De Villiers took just 31 balls to smash his way to 100 against the West Indies in Johannesburg on Sunday, five balls faster than Anderson when he set the record against the same opposition in Queenstown a year ago.
"Records are there to be broken and congratulations to AB, it was obviously a hell of an innings," Anderson said in Nelson where New Zealand are preparing for the fourth ODI against Sri Lanka.
"To get 149 off 44 is probably even more special," said the big-hitting New Zealander who described breaking records as just "one of those things that happens.
"You're in the zone I guess and you feel like every ball's probably going to go to the boundary, and when you mis-hit it, it sort of misses a fielder and it tends to go for four. It's one of those days where it all comes off."
"Never say never. Thirty-one balls is very quick so I'm not too sure. We've got the World Cup coming up around the corner, so it could be a good chance for someone else to take it down.