This is the first anime to make me tear up after the FIRST EPISODE. I went into Hamefura expecting another everyday comedy harem, but I ended up with a strongly-written, emotional story that struck a chord with me from the get-go. What really helps the show as an isekai is that Catarina isn't acting nice towards the other characters out of obligation. While the conversations in her head might give off that impression, that's just the kind of person she is naturally, and the juxtaposition between game events and real-life events as they happen makes this abundantly clear. Catarina's childhood arc was especially strong, giving me some of the best individual episodes I've ever seen.
Add in plenty of actual character development, a plot twist that surprised me when it happened but was obvious in hindsight (perfect for a comedy anime), a complete absence and/or subversion of the tropes I despise from typical harem anime, story beats that don't depend entirely on the magical school setting to happen organically, and a mountain of heartfelt moments, and you get My Next Life as a Villainess, my new favorite anime that probably shouldn't be. While other anime I've seen like Kaguya-sama or The Promised Neverland are certainly stronger when viewed through an objective lens, there's never been a series that's pulled me in from the very beginning the way Hamefura has. It's definitely one of the most pleasant surprises I've encountered in anime so far, and it certainly gave me a lot to talk about. I'd easily recommend this series to anybody who enjoys the isekai genre... or the harem genre... or romance... or anime.
