Sissi's rebellion against the Vienna court. However, what we most wanted to emphasize was the sisterly bond between Sissi and Néné. Néné's initial "candidate" status and Sissi's unexpected "selection" instantly reversed their life trajectories, injecting an indescribable awkwardness and sacrifice into their natural kinship. We hope to delve deeply into this sisterly relationship, which history has glossed over, depicting their mutual support, understanding, and silent pain in the face of tremendous changes. We wanted to write about how Néné, despite her heartache, continued to protect her sister, and how Sissi, in the loneliness behind her glory, cherished this pure bond from her homeland. We believe this will be revealed in subsequent installments — their friendship is not just a footnote in court politics but a chapter of humanity in the torrent of fate.

Q: How old are the characters?

A: In this story, Sissi and Franz first met when she was 18 years old, and Franz was 23. Sissi's sister Helene was 20 years old. Ida was the youngest among them, only 16 years old.

Q: Some people said they loved Andrássy and that he should have been a companion!

A: Count Andrássy Gyula is a charming character, and we also like him very much. In the sequel to Princess Sissi, perhaps he can truly become our companion. Please stay tuned.

Q: I really wish they had done this story like Queen Marie, where you know you’re inside the book and are actively trying to change the future. Sissi’s story feels more like a personal tragedy, so maybe that’s why they decided not to.

A: As a time Traveler who frequently traverses countless Story Books, she sometimes loses a part of her memory upon entering a book, forgetting her original identity and believing herself to be the true protagonist. This is also part of the test. Yet, despite this forgetfulness, she still possesses personal will and the ability to act freely. Her fate is the fate of the heroine, and at those crucial moments before or during the unfolding of tragedy, she still has the chance to make different choices and head towards another unknown ending. The so-called tragedy might just be the butterfly effect of a single choice in a parallel universe, and the magical time Traveler can completely avoid this. So far, this story has not yet come to an end.

Q: TELL ME WHY PRINCESS SISSI WANTS THAT LIAR OF A KING WHEN THIS HOT DUDE (Karl Ludwig) IS AFTER HER?!

A: If handsome Karl had appeared before Sissi met Franz, confessed his feelings to her, and pursued her passionately, I believe they would have become a sweet and happy couple. However, please note that before Karl expressed his love to Sissi, she had already developed a vague goodwill towards Franz, who was posing as an adjutant. Perhaps if he had told Sissi his sincerity earlier, the course of events would have been entirely different. That being said, the occurrence of love is not bound by who comes first or last. Sometimes, people find it difficult to fall in love with someone they’ve known for years, but instead fall for someone they’ve only met once. Sissi is not a standard lady; she is perky, open-minded, and despises outdated rules, loving challenges and adventures. Compared to developing feelings over time, we think she is the type of girl who would more easily fall in love at first sight.

Q: The storybook theme music for this story is so beautiful! Do you know if there was a precedent inspiration for it?

A: To evoke the atmosphere of the era in which the story is set, we drew on the works of contemporary Austrian composers such as Strauss and Schubert. The first half of the book mainly tells of Princess Sissi’s girlhood and the events surrounding her meeting the Austrian emperor. To highlight her innocence and vivacity, and to suit the courtly setting, we incorporated many waltz elements.

Q: When will Helene and Karl become a couple?

A: To stay true to historical facts, Helene and Karl may not have the romantic development people are hoping for. But we think a girl as beautiful and kind as Helen will surely find her own happiness. As for Karl, we believe that completely freeing himself from his attraction to Sissi will be a very difficult challenge, so keep a look out as maybe in the future he’ll have some surprising experiences too.

Q: Why did you choose to go for this story? Was there anything in particular that was inspiring or fascinating about Sissi herself or her story?

A: Because the real Princess Sissi had a sadly tragic end, even though she could have had a different life. We wanted this lovely girl to find happiness, and that desire prompted the story’s creation. We’ve been wondering whether her life was truly happy. From the historical accounts, we realized that she had a very strong sense of self. Maybe at first she married Franz for love, but the complexities of court life wore her down physically and mentally. She had no option but to change herself to fit in, yet she refused to compromise. That is what made her tragedy. After seeming to obtain great happiness, her life continually hovered around loss. We hope she can be given a chance to choose again, though we know every choice carries regrets. In any case, we want her to always be herself in the story, and to consider marriage and family only after she has genuinely grown.

Q: As someone who gushed over this story a few months ago, I've always wanted to ask: what was the motivation behind giving Franz and Sissi's romance such a huge focus in this story? Was it influenced by the movies? We know that historically, their marriage eventually fell apart, so seeing their relationship painted in a good light in this book is very interesting to me. From their forest waltz to the scene where she's chosen as Empress, their love story feels quite magical/fairytale-ish in a good way.

A: Perhaps in Sissi’s eyes at the time, her encounter with Franz was romantic and perfect. Fairy tale princes and princesses often have their story end at the wedding or the true kiss, because the unavoidable realities that follow fill the tale with regret. But since this story isn’t over, we imagine the later chapters will hold many unexpected developments.

Q: How often did you watch the movies? Your prince totally looks like Karlheinz Böhm.

A: We really like historical films, especially those made in the last century! Their costume and set design speak to us, and the casting fits our taste. Because we referenced the very classic 1950s Sissi film in the art direction, some of the characters will have certain resemblances.

Q: In Queen Marie, our main character is aware she's Marie in a book, which isn't the case in later TP books. Did you consider this approach? What inspired your decision to have us play from Sissi's own perspective?

A: Being a time traveler who ventures through different storybooks is really draining, so our protagonist can’t always remember her original identity, right? When she enters a world, that world’s mysterious magic will lull her into believing her identity is real — it’s one of the tests sent by the Goddess of Time. If you truly become that person, would you still make the same choices she did? Maybe you could change her fate.

Q: Will Helene forgive Sissi?

A: Of course, but that will take time as she’s been deeply hurt, but it’s also a chance for Helene to grow. We believe the bond between them will become deeper than before, turning them into sisters who can support each other through hardship.

Q: If there are any other women historical figures you would love to make a story of, who would you choose and why?

A: Maybe Anne Boleyn, the queen who was executed by Henry VIII. We like stories about ambitious people, and we think she deserves a better ending.

Closing

Thank you to everyone who’s here with us. In the first part of the story, we want to create a classic, simple love tale. Sissi is a young girl longing for freedom and self-fulfillment—naive, impulsive, even a little reckless. Her love unfolds as a dreamlike encounter, echoing the collective memory of a “fairytale princess.”

In the second part, we aim to portray a matured princess, caught in the deep conflict between power, duty, and personal happiness, and to reveal the weight that lies beneath the romantic façade. In our literary imagination, Sissi in the TP storybook may follow a different path from the Sissi of history. Perhaps she becomes a free traveler, a poet, or a philanthropist. Perhaps she grows into a resolute Empress, a political participant, or even a symbol of the Empire itself.

Above all, what we wish to capture is her struggle to shape her identity and seek meaning while bound by constraints.

Author's Favorite Quote

When Emperor Franz declared that Sissi was the bride he wished to marry, Sissi stood alone before the furious Archduchess Sophie and said, “In matters of the heart, His Majesty and I should stand as equals.”

She was a woman who sought equality and freedom. Though she longed for romantic love, if it lacked respect and equality, she would waver and hesitate — but she would never compromise. She did not see the Emperor’s favor as an honor bestowed upon her; what mattered most were her own feelings. If she could hold fast to this stance from beginning to end, unmoved by the complexities that followed, I believe she would have found a happiness truly her own.

Thank you everyone for your shares. We are very heartened by your kind words and support. We are all overjoyed that everyone enjoyed reading Princess Sissi!