How Was the First Episode of Mr. Villain's Day Off?

Based on the manga by Yuu Morikawa, Mr. Villain's Day Off follows the story of a major leader in an alien organization, the Evil League, who spends his days off trying new ice cream flavors, geeking out over pandas, and awkwardly helping human children and his rival, Ranger Dawn Red. The anime series is streaming on Crunchyroll on Sundays.

As a fan of the manga, I was excited for this adaptation, but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The glacial pacing and repetitive jokes made the 23-minute episodes feel twice as long. The main jokes revolve around Mr. Villain's love for cute animals and ice cream, and his awkward interactions with Ranger Red. While these can be pleasant to experience, they are not enough to fill a full episode.

The voice acting for Mr. Villain also didn't quite work for me, with his lines feeling unnaturally drawn out. However, this could be intentional, as we hear more of his internal monologue than his dialogue with other characters. It's possible that he's putting on an evil act rather than truly believing in the mission to destroy Earth.

Overall, I was disappointed with this adaptation and feel that it would have worked better as a short series. The pacing and execution just didn't work for me, and I will be sticking with the manga instead. However, there are some potential for improvement, such as integrating side characters and incorporating darker humor. But for now, I would recommend sticking with the manga for a more enjoyable experience.