Mr. Villain’s Day Off Has Brought Us Anime’s New Perfect Man

Last year I wrote about how Buddy Daddies had the most relatable anime man of 2023. This was because Rei Suwa was a professional hitman who, when he wasn’t on a mission, kept himself entertained with video games and comfortable sweatpants. Having a clear line between “work” and “comfort” speaks to me, so it was only natural that I’d gravitate toward the perfectly cozy anime that is Mr. Villain’s Day Off . RELATED: Buddy Daddies Has Brought Us Anime's New Perfect Man As you can imagine from the title, Mr. Villain’s Day Off focuses on a villain who is set on world domination... but not when it’s his day off. Despite his devastating presence, when he’s not on the clock he wants to be left alone, even telling his heroic nemesis to hold off on any battles until he punches in again. As a wannabe champion of self-care (I try, but I’m notoriously bad at taking my own advice), I couldn’t help but applaud the villain for setting boundaries and taking care of himself with trips to the zoo and frozen treats. Can this evil entity really be the best anime man of 2024? Let’s discuss (while watching panda videos). Humanity Is Exhausting but at Least There’s Food and Pandas The villain and the sinister Evil League have plans to eliminate all of humanity. We’re not really told why, but there are moments that put it into perspective, like the fact that humans expect him to eat panda-shaped foods or they make certain frozen treats a limited edition item. What’s interesting to me about Mr. Villain is that he’s living in the place that his job heavily focuses on (Earth), yet he’s managed to find a way to make his own space within it. Honestly, we’re lucky to live on a planet full of pandas. It’s one of the few things protecting us from the villain’s nefarious plans. The other? The food at the convenience store. Since dealing with humanity can be exhausting (whether you’re trying to eliminate it or blend in with it) the villain’s biggest rule in life is to completely disconnect from work on his days off. This means if he sees anyone he knows on the street he turns the other way. He doesn’t answer his phone if he gets a call and he postpones all battles so he can go about his day. Truly a mood, particularly the moments where someone tries to approach him with work when he’s clearly not in his villain form. Mr. Villain spends his time off in a number of ways, like cleaning his house or going to the zoo and taking 300-some pictures of pandas. Finding enjoyable things that pull you away from work so you can relax on your day off is crucial, especially when you’re tasked with as much responsibility as the villain. Being a high-ranking officer of evil ain’t easy, but making sure your panda plush doesn’t fall off the couch is. Overtime Is Overrated “If you don’t look after your own mind and body, you’ll burn out someday.” - Mr. Villain's Day Off Mr. Villain values his days off, which includes honoring that blissful moment when you clock out for the day. When you’re a new recruit at the evil organization, however, you tell yourself that you have to get everything done no matter what. This is a feeling that most of us can relate to when starting a new job, and it’s a feeling that the villain immediately squashes when he sees the newest recruit working more than he should. RELATED: My New Boss is Goofy Is the Softest Anime of the Season While being encouraged to not burn yourself out is great advice for anyone doing, well, anything , it’s especially nice to hear someone in a position of power say it to someone just starting out. Lots of newbies in workplace settings don’t think they can advocate for themselves, but Mr. Villain encourages this newcomer to put his mind and body first. They aren’t going to take over the world in a day so all that pesky paperwork can wait. Cats, Bunnies, Children, Retail Workers and the Elderly Should Be Respected While spending time on our planet the villain has come to appreciate some of what we have to offer — namely pandas and food. That said, he also shows a great deal of respect toward certain people, and animals, on Earth. As the great Zangief once said, “You are bad guy, but this does not mean you are bad guy .” The first major green flag with Mr. Villain is that along with his adoration of pandas, he respects other animals, too. Cats, in particular, are treated like royalty as the villain tries to speak their language and figure out how to befriend them. Mr. Villain is also very kind to children. He spends time with them, builds sandcastles with them, studies pandas with them, and helps take care of them when they’re lost. Did I mention he’s also kind to the elderly? At one point he helps a tiny, elderly man up an extremely long flight of stairs. Despite his ultimate task of eradicating humanity, the villain does cherish the parts of it he feels are worth caring about. This includes the convenience store clerk who greets him every time he comes in as he takes her food recommendations very seriously. Mr. Villain, the Most Relatable Man of 2024 Being kind to others and taking the time to focus on your mental health are pretty solid ways to live your life, so much so that even a supervillain can get behind it. While a lot of Mr. Villain’s Day Off is played for laughs, these moments where he’s enjoying the peace and quiet of his apartment or treating himself to a new kind of dessert resonate with me. It is nice to unplug from everything and have a day off. It is nice to turn off notifications on your phone and stop yourself from looking at work, even if it only lasts for a day or two. It is nice to enjoy a late night treat... even if there's an angelic panda on your shoulder telling you not to. And, honestly? It’s nice seeing such an unapproachable-looking character enjoying something as simple as a panda-shaped latte... assuming he can drink something so cute. RELATED: Aki’s Morning Routine is One of My Favorite Chainsaw Man Moments So Far Much like series like The Way of the Househusband and even the times when SPY x FAMILY dedicates an episode to an elaborate, spy-themed party, Mr. Villain’s Day Off is a reminder to take the time to enjoy whatever it is that makes you happy and to separate yourself from work whenever you get the chance. Next time you get a work-related email on your day off? Leave it for later. Don’t let Mr. Villain down! Watch Mr. Villain's Day Off on Crunchyroll now!

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