To My Disappointment, 'Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto' Is Not as Hilarious as Advertised

I was craving for some anime laughs, so I decided to check out a 2016 anime series called Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto, which was often included in the “funniest anime” lists I encountered.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t as hilarious as it was hyped to me.  I was hoping that it would be comedy gold like Hinamatsuri, Grand Blue, and KonoSuba, but it turned out being in line with the level of Chio’s School Road in terms of humor and delivery.

Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto follows a high school boy named Sakamoto, who is the personification of cool.  He’s handsome, intelligent, versatile, and athletic.  He has a seemingly unlimited set of skills and talents, and excels in everything that he does.  He effortlessly outsmarts or overcomes his opponents, and whatever challenge is thrown at him – no matter how difficult or sudden it is – he always comes out of top.  He has no weakness; he’s basically “Mr. Perfect.”  Thus, he’s much admired, especially by his classmates.  All the girls crush on him.  And even his male classmates who are initially jealous of him eventually become his admirers.

There’s ample amusement to be had from the over-the-top flawlessness of Sakamoto, and there are certainly a couple of chuckle-inducing moments during its run (12 regular episodes and an OVA).  But I can’t remember an instance where it made me genuinely laugh out loud.  There are even some stretches which I found to be unfunny.

It surprisingly has heart, though.  This realization doesn’t come immediately; it just dawns on you somewhere near the end.  This is due to the dynamic that Sakamoto has shared and developed with his classmates during the show’s run.  It’s really nice to behold how he subtly brings his class closer.  And this aspect is what I like the most about this show.

I was expecting to get big laughs from Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto, and it’s a disappointment for not delivering these.  Still, it gets funny at times, it’s entertaining in a lot of parts, and the bond of Sakamoto with his classmates can get borderline touching.  And, honestly, I was kind of sad when the series ended.

But, yeah, I’m still craving for some anime laughs (I might try Nichijou or The Devil’s a Part-Timer next).