Hataraku Maou-sama!

If your wanting an all weekend anime marathon this is the anime for you. It's fun, comedic, and short with a side of action.

While I scrolled through the list the title is was caught my eye, "The Devil is A part Timer". There are many thoughts that came to mind so I decided to please my curiosity. From the start to finish the plot flows in a consistent manner. The characters development is great despite the short amount of episodes that are allotted (13). The animation is great as well as a decent english dubbed version.

Can't really point out anything bad ... in particular other than the stereo typical loud tsundere chick.

But all in all, quick and fun just like I like it.

Every year a cluster of anime release for people to gobble whatever they can get their hands on. However a few well made anime somehow don't get as much public attention they deserve. The hidden gem among piles of sand.

This anime is the one.

While sucky reboots and trashy sequels keep spreading their vice like grip among people who haven't breathed outside air for a long time, Hataraku Maou Sama is the odd kid in the block. It has a totally new concept which totally works for its genre. While most other stuff still don't know their true identities after 10 episodes, this anime knows ... where its comedy lies and executes it very well. It may not send you into hysterical fits of laughter, but rest assured you will be having a loony grin plastered on your face while watching it. The best word to describe it will be 'Delightful'. And it has a pretty decent story as well. Being 11 episodes only it will be a short journey though. But at least its a memorable one.

Characters make or break a show. HMS has great characters with their own idiosyncrasies and attitude. From the Lucifer who turns into a NEET to our own hero who turns from being a apathetic dark lord to a guy who works at Mc Ronalds. Yeah you read it right. This makes up for interesting situations which never fail to amuse.

Should you watch it? Yeah. Once in a while you need an anime like this to clear your mind and relax

This was one of the most pleasant surprises I got to experience in 2013. Since I just got into anime in the beginning of 2013, I saw that Kotaku listed Devil is a PT as one of the 5 spring 2013 anime that one should watch.

I figure, hey, 13 episodes isn't much, let's give this a shot. Turns out I marathoned this anime in 2 days since it was just so much fun for me. The first episode has a bit more violence and is darker in tone than the rest of the anime, especially during the first 7 minutes or so, but I'd say ... other than that, this anime is suitable for PG-13 and up. Younger children will probably not understand some of the jokes in this anime.

The concept of this anime is very fresh, and thus very enjoyable. I found it drastically different than the usual school-based or workplace settings that are commonplace in other anime.
All the characters (Maou, Yusha, and his minions and coworkers) all get a lot of valuable screen-time, and hardly any of the screen-time is wasted in my opinion. There is a bit of fan service in this anime, but it's not overused in my opinion.

The art, animation quality, and sound are pretty typical. Nothing in the audio-visual department will WOW you, but they get the job done. Besides, the script and the banter amongst characters are what make this anime so darn appealing.

If I could say one thing, it's that the last episode in this series ends abruptly. There's no real closure to anything, and I can only hope for a season 2 that's in the works whenever the light novel has enough content to warrant a season 2.

A solid 9 out of 10 overall from me. If it wasn't for the sudden ending, this would easily be a 10 just for sheer enjoyment purposes.

For those curious, Kotaku writer Richard Eisenbeis' full review for this anime is here
http://kotaku.com/the-devil-is-a-part-timer-is-clever-witty-and-just-p-606147259

We can all agree that most comedies in recent anime seasons have always tried to cling to similar situations or settings. The most obvious one is school comedy shows. You never get to see writers try to develop different kinds of circumstances that could be brilliant. But once they do, it usually comes off either decent or just plain forgettable. It’s not often we get a show like Hataraku Maou-sama that is light-hearted and fun and boasts some of the best comedy writing in an anime I’ve seen yet this year.

The title Hataraku Maou-sama is precisely what the show is. In English, it means The ... Devil is a Part-Timer. You have a character named Satan, the dark overlord of this world, unlike ours. He is now put into our world in hopes of finding a way to bring his life in order and his magical powers back. What happens then is nothing short of unique sets of humorous set pieces that are funny just by the jokes themselves and how they reflect our everyday lives in the real world.

They maturely handle Satan’s situation by making him do work that any citizen of any 1st world nation would do to live in stable conditions. The writers don’t try to hammer nonsensical fluff into the mix to make it “exciting.” They make the actions the characters do feel very in tune with how we would do, even with the minor deals like dealing with house payments and workers' pay. At first, you find it funny how a demon overlord can do all these things without breaking a sweat. Once you look beneath the background and delve in more in-depth, you notice a hint of satire mixed in with how we often hate working in part-time jobs. It is great for the writers to make the message subtle so that it doesn’t feel like it’s being forced down people’s throats. Otherwise, the news would have a harsh tone to it.

You can’t just talk about the show without talking about the characters. Maou-sama casts a whole array of great comedic characters that fit together exceptionally well with clever writing to go with it. That isn’t to say the script does every joke justice, but then it is self-aware that it’s ridiculous in its subject matter, and they take advantage of this fact. What works so well is how each character has great chemistry that feels so real and doesn’t feel contrived or cliched. It’s an excellent connection whenever characters interact with one another. While rivals, Satan and Emi settle their disputes differently than you might think. It’s handled cleverly and doesn’t hamper their archetypes simultaneously.

The art design is nice and clean with the art and sound department without any limited budget. One unique thing to mention is the characters' facial expressions whenever a humorous scene is present; some are unforgettable, such as the famous tsundere Emi face that she makes in the police interrogation room. The voice actors do an excellent job in delivering their lines, especially those involving jokes.

With every comedy we get in the following seasons, there always seems to be this constant need for a plot structure that has to be serious. Maou-sama is no exception to this rule. While there’s nothing wrong with comedies of any fashion delving into the drama to some degree, the plot given in Maou-sama is nothing spectacular at all. The worst part is that they try to put some comedy into the urgent moments here and there to remind us that it’s a comedy show. That is not to say that the humor can’t be done right. But unfortunately for Maou-sama, it just doesn’t feel natural and is not written very well.

Fortunately, only one episode isn’t purely focused on comedy and quickly gets back to what makes it a brilliant one. There is the finale, but it is at least handled a little better. There is, however, another minor gripe that involves the main villain of the show and the fact that he is not at all threatening. While this is supposed to be in context with the show being a comedy, they try to make us think we’re supposed to take him seriously when it isn’t convincing.

Regardless of the flaws mentioned above, this show is not meant to be missed by anyone who appreciates comedy. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that this can be funny by people who aren’t a fan of comedy anime because it hardly draws any Otaku pandering like most comedies that have been released in the following months of the seasons. It is undeniably a nice break to see an anime comedy delve into different territory. It’s a clear sign that shows like Maou-sama can capture an entire audience without regurgitating empty premises. Sequels and moe comedies may sell big, but studios can’t rely on them for long. People will eventually want something fresh. Only time will tell.

Grade: A-

I'm still wondering why i had skipped this masterpiece... but thank god I watched in a good mood, It's comedy is awesome, the voice actors are fit for every character is almost like they were meant to play them.
It has a nice start and a nice ending, there aren't plot holes and is easy to understand, and ofc it will make you laugh easily too!

this one needs a second season ASAP! and I strongly recommend everyone to watch this exellent piece of work.

Hataraku Maou-sama! is one of my favourite anime for many reasons, and I think it is a must watch for any comedy/action loving fan. Please read on to find out why!

Story: 8
I found that the story, although not completely original, was executed very well. It begins with a very action-packed opening scene, and transitions nicely into the characters arriving in this strange land known as 'Tokyo'. The comedic timing in this show is spot on, and because of that it often made me actually laugh out loud (that is rare). The story pans out a little slowly, and although the action at the start is ... quite flashy, there aren't many other moments in this anime where you get that. If you don't really like action though, then it will be just fine.

Art: 9
It was hard to find faults in this shows art and animation. The character designs were very attractive, and the scenery is quite plush. When it was time for the action scenes, the movement was fluid and there weren't any frames where the characters looke like a different person (has anyone seen Naruto vs Pain?). The only reason I didn't rate this section a 10 was because at times, and this is very infrequent, the characters face did look a little odd and disproportioned. Otherwise, the quality of artwork was top notch.

Sound: 8
The opening isn't played until quite late in the anime, but I found it well worth the wait. The chosen song is very enjoyable to listen to, and the animation complements it nicely. The ending is very soothing and finishes the episode very nicely. The voice actors were very good, portraying emotion well in many different situations, and it had a broad variety of voices. The soundtrack was nothing outstanding, but it fitted the scenes and one track in particular (The Devil Regains His Strength), after the first time it was used, every other time I heard it, I was filled with anticipation and knew something awesome was about to happen.

Character: 8
There is a wide variety of different characters, each with very contrasting personalities. I found it quite enjoyable every time they introduced a new character. They did this every couple of episodes, but in a way that made it seem infrequent and fitting. One thing that confused me was how Maou acted, as he is the demon Overlord who terrorised Ente Isla, and yet he does things in Tokyo that really makes me question his evilness.

Enjoyment: 10
Although there are some negatives, I really did enjoy this show to the max, which is why I gave a 10. I just found it really fun to watch, and I had fun all throughout, even in the bits that looked a little 'icky'.

Overall: 9
Hataraku Maou-sama! is definitely an anime I would recommend to all anime fans, as it is very entertaining and will give you a good laugh. In my opinion, this show should have a second season, as it doesn't quite give you that sense of fulfillment at the end.

It is my first review on this site, so it probably isn't great, but hey, thanks for taking the time to read it!

------------------- No Spoiler Review of The Devil is a Part Timer---------------

The Devil is definitely The Lord of The Fries!!

Hataraku Maou-sama!(The Devil is a Part Timer) Is about Satan himself who finds himself in Modern Day Japan and works as a part timer at the McRonalds.

This anime is great and very fun to watch.

Story(8/10): The Story of Hataraku Maou-sama! is great and puts a good twist on the genre by making him work at McRonalds and trying to get by in a world where he is now longer top dog. The story is interesting and develops well throughout the series but an ending which I ... found was not as good as it should of been make Story get an 8/10

Art(9/10): The animation of Hataraku Maou-sama! is also great and is even more glorious in HD. The fights scenes in this series are brilliantly animated and are jammed packed. The series in colourful and does brilliantly to show what is happening at that part in the show, the animation is brilliant especially in this animes openings and ending sequences.

Sound(8/10): The sound is nice in this anime especially the ending themes which there are 4 of and the opening which combine brilliant animation and catchy music. The background music also fits well with what is happening at the exact moment whether the devil has done something good or something suspicious is happening. The English dub for this anime I think is done very well and all the characters especially Chiho and the devil. The Original Japanese is also great with the subs of course.

Character(10/10): The characters in this show are brilliant and engaging. The Devil himself to the hero all the characters are amazing and are a vocal point of the show which sees you routing for all the characters and are sad when the series is finished because they were great.

Enjoyment(10/10) and Overall Verdict: I enjoyed this show very much and was interesting to watch and as soon as 1 episode finished I could not wait for the next episode. This is a funny show with brilliant comedy, animation and characters and good music with a solid story to hold it together. Overall I would recommend this anime to you.

My scored on MyAnimeList :
Story:8/10
Art:9/10
Sound:8/10
Character:10/10
Enjoyment:10/10
Overall:9/10

My Scores without MyAnimeList:
Story:8.3/10
Art:9.4/10
Sound:8.4/10
Character:9.7/10
Enjoyment:9.8/10
Overall:9.12/10 (Watch It!!)

Caution-you better be looking around in your local McDonalds, there are chances a demon lord could be working there!?! Hataraku Maou-sama is one of those animes that will throw you in for a spectacular ride with a twist!

Story- 8
Besides the world-traveling part of the story, I believe most of the story was quite original. I mean where else can you find an Overlord working in McDonalds? Despite others saying the pacing was slow, I thought it was appropriate- not too slow or too fast. As for the comedy, romance, and fantasy aspect, Hataraku uses absurd and cliche ideas and incorporates it into an outrageous ... yet sensational anime that is outright hilarious.

Art-9
I gave the art a high score because I believe it is well done and fairly attractive. I especially like how the eyes were drawn.I think it serves as an additional factor of this anime's brilliance.

Sound-7
There wasn't anything special about the soundtracks so I'll give it a 7. The OP and ED was okay.

Character-8
The characters weren't the most original,however, they were quite likable and contributed a fairly large amount to the comedy of this anime.

Overall-9
To wrap this up, I think Hataraku Maou-sama is a great anime. I only picked it up today after seeing some reviews on it and the description drew me in. I found myself hooked at the first episode so I hope the same would be for you.I finished this anime today, and for some reason I just had to come here and write a review! Pick this anime up if you want something light-hearted and entertaining to watch. It'll definitely brighten your mood and bring you some laughter!!

This is one of the funniest anime series I've seen so far...and I have seen a lot.

I was hooked to this series only after watching the first 10 minutes of the first episode, it is hilarious

Being able to use the typical and common, maou vs yuusha plot and turning it into a very funny anime deserve a standing ovation from me. although there are a few funny series that uses similar plot, this one is in my top ten list of funniest anime.

The anime artworks wasl well drawn and the characters are wonderful and unique. The anime team inserted the jokes and punt at the ... right timing making it "extremely funny".

Not just the main characters, the side characters also contributed a lot in making it a great series. However the one that deserve the gold medal are the author and the director. great writing and execution

If you see the poster alone(which many fan use to choose anime that is "worth watching"), you can't tell that the series is actually(in my opinion) an A-rank comedy. however for those who are adventurous enough to try and watch this, I can tell you that you will not be disappointed.

I do hope(and pray) that sometimes in the future that a sequel will come out but I wont hold my breath for it


watch it..watch it...and watch it again(i've rewatched it 5 times already)

Hataraku Maou-sama
Hataraku Maou-sama!, i expected this to be even better because people that i know and people on comment section of everywhere were saying this was great, but there are some things that bothered me and thought they could have done those things better.

Story
The story was basic, a Demon lord that initially went to another dimension to regains his powers and start from the bottom and conquer Japan and the world, but then he realise that he's comfortable in this dimension, this is where he starts and keeps with his humble and hilarious life, where every situation is laughable and he at some points will ... encounter people from the other dimension and one in particular, the hero Emi who defeated Sadao in their own dimension, they will have a hate-appreciation relation, and this anime is tagged as Romance, but there is none, this shouldn't be in that category, because i was expecting romance and it was a let down to find out by watching every episode that there's none and the final episode was too open, like if there was going to be a 2nd season and that episode felt more like a 7th episode, it was like a filler and the ending should have been the 12th episode, i was a little mad, overall was good.

Art & Sound
Both were very good, just what i expected, the VA and the art style matched together, i don't think there could be a better cast for this, they just make it perfect, the thing was the background sound, there was not much music, there were silent parts and felt odd for me at least, the OP was ok, overall was very good both art and sound.

Character
The development could have been better but for just 13 episodes it was very good, Sadao, Shirou and Urushihara were damn funny and even better the chemistry Sadao and Shirou had, it was great everytime they were put together and make you laugh, EMi was ok, Suzuno looked beautiful, i liked her and Chiho reminded me a lot of Kushieda from Toradora because of the similarities on a lot of things, and i like them both a lot but maybe is just me, overall was very good.

Enjoyment
I really enjoyed this a lot, the comedy and the chemistry with the characters were great, that's what make this a very good anime, the let down was that there's no romance, not even with Chiho and it was because Sadao isn't interested in love or that's what i perceived from him and they didn't close the anime, the ending got me a little mad, but overall was great the enjoyment.

What if the devil lost almost all of his power and was forced to live in modern world? What if the hero came to defeat him and was actually a really bad tempered yelling girl? What if the devil didn't really have any skills and was forced to work as a part-timer at MgRonalds to earn his living? Yeah, it really sounds like a hilarious situation and that's how this anime is. The writer does try to throw in some random romance or emotional stuff but this show really shines through it's comedy mainly and on that regard it really is one of the best ... comedies of 2013.

Story
The story is like almost as I described in the intro para but with 3-4 episodes small arcs which introduces new characters. There is the turmoil of the devil between whether to try to climb the social structure by climbing the work ladder on MgRonalds through working hard and finally take over our world (I don't know how that is even possible) or to get sufficient power to go back to his world. There is a romance sub-plot involving devil's co-worker who is deeply in love with him and people confusing devil & hero as couples. But the main shining point of the story is the comedy which is quite flawless in execution by the writer, sub-plots really gets annoying at times and also I find the fact that the story never really move towards a resolution quite frustrating but the comedy really kept me entertained. So the story gets 8 out of 10 from me.

Characters
The main character devil lord Maou is actually quite different from typical shounen heroes in a few aspects as he does not really wanna save anyone but himself but gets forced to do good work and tries to be responsible for his underlings; hero Yusa has this somewhat tragic back-story yet is confused by the change in the devil lord, so just follows him around being suspicious of him; devil lord's cute and energetic co-worker who falls madly in love with him despite knowing his true nature; Ashiya, devil lord's loyal general who takes the role of doing the household chores in this new world for them; all these characters while not terribly original serves their function quite well. The new characters which are introduced later on through the small story arcs are a bit lacking in comparison in my view as they somewhat does a failed attempt at giving the show a bit of serious nature. Overall this aspect gets 8.5 out of 10 from me.

Art/Animation
While it is really not top-notch it does serve its purpose quite alright. The character designs are quite interesting in their own regards. Although in my opinion there is a few unnecessary use of ecchi in some episodes the overall art & animation style was quite appropriate for the show. It gets 8 out of 10.

Sound
The opening theme is "ZERO!!" by Minami Kuribayashi and the ending themes are "Tsuki Hana", "Star Chart" & "Tsumabiku Hitori" by nano.RIPE. Although I found the opening and the first ending quite catchy after a few listens, to be honest none of them really does highlight the comedy nature of the show which I found a bit disappointing. The in-show music never really catches any attention and are not noteworthy in my opinion either. I found the sound quite lacking and certainly the poorest side of the show. It gets 6 out of 10.
Although I found the lack of any resolution of the storyline quite disappointing and also was a bit bored at some unnecessary sub-plots overall I really enjoyed the show for its comedy. It really was quite unique in a fun way in that approach.
While not perfect by any means this is a must watch show 2013 for any fans of comedy.
Overall score -
8 out of 10.

The anime industry is not unlike any other industry in that popular themes or ideas are often duplicated. Some themes or ideas become mainstays, like shows centered around a group of girls doing aimless things, while others don't catch on as much such as the brief "young girl detective" phase that spawned Gosick and Kamisama no Memochou.

Hataraku no Maou-sama! looks like to fall into the latter category. Arriving right after Maoyuu Maou Yuusha, it could end up being the last new series chronicling the unlikely relationship between a Hero and Demon Lord. Which may not be such a bad thing.

Hataraku no Maou-sama!, which I from ... hereafter will abbreviate as HnM, chronicles the blue collar struggle of the titular Maou as he works to be the best MgRonald's employee he can be whilst simultaneously dealing with new arrivals from his fantastical homeland of Ente Isla and a Hero who wants him dead and all without the aid of his magical powers, mostly.

My biggest gripe with HnM's plot is that the series establishes quite quickly that there won't be much animosity between Maou and Emilia (the Hero) and that it is more content to depict their misadventures rather than expound on the war on Ente Isla or detail a serious effort by the characters' to return home. This results in a plot that stutters between the average, realistic life of the characters and supernatural developments. Both of which are mingled with comedy. And speaking of the comedy, it is undeniably HnM's strongest asset. Unfortunately, it can't bear the weight of a story that trades progression for levity which, in turn, has the effect of weakening any ambition put forth by the cast.

Which brings me to the characters themselves. To put it simply, none are particularly developed and if they are, marginally so. To make matters worse, there's glaring dichotomy between how the Ente Isla natives behaved in Ente Isla and how they behave on Earth. There's some consistency, from character such as Olba and Sariel, who are one dimensional anyway, but otherwise, what appeared to be hatred and cruelty built from years of vicious war, dissipate almost on arrival.

This would be understandable if we were subjugated to only the humans' perspective of the demons but it's quite obvious the demons are everything they're said to be...they just don't act like it. The same could be said for Emilia, who never looks convincing in her quest to kill Maou despite having more than enough reason to do so. The characters motives and history are defined but their actions are often to the contrary to the without proper reasoning or sound evidence.

As for the sound itself, the seiyuus do a commendable job for each character although I didn't think much of the OST, in fact I don't recall a single track. Similarly, the art is of a fine quality and the scenes that involve depictions of supernatural powers are well animated. Simply put, I didn't have a problem with either.

Hataraku no Maou-sama! is a show that never seems to have any sense of urgency and it creates an ambivalent plot and questionable character behavior. Still, it's by no means a bad show and while I did mention there likely could be no more new shows based around demon lords and heroes, it doesn't mean that this will be the last season of this one. Which may not be such a bad thing.

Thank you for your time.

Why i'm supposed to love HMS? This anime was great with so many potentials. I'm so love comedy and HMS is the best choice if you want some "romcome" anime. The storyline make me curious about relationships between each characters, and HMS need the 2nd season as soon as possible. About graphics and art, this anime became the pioneer of the newcomers (on entire 2014-15) who has similarity in arts with HMS (2013). Enjoy :)

As a person who isn't interested in comedy in general, it is really hard to find a not-so-serious show that is actually enjoyable. The devil is a part-timer! was quite a surprise for me.

Ten years from now if I still remember this anime, it would be the built-in commercials...
Constructive Criticisms are welcomed via PM or comment, they will be appreciated greatly.



STORY (Concept 4/5, Developement 3/5)

In an age when all animes are set in a world where people from reality somehow fall into some sort of fantasy (shout out to SAO and No game no life), this show is brave enough to do ... the reverse. I like how the characters in the fantasy world love the human world and stay in it, which is quite cool.

Maybe I am a bit too harsh on this series. Demon? Hero? I can seriously name at least 10 other animes that have the similar stage from the top of my head. I mean, can they be slightly more creative?

So when these people run in to the human world, they quickly adapt the rules and orders. The Devil starts to find jobs, get a apartment just like a real person.

That said, as I constantly ask myself over the time I spent watching it, I just don't see the objective of the show. Alright it is all cool that these magical characters are living at the bottom of the human society, so... what? Why would I care? Where are they going? Are they gonna conquer the human world? I understand that this series is unfinished, but can they at least give us a little bit of clue?

On top of all, the story is funny. And for the pure sake, brainless entertainment this show does it pretty well. Unlike most other comedies I watched, the jokes in the show are actually "relatable" and funny. I guess that is the whole point of the series. (The pop cultural references are very very funny)



CHARACTERS (Design 4/5, Developement 4/5)

I'd say that the characters are unique and interesting. The demons are not so demonic, the hero is not so heroic and the angels are not so angelic. This idea is simply fun and entertaining.

Of course this series has pretty much all the characters we can find in a comedy series, A try-hard protagonist, he's BFF, the girl, the Moe and the others.

They characters really changed overtime. The The demon King, begins with a calm and ambitious nature, gradually becomes a characters with inner strength and justice. He decides to stay in the human world, cuz he found something good and worth living for. It is a little dramatic, but the development is pretty neat.

The hero wants to kill the demon, but slowly she realizes she doesn't have a reason to do so. She learns about her enemy gradually understand him as a person.

Other characters are less important, but they all have their comedic purpose and little stories.

Again, the problem stands, "so what?" This may not be as big of a problem for other people, but for me... yea I just don't like slice of life, not so objective-centred stories.



GRAPHIC (Art 4/5, Animation 2/5)

The art is very pleasant and fresh, which is part of the reason I watched it in the first place. The background captures the "past and present" feeling of Tokyo, and the characters all have distinct style and colors.

The problem that this kind of art is so lack of style. The art is just too typical and doesn't make the show memorable graphically.
Oh right I'm just gonna briefly mention the fan service. Alright that's it.

The animation... Let me just say that when the screen moves, they move smoothly. You guessed it, the screens barely move other than the talking mouths.
Come on, this was made in 2013, why are they still using 2-D clip art to represent fading dusts in the action scenes? And the laser beams combined with huge color balls appearing in the sky literally just summarizes the battles. They are not well done.

I can't believe the graphic is actually the largest weak point this series has, very disappointed. But hey, after all it is not a high-budget anime with a million action scenes. This will do.



SOUND (OP/ED 1/3, OST 2/3, Dub/Sub 4/4)

The opening isn't a bad song. But the distinct lack of recognizable melody truly destroys the overall feeling when I enter the show. It is just so not memorable to a point that I didn't even bother listen to it online. The ending, bad animation aside, is also a very generic song. Overall, the music really isn't well done. (you may like it, but certainly not above average)

OST are decent. In the "serious" scenes, the music is both intense and calm, so you really wouldn't feel worried or scared in anyway (it's a comedy, they are supposed to do that), and in the funny scenes, the music does fit the atmosphere nicely. After all that, the music wasn't memorable and symbolic.

This is one of the few comedy dubs that I actually laughed at. They really smoothed out the puns and languages so it doesn't feel awkward despite that fact that the jokes were targeting Japanese audience. It is actually so funny to watch. All the pop cultural stuff on top of the "MgRonald, Moonbucks, SFC" makes the journey one hell of a run.

The subs are also very well done. If you want to choose between the two, I'd say if you like westernized animes with good westernized dialogues and jokes, go watch dub; if you want pure Japanese (well at least pureer), watch the sub and it is very entertaining too.



ENJOYMENT (6/10)

This is a personal thing. I did laugh at some if not most jokes and I really thought it was a well done series, but as I said I don't like this kind of semi-serious shows. It really felt like I was wasting my time. Not that the jokes were bad, it's just, they aren't smart enough for me to spent 4 hours of time to watch it.



OVERALL (7/10)

After criticizing the show too seriously, I figured it is only fair to consider the comedic nature of the show. This show was never meant to be a masterpiece that makes people remember it for decades. It is simply a show that make you have this instant and short time of joy. It is a funny show, check it out if you have the time, but don't expect anything deep or meaningful in any way whatsoever, you aren't getting much out of it.

Yea, I'm too harsh.

Peace.

When Satan, the physical manifestation of evil is flipping burgers and dipping fries part-time at a 'MgRonalds to pay for an economy apartment', you know you're in for one monster of a comedy show.

"The Devil is a Part-Timer!" (hereafter TDiaPT) makes for pretty good entertainment. I do have a few complaints, which will come later, but generally the positive aspects of TDiaPT outweigh the negatives, and most of my complaints are conditional.

The story is lacking in some respects, but this is by no means a serious series, no matter what the first five minutes lead you to think. TDiaPT made short work or making me ... laugh, and continued to do so for almost the entirety of the season. Some of the people I've talked to concerning TDiaPT expressed concerns about how little time the series spends on backstory, specifically the Ente Isla conflict, but objectively I believe this has little impact on the quality of the show. With what we're given, I was able to get the jist of what happened before Satan showed up in Japan. The show does an outstanding job of blending drama and slice-of-life style, while maintaining regular comic relief.

As far as art style is concerned, I found the show very pleasing to watch. The action (when it does appear) is fast-paced and fluid, and the calmer scenes feel just that, calm. The character design is above average, with powered-up Satan, Emi and company looking quite believable as dangerous fighters, and human-form aforementioned looking like average folk.

The soundtrack doesn't play as big a role in this series as it would in a more dramatic example, but when it is needed it delivers. For the sake of ease, I'll throw subtitle concerns in this category as well. The people of Ente Isla speak a different language (in both dubs) than the people of Earth. The language is essentially English with a few letters switched about, but the medium through which I watched the show didn't provide any subtitles for this alternative language. Downloaded versions may come with subtitles, and if you're already watching subbed this shouldn't become an issue.

The character developement is surprisingly good, for what TDiaPT is. Without spoiling much, I can tell you that Satan and friends will act quite differently from what you might expect.

For enjoyment, I found TDiaPT to be a great palate cleanser to watch between more serious series. The story is generally jovial with few exceptions.

Overall, this is a good show to check out if you're getting burnt out on mature, intense stuff.

Being a part time McDonald's employee, I realized that Hataraku Maou-sama was a must watch for me after having a friend recommend it. I love it when I can personally relate to an anime, which gives it a more powerful and lasting effect. Although, even if you're not a part time MgRonald's employee, I still think there's something for everyone in Hataraku Maou-sama.

-Story- 7/10

Nothing special here. Obviously all of it is new, being the Devil works at McDonald's and such, however, nothing particularly interested me about the story, either. From a critical standpoint, this still isn't a big deal, because other parts of ... the anime well make up for this. But if you're looking for an anime with a heavy and interesting story, well, this show might not be for you. That's probably the only major complaint, but even so, I wouldn't consider it a complaint since the anime is focused mostly on comedy.

-Art- 9/10

The art is clean, refreshing, and nice to look at. It's nothing super amazing, but it's definitely above average. No complaints here at all. If you want something easy on the eyes, then this anime is definitely for you.

-Sound- 10/10

I'm going to give this a 10/10 for one reason. The English Dub! It's actually done well. This is one of the rare cases where I'd recommend you give the English Dub a shot over Subbed. I don't even care about anything else. The . voice acting here just... is good... I'd recommend you give it a listen!

-Character- 10/10

Probably one of the best aspects of the show - the characters. They're what bring the comedy into the show and make it enjoyable. You'll love the Devil and his general, along with the Hero. You'll love the antagonists, and best of all, everyone is funny in their own way. Obviously, if the Devil integrated himself into human society, how would that not be interesting to watch?

-Enjoyment- 10/10

I enjoyed this short anime all too well. With the brilliant English voice acting, great and funny characters, along with some character development squeezed in, Hataraku Maou-sama makes for a good anime. You could definitely binge watch it in a day. I'd recommend this anime to anyone. There's comedy, some action - a dash of romance, give it a shot, yo!

-Overall- 9/10

Besides a dull story that didn't play much of a part in the anime, while still, not being able to get into at all, and some cheesy dialogue at times, Hataraku Maou-sama stands as a great anime. Watch it by yourself, with friends, or even your family! Finally, don't expect anything ground-breaking, but do expect a good laugh or two.

When I read the synopsis for Maou-sama, I sincerely hoped I was in for something special.

In some spectacularly fun ways, I was.

Above all else, Maou-sama is a sitcom, driven by bizarre satire and wacky situations made crazier by the clash of incompatible and fairly inflexible personalities. Right from the get go, I was entertained immensely, and you will be as well, though the more familiar you are with classic RPG tropes, the funnier. Given my longstanding love for the genre, seeing the old fantasy traditions turned upside down as "protagonist hero" and "antagonist overlord" alongside their companions are flung into sanitized modern Japanese society as ... fish out of water was a breath of fresh air. A superb first episode is dramatic, silly, and instantly engaging. The titular demon lord, Maou, in particular, is a beaming whiplash of a character, who never ceases to bring a smile to everyone's face (besides him or in the audience). Most of the primary characters are lovable goofs in one way or another, and it's hard not to laugh as they stumble all over themselves across disaster and daily routine. There's a backstory that crucial as well, and it kept me pondering when there weren't jokes tickling me.

Sadly, this anime--however loaded with potential--never quite steps up to its promise. Provided, there are laughs aplenty throughout, and the silly characters never stop being silly, but they fail to rise above a superficial interpretation of the tropes they set out to subvert, and development grinds to a halt. The first five episodes make bounding leaps of narrative progress, establishing the setting and maximizing its usage, introducing and exploring likable characters, punching my funny bone with fresh humor, defeating expectations, stirring up tension and resolving conflict... and ultimately coming to a conclusion for the narrative arc. So then I thought, Wow, so much in 5 episodes! If it keeps pace this will be one hell of a packed 13 episode series! Can't wait to see what's next!

As it turns out, not much, actually.

After episode 5, nothing noteworthy happens in terms of story development, character relationships, conflicts or humor as devious as before. Being a 2-volume adaptation of an ongoing light novel series that is 11 volumes and counting, I understand the limitations yet can't help but sense that the anime had simultaneously been held back by its source material. Had the back 8 episodes moved as nimbly on all fronts as the first 5, the story could easily have concluded in self-containment. It would have been one of the greats of recent times. Instead, we get more of the same humor as before (which is still funny but increasingly repetitive), less screentime and interaction devoted to the most compelling relationship of all--the one between demon lord and heroine (giving way to lesser characters), and dead-end situations that are hit or miss in terms of hilarity.

At points the show sinks to generic situations where I question whether or not I am watching YET ANOTHER tight-friends-group-slice-of-life-with-integrated-harem-plus-beach-episode-show. Primary characters will fire constant pot-shots at each other's tropes, and though novel at first, there is a strange disconnect between their awareness of their supposed roles and their actions. As much as the cast likes to reference their old traditions, they are surprisingly quick to adapt to the new surroundings and customs, making them too comfortable too soon, and thus less interesting. The two sides are quick to adapt to each other as well, fitting into new anime tropes, making me wonder if they view their previously life-defining alignments as no more than say, a grade-school feud. Perhaps they band together because they are all strangers in a strange land, but even within their own world they surely must come from vastly different backgrounds... yet so little culture shock and discovery of differing habits between them is happening. Are you telling me when the forces of darkness and the crusaders of the church sit together to eat, they interact exactly like high school students who grew up together? How... disappointing (incidentally, this exchange is something Gargantia did exceptionally well and should be followed). If I wanted to see that I could have watched many other anime out there.

What irks me as well is how little the demon lord and heroine interact over the course of the show, with Emilia (the heroine) eventually getting as much screen time as any other support character, or all of them just meshing into group activity. I understand that this is the Maou demon lord show --and boy does he put one up-- but the priorities shifted in the wrong direction. What is more potentially tantalizing than more interaction between role models of good and evil in the ol' fantasy sense flipped on their morally grey head with a hint of sexual tension thrown in? As much as the other characters can entertain (especially the two generals of Maou), they are stock anime characters who do not necessarily struggle or embody the epicenter of the ancient world turned upside down, and do not have backstories I am nearly as curious about. The writers seem to know this --that the plot and development between leads has been throttled by the novels-- and so the story ends in a teasing way that evokes how it began, while hinting at things to come.

If I seem overly negative towards this show, that's only because I had such high hopes, and for the first five episodes, those hopes were fulfilled and lead me to thirst for more. The premise is just so ripe, the characters so endearing, and so much fun was delivered, even now I wish to find out what happened and read all 11 of the untranslated novels. If you keep your expectations in check, you will find much to love here. Amusing at its worst, and brilliant at its best, Hataraku Maou-sama is definitely worth a watch.

A disappointment. The premise sounds good, and like it could lend itself to a Swiftian satire of modern society, provide interesting contrasts between the poverty and inequity of the stock fantasy medieval setting and the world now, do fish-out-of-water and lowered-status gags, but instead, it's an inept package. The worldbuilding is nonexistent; the lead character *completely* implausible (there's *not even* a scene where he decides to become a hardworking peasant, much less a scrap of justification for abandoning world conquest for the joys of McDonald's) and adapts instantly & unamusingly to his new world ('gift of tongues', please), and the tsundere Hero is little better ... (he killed your family for no good reason, handing you an umbrella is not a reason to fall for him!); it indulges in the excuse of 'oops used up all my power repairing stuff' what, 3 or 4 times? which is 2 or 3 times more than it should've; the 'dialogue' is moronic (so, the final member of the harem is reproached for being an assassin for whom the end justifies the means just like for the demon? yes, yes, how very accurate - wait a second, when the deuce were we told the demons *had* any ends beyond bestial lust/greed/ambition?); and finally and worse of all: the comedy is bad. How many times is it funny to have Ashiya puke or talk about coupons, or have Lucifer order something online? Apparently 3 episodes' worth - except the series has 13 episodes.

If you just want the fantasy highschool romcom, stick to _Shakugan no Shana_. For fish-out-of-water, _Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid_ comes to mind as much funnier. For action... well, pretty much any series will do better. For world conquest by a misunderstood villain, _Maoyuu Maou Yuusha_sounds like it's at least thought-out. For economics, _Spice and Wolf_. For business lessons, _Moshidora_. _Hataraku Maou-sama!_ does nothing well.

Fun to watch, easy going, bit more action

story - 8
I really liked the idea: a demon lord who fails to take over his world end up in modern Tokyo and has to live a normal human life. The story was build up nicely but i would have liked it if it had a bit more action. I liked it that the story had aspects of love in it but it wasn't to much and the relationships between the characters were good too.

Art/sound - 10
I just liked it...

character - 9
The characters were themselves from the beginning which is nice for a show that doesn't have a ... lost of episodes. It also means that the characters don't have the time to grow. Of course Emi changes her behaviour and others do too but it's quit sudden in stead of slowly being build up.

Enjoyment - 10
I really liked it, good mix of romance and just light everyday scene's with humor in it but as i said, I would have liked at bit more awesome kick-ass Demon lord action ;)

Overall - 9
I liked the series, watched them in two days and when i finished episode 13 and wanted to go to the next one i was disappointed that there weren't more. Hope they make a season 2!

If I should thank anyone it will be Netflix bc that is where I watched this. When I saw this on there I knew I was going to watch it eventually and when I did I ended up watching it all the way in one day and in eng dub. Thank god for it being good.

Well the story is Sadao, basically Satan, with his 2nd in command, Ashiya, go to Earth Tokyo, of course, after beating narrowly beaten in their homeworld by the hero and the forces of good, then tries to gain power there, though he is working as a part timer at ... a parodied McDonalds and trying to rise in the ranks there till eventual takeover of the world... omg I just realized how Invader Zim that sounds. Anyways, they are not alone as other members of their world comes to Earth as well including the hero, Emilia, who tries to figure out the reason as to why Sadao doesn't just evil it up in this world like he did before.

The design of the characters are pretty stellar to me, nothing about them really got on my nerves and even the background no name characters were honestly good to look at. A few of my favs are Ashiya, James er I mean Sarue, and Suzuno. As for how the characters are, just get in there, watch the anime, see if your personality allows you to like them like mine does.

Sound and enjoyment are pretty top since I never skipped either op or ed and the ost is something I need to hear more of on youtube.

On a side note, that seal punch Sadao did on Lucifer was just amazing in execution.