A Middle-Aged Dad’s Unintentional Harem
Episode 3 of From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated! continues the series’ trend of hilarious and heartwarming moments, as Kenzaburo Tondabayashi, a 52-year-old bureaucrat reincarnated as the villainess Grace Auvergne, further solidifies his place as the most unexpectedly charming character in the academy. This episode, titled “Dad Cracks a Joke,” sees Grace unintentionally captivating almost every member of the student council, showcasing how his paternal instincts and bureaucratic skills translate into unexpected charisma.
The Abacus and Affection
The episode’s central plot revolves around the student council’s budget, which Anna Doll, the game’s heroine, is struggling to balance. Grace, drawing on his past-life experience, introduces a secretly commissioned abacus to solve the issue, impressing everyone. The scene is a perfect blend of comedy and ingenuity, highlighting how Kenzaburo’s old-world knowledge gives Grace an edge in this magical setting. It’s clear that the abacus from the previous episode was indeed important.
The student council president, Virgile Vierge, usually indifferent to Grace, is captivated by her humble yet capable demeanor. He even starts assessing potential wives based on their usefulness to the country, represented by a rising or falling stock graph, with Grace’s stock skyrocketing. This is a humorous take on how Kenzaburo’s practical skills, particularly his accounting abilities, are seen as incredibly attractive in this context.
Furthermore, Grace’s actions also charm other council members, such as Richard Verseau, the “swords master” and Auguste Lion, her “guardian”. Richard is particularly taken by Grace’s empathy, which stems from Kenzaburo’s love for stag beetles. When Grace releases a rare beetle, Richard’s affection meter goes into overdrive. Auguste is similarly drawn to Grace’s compassion for nature. The episode even manages to cut away from a brief sparring scene between Auguste and Richard to show Kenzaburo saying “Man, what a killer action scene,” while the viewer sees almost nothing. It’s a fun way to lampshade that the show likely doesn’t have the budget for intricate fight sequences.
Puns and Parental Instincts
A significant part of the episode’s charm comes from the terrible “dad jokes” unleashed by both Richard and Kenzaburo. The puns, although groan-worthy, are a source of amusement, with the show even giving “kudos to whatever poor subtitle translator had to adapt so many Japanese puns to English.” This element highlights the middle-aged dad aspect of Kenzaburo’s character, making his interactions all the more comical. It’s also a very refreshing take within the genre.
Kenzaburo’s parental instincts shine through as he guides Anna, inadvertently raising his popularity among the capture targets. He even tries to give Anna all the credit for balancing the books, but this only serves to raise his stock further. This reinforces the concept of Kenzaburo viewing the younger characters through the eyes of a parent, rather than a romantic interest which leads to hilarious misunderstandings and heartwarming moments.
The “Villainess” is a Magnet
The show continues to play with the idea of Grace trying to be a villainess but failing miserably because of Kenzaburo’s inherent kindness and competence. Rather than becoming the feared antagonist she’s supposed to be, she earns admiration from her peers. Kenzaburo’s “Elegant Cheat” transforms his plebeian mannerisms into something elegant, which further enhances his popularity.
This episode solidifies that From Bureaucrat to Villainess is heading toward a potential harem ending, with Grace inadvertently attracting the affections of multiple characters, much like Katarina Claes in My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!. Even Anna is affected, which is evident in her description of Grace in a letter to her parents. The series manages to balance the silly gags and situations with genuine charm, making it an absolute treat to watch.
Production and Streaming
The production quality of the series remains above average, though not spectacular, for romantic comedy light novel adaptations. The character designs may be considered a bit flat and unremarkable, but the show makes up for it with the quality of its comedic timing. The series streams on HIDIVE, with new episodes released every Thursday. Episode 3 premiered on January 24, 2025, at 12:30 AM JST on Japanese television, and became available for streaming worldwide shortly after. It also streams on platforms like Muse Communication and Crunchyroll in certain regions.
Conclusion
From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated! continues to be a delightful series with Episode 3. The show capitalizes on its unique premise, using the reincarnation of a middle-aged bureaucrat to create a hilarious and heartwarming narrative. The episode is filled with silly setups, groan-worthy puns, and genuinely endearing moments, making it a must-watch for fans of the genre. The way Kenzaburo’s past-life skills and experiences translate to his new role as Grace is both comical and compelling. The series is not afraid to be loopy and adorable, solidifying its place as a standout anime of the season.
