Kyuujitsu no Warumono-san

This was one of my favorite anime of its season if not my most favorite. Every week I looked forward to watching the next episode and I'm really sad that it's finally come to an end. The characters are engaging and I liked the way by making the theme of the series everyone's day off, we got to see elements of the typical Power Rangers/Magical Superheroes shows that we don't get to see as much of in the proper genre. I also liked that the series focused on one of the main villains of their universe because it also broadened what the audience got tosee and experience. The series was mostly a comedy but it did have some heartfelt and dramatic moments at times. It kept everything in balance and didn't get boring or stale. I liked that because all the characters were a little weird that makes them feel believable. I would definitely watch more of this anime if we get future seasons. If you like the slice of life episodes when you watch super power shows or you like slice of life with a bit of fantasy, then you'll like this anime. It was a genuinely fun and funny watch.

Mr. Villain's Day Off - Even villains do need their days off of rest time as well. Slice-of-life comedy series are easy to do, but when you have Iyashikei series (like Yuru Camp) doing the same, it becomes hard to separate the truth from fiction. And in the Winter season, boy, do I have the perfect couch potato show for you: mangaka Yuu Morikawa's Kyuujitsu no Warumono-san a.k.a Mr. Villain's Day Off. Do you desire rest from the world's never-ending troubles of work? Well then, how about the work of good vs. evil? These two things never ending clashing that well, and this is the problem forMr. Villain, Warumono-san. All day and night long, he's the General of an evil organization with their headquarters in space, thwarting the peace of the everyday life, only to be stopped by the everyday heroes of a pseudo–Super Sentai a.k.a Power Rangers-style hero vs. villain plotline. However, all Warumono wants is a life of calm and collectedness that he's able to to do the things he really wants to do...like seeing animals in a zoo, which captures his attention and starts his obsession on these cute furry black-and-white creatures we call pandas. And not even the everyday Rangers can stop Warumono on his evil deeds...from the passing of time seeking pandas, going to convenience stores to hunt for panda-like food, to fully resting on his well-deserved day off. I have to give applauds to VA Shintarou Asanuma for nailing Warumono's character, even if the voice doesn't really fit his devilish thematics. For a character who is constantly on and off about good and evil, Warumono may look like a pure villain character from the outset, but his heart is ever that pure, understanding and ironic like a mockingbird. Being impressed about the life of Earthlings and threatened by the cuddliness of the pandas at the same time, Warumono experiences Nirvana like he's never experienced anything of the sort before, and vows to get revenge...by going for more panda-licious treats, all while letting his trusty assistant Rooney do all of the backend work. The Rangers too are like your typical everyday people, from the caring Akatsuki Red who easily loses his sense of direction, to the standards of Green being the twins of Mugi and Sora, Shinonome Pink serving as the titular girl within the all-boys group, as well as Yoiyami Black, the founder of the Rangers who is mysteriously unseen most of the time. Everything else about the anime gets its simple job done: the usual collab of Shin-Ei Animation and SynergySP coming to produce the show with minimal but glowing effort, and if anything exemplifies the Iyashikei vibe, look no further than the music itself, with its serene OST and the theme songs (though I see a debate there). Ivudot's OP is just that: a calm walk/stroll in the park against the quietness of night life, and Glasgow's ED a contrast to a cheerful song with hope for the future. People complained that the former's song doesn't sound like an actual opening, but whatever, it perfectly complements the feeling of the anime and its source material. At the end of the day, whether there are heroes or villains, the desire to one day have a rest is a monumental task, and Kyuujitsu no Warumono-san a.k.a Mr. Villain's Day off exemplifies that fact so well. Now, if you please excuse me, I want to go to the zoo and see pandas now to be fantasized in their fluffyness and aloof characters, chilling the life away in a chip without a heck care in the world. "Oh? Sit back and enjoy the sight of pandas?" That sounds good, like a chill pill.

The show is basically what the title says it is: it's about the villain, but on his day off. We never even learn his actual name, he's just Mr. Villain or The General just to show you that this guy really is the top tier baddest of the bad, head of his evil organization (which itself is called "The Evil Organization), except he's actually a pretty nice guy who doesn't seem to get worked up about much of anything, unless you break his cardinal rule... never interrupt his day off. The fact that this came out in the same season as [i]Time for Torture, Princess[/i]could have easily made one show or the other feel redundant, since they both have a similar premise of "the villains are actually pretty chill", but the fact that this has such a different approach makes the two shows feel like an excellent complement to each other. Where [i]Time for Torture[/i] is very wacky and slapsticky, this show is more gently relaxing. The basic premise is very funny, sure, and there's a lot of good-natured humor, but the tone is more slow elegiac bliss, occasionally dipping into a bit of melancholy. The usual episode sees Mr. Villain just going about his day, finding some aspect of earth culture that he ends up enjoying, and the message always seems to be the importance of finding joy in the little things. There aren't any huge driving questions or big plot twists, it's more like checking in with him each week and seeing what he's up to. While it's not quite as ensemble-focused as some Slice of Life type shows (in the sense that there's only one episode not specifically focused on Mr. Villain, whereas some shows usually bounce around their cast), the characters around him are all fun additions to the mix and they all generally have something deeper going on under the surface. They really know how to get you to care and of all the characters who aren't the protagonist a pair of trees ended up being the ones I got the most invested in, which should be a testament to how good the characterization is. The animation is perhaps a bit stiffer and cheaper than some of the other SoL shows that I like, but the art style is still very pleasant and it's definitely helped along by good character designs. What it might lack in the technical departments, it definitely makes up for in terms of sheer relaxing appeal and the music and voice acting both contribute to that comfortable vibe. They've definitely hit on something good here, so hopefully it gets renewed for a second season.

This is a really light-hearted and sweet anime adaptation of a parody of sentai, shounen, and even shoujo works to a degree, with a delightful cast, phenomenal voice acting, lovely art and music, and overall a very funny and sweet feel to it. Each episode just makes you relax and laugh. It's all around a very relatable story about work-life balance, worker protections, friendship, and found family. It plays delightfully with the never-ending nature of the genres it's parodying, with the, "I'll get you next time" nature of it. Underneath the humor and warmth is a lovely layer of of intricate and fun world-building. Thecharacter designs are really fun, too, whether it's Shogun's two character models, the cute and supportive little alien who holds up his phone, his various other subordinates, or the different Rangers and other humans who make up the cast. Shogun himself is such a fun and amusing character, and it's fun to see him explore Earth and its various curiosities. Overall, it's a great addition to the manga (this started as a webcomic on twitter/pixiv, and was later published as a manga through Square Enix), with phenomenal art. Not all of the cuteness makes it into the anime, but what they did do is outstanding. A lot is expanded, and Shogun is just so funny and sweet, and his interactions with all the cast members are lovely. Almost everything he does is relatable if you've ever worked a 9-5 or minimum wage job, focusing in on minute details and appreciating the little things in life. If you like superhero stories told from the perspective of the villain, (e.g., Megamind, Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy, Venom), but with a warm tone, this might be your thing. And if you like the anime, Morikawa-sensei's manga is beautiful and worth picking up. There's still material for a second season and the manga is ongoing, so here's hoping it gets one!

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