Hataraku Maou-sama!

It was funny at times, but it didn't understand how its own comedy worked and eventually fell apart.

The show starts out well enough, the premise is a solid foundation for situational comedy, 2 enemies trapped together and have to co-exist sets up a number of fun little gags, the fact that the main character is the literal devil is honestly just a gimmick to get people to check it out, the writers either didn't understand or didn't care what the devil is supposed to be, but it was just semantics and the show still made me chuckle a number of times each episode, so I ... let it slide.

Around half way through though, they resolve everything. They now know how to get home and can do it at basically any time if they want, they just...don't. The situation has changed from they are trapped and "have" to co-exist to they "choose" to co-exist. This completely ruins the entire show. For one, they don't sufficiently explain why any of them are choosing to stay in this world, they try to brush it off by Maou saying he used up all his magic every time, but they have ways of getting magic and they just don't. The show also loses any appeal of the conflict between the main characters, we now no longer believe they hate each other but they still act like they do, so any conflict feels empty.

The worst part is that the show probably could've salvaged itself if it didn't waste several episodes on stupid harem clichés. Emi acting all tsundere was fine, in fact made some sense given the situation, Chiho was pretty useless most of the time but at least contributed to Maou's suggested growing humanity, but Suzuno served no purpose in the plot but to add another cute girl.

The show did manage to salvage itself to some extent by introducing a new antagonist at the end the audience genuinely hated, but as they say, too little too late.

Hataraku Maou-Sama is a good choice for you if you enjoy generic modern anime releases, basically the same exact characters plastered over with a different concept for the story. The concept of the show is an interesting one, which is basically the opposite of the traditional "humans get sent into a magic world where they involve themselves in it out of a sense of duty and out of a thirst of adventure". Basically, a bunch of demons escape to the human world where they start living as humans, and grow out of magic and terrorizing and start enjoying the comfortable life Earth has to offer. ... (Except they weren't even that demonic to begin with)

What kept me interested in the anime was the concept and nothing else. But while it had an interesting concept, sure, it didn't explore it as much as they could through more depth to its characters and rather went with generic personalities for the characters in the show. Basically the types of characters you encounter in most new anime releases nowadays, some token average guy that looks like Kirito from Sword Art Online as the MC, but I have to give them some credit that at the very least the averageness of this guy makes sense because being average is part of a comfortable life so it makes sense they would use this type of character for this concept. What doesn't make sense is why the fuck didn't they develop on why the Demon Lord would have this personality, why he would act this way. Next up, some token tsundere who is comedically mistaken to be in a relationship with her archrival which is, really funny, we're all laughing. She calls herself hero because, yeah. Also make her a redhead, because yeah, exactly. Some girl who's whole personally is that she has a crush on the main character, she's a klutz and she has huge tits, because plot. Some overly loyal underling to the MC who's personality is "#CutForMC". And some villains that after they get defeated they're around and they're completely inoffensive and they simply, just change because, they were defeated so them being villains doesn't serve the story any purpose, so might as well make them gag characters. Basically, the cast of every anime ever. Hell, the series is so generic that you'll encounter the generic "beach" episode, but in this situation the "beach" is an amusement park I suppose.

What I can tell you about the story is that it does delve in the backstory of some characters but for some it doesn't at all. You don't have enough details about any of the demons and what exactly they've done and why they've done it and you're only left to wonder. There's no real clear villain, I mean, maybe the church but there's so little focus on the church they feel like total scrubs and nobody will really care much about them. Any conflict is there just to be there. And once it gets solved it's like it never happened. The only result of the conflict itself is new characters and that's about it. If that doesn't generic I don't know what does. So due to the fact that some characters have backstory while others have none of theirs revealed it will leave you wonder exactly what happened and why they're holding back to the extent they are now and stuff like that. Like, motherfucker, he is the demon lord, he is supposed to have killed plenty of people and be treacherous. And you see him flipping burgers and you're like, he must be a kindhearted soul after some episodes? In the end, the story is basically, a guy works at McDonalds and generic characters happen. There's not much depth about anything there and every conflict falls lackluster and the character's motivations and actions are questionable.

The art is also generic, it's basically what you'd expect from any new anime release and looks like basically every new anime ever. I'll give them some credit in the design that they have the characters talk in a different language from every language but, it sounds... as far from a language as possible. It sounds like reversed japanese if anything with weird accentuation. It goes all over the place. Otherwise the show sounds as you'd expect any other anime to sound, but that custom language will pop out sometimes.

So basically, if you like to watch generic anime which were made with the mindset of "it sells", then you will probably enjoy this anime since at the very least its very idea is I suppose original. But otherwise, there's not much else to see. If you don't like the "if it sells it's good" type of anime, by all means, avoid this. I'd say there was some potential to the show, but, its execution falls short so it can sell off.

tl;dr the lack of a central storyline and any kind of lore shift the bored audience's focus to the characters, who are very shallow and one dimensional.
THE GOOD: the first 2-3 episodes get you hooked with an interesting premise, also some good comedy*.
THE BAD: there is nothing more to enjoy; no story (I know it is a slice-of-life narrative), no lore, no real characters.

Let me explain (no spoilers):

Good character development is a crucial part of any form of narrative media. Perhaps not more so than in a slice-of-life type of story such as this one. No central story; we are meant to watch the character ... simply exist in the world, experience a slice of their life alongside with them. That's why it is an absolute necessity that the series established interesting, well-rounded characters who keep the audience invested even as they do simple, mandane tasks.

'The Devil is a Part-Timer!' does not do this. The characters are shallow and one dimensional. Throughout the season, they keep getting into situations where their reactions are always the same, the audience gets no sense to their depths. Recognizing this, the creators keep pushing us out of the day-to-day "adventures" of the main characters to focus on the lore instead. I.e. they throw us into larger-than-life battles of celestial beings and such. This really ruins the sense of "settling into a new life" kind of atmosphere you expect from a series with NO ACTUAL STORY to watch.

Getting into the this series I did not expect it to have an extensive lore since it is a slice-of-life type of narrative. I was right, the lore surrounding the Devil and other supernatural characters is not really detailed, creative or consistent. They are not relevant to the narrative at large and only get tossed into the mix every few episodes. They serve no purpose other than shaking the viewer up every now and then; when the non existent story and the also non existent character development has bored everyone watching it into a coma.

It is an absolute shame since the original premise was a really potent ground for a unique and entertaining slice-of-life story.
*= It was in those rare, calm, relatable moments when the series shines, especially in the first few episodes. The characters and their struggles are relatable and their mishaps make for some >peak comedy<. It is a shame it barely lasts half a season.

Okay so this is essentially just another trashy harem show but based around the gimmick that the main characters are demons who get transported from another dimension into Japan. This doesn’t really matter much though because the MC is just another snarky/beta harem protagonist despite being Satan and they even get human bodies.The plot doesn't really go anywhere, just introduces each demon, they have a little fight then they make up and it continues as a isekai until next time. There were a couple of okay jokes but the characters just get reduced to one running joke like Lucifer being a NEET haha. Art and ... Sound is forgettable Light Novel stuff.

Not really much else to say here, if you want a trashy harem show about demons working fast food you might like it.

Welcome to McRonalds, may I take your order. Yes I'd like a funny Isekai. Sorry we don't serve that here.

For you newcomers to my reviews, I will dissect my opinion into 5 crucial sections, henceforth known as napkins.

Napkin #1
The characters (2/10)
Here, I will offer a different perspective. Instead of a one-dimensional heroine, a slapstick servant, and a Maou-"sama", I present Maou- Lama. Instead, the devil king should be reincarnated as a Lama-devil hybrid. The antics would be far more enjoyable, especially if he has to escape being captured and made into a WcGriddle. The best part of the cast is the Dullahan, an inanimate bicycle. ... The worst part of the cast is everyone else. This includes the red haired heroine that is blinded by her own ego and motivation of killing the Demon "King." Even though this is an annoying trope, I welcome the killing of the Demon "King." As for the big boba McRonald's worker, she can go die in a fryer.

Napkin #2
Art (5/10)
There is color in this show. Aside from that, I have no complaints.

Napkin #3
Story (2/10)
Where do I begin? Well, it would make sense to start at the beginning of any isekai. With the death of a main character by truck. Uh oh- THERE IS NO TRUCK!! Part Timer manages to mess up the easiest trope in the isekai genre. Instead, he just skips this part and makes a portal into lazy writing. I find this frustrating, as even other shows such as Zombie Land Saga manage to nail the Truck Trope, and Zombie Land isn't even an isekai! It's an idol show with themes far deeper than that of Part Timer's. But this isn't a review about Zombie Land. It's about the weaselly shenanigans that so-called Maou-"sama" engages in only to further the lackluster plot, if it can be considered a plot. The subplot has this white haired chick named Emilia and how she's come to defeat the Demon "King." Another subplot revolves around the human middle class worker who falls in loves with Maou-"sama." I find this disgusting, as the Demon "King" is several thousand years older than this McRonalds worker. All in all, a pretty ridiculous, almost ludicrous excuse for a plot.

Napkin #4
Sound (5/10)
The opening is quite forgettable, unlike the tragedies committed by Maou-"sama," those of which include thievery of entertainment, being boring, and wasting the audience's time. The ending, however, is the same.

Napkin #5
Enjoyment (1/10)
I enjoyed Meat Carton's opening more than I did the entirety of this show. The main reason being, the main character refuses to adhere to the previously established tropes set into stone by it's godlike isekai predecessors Sword Art Online and Koikimo (didn't think Koikimo was an isekai? Well, if you look closely, you can see that the viewer dies and is reincarnated into Dante's 7th circle of hell).

Now that all napkins have been set at the table, the respective five diners dig into their meal. What awaited them was an undercooked story, poorly seasoned art, just a drizzle of sound, all slapped together between two soggy slices of characters. 36 on the English ACT btw

Jahy-sama was better in every way.

The problem is the consistency of the main character. He turns from a uncaring despot to the most considerate fellow citizen off-camera in the first episode. And this instant change from one extreme to the other is never addressed in the show. The writers obviously realize that there is an issue with the script, as in one episode Emilia confronts Satan with a direct questions "Why did you burn our crops? Why did you burn our villages? Why did you kill my father?" And Satan just replies "Hmm. I guess I never taught of it that way." displaying no remorse, ... no regret, regarding the issue of mass murder with the same indifference as before. Like in what way DID you think about it when you was doing it?

And as the bulk of the show is this action adventure the plot consistency matters. If it were just a comedy, then nonsensical plot elements don't matter that much. But it isn't funny enough to be good as a comedy either. I'm not going to say that it's never funny, but the jokes that land are few and far between.

When your character's backstory is essentially the story of a completely different character, then your character has no backstory. And a guy with no backstory working at McRonalds just isn't that interesting.

If you've ever seen Saint☆Young Men then you would be familiar with the rather wholesome idea of supernatural beings engaging in the life of humans doing things such as shopping or going to the spa. If you were 14 and already familiar with this idea then you've probably seen The Devil is a Part-timer, which is not your fault, because you're 14. What I mean is, 14 year olds are fucking idiots and only idiots watch The Devil is a Part-timer because it's completely shit. It's the literal epitome of petty plagiarism and procuring a story that is actually significantly worse than an anime without ... a story.

Imagine this: The opening scene of an anime is completely dark; blood is being shed and it's a brutal battle between humans and monsters. Our main protagonist is an evil overlord, or to be precise, Satan. What is your first thought? If you've seen Overlord then that is most likely the first anime you've thought of, maybe another one that follows a similar premise. Now, a few minutes later and it turns into an isekai; Satan and one of his fellow underling commanders flea "Enta Isla" (Enta Isla is the location where all of the fighting is set) to Earth. Baffled by their surroundings and losing all of their magic, Satan and Alsiel (the commander) proceed to adapt in the only way how; live a frugal life working at McDonalds. The story literally fucking shifts from Overlord Season 4 into an Isekai Comedy. What the fuck?

The animation is anything but good. These are the most generic characters I have ever seen and it's absolutely pathetic. Fortunately, each character is distinguishable but that doesn't change the fact that they all look boring as shit. Depressing.

The Devil is a Part-timer OST isn't one you'll find yourself googling afterwards. It is completely forgettable.

Raise your hand if you're tired of shitty anime characters! I know I am and the Devil is a Part-timer absolutely fatigues me. The main character, Satan, is a literal contradiction. In Enta Isla, he's infamous for being the legendary villain who destroys villages, plunders from the poor, kills the innocent and is just an evil asshole. Actually, he is a really nice guy! Apparently after he goes to Earth he is just really friendly, he'll fucking use all of his magic just to repair a city because he's that nice. Major contradiction. Now, our main heroine, the "Hero." What a quirky and original name! One word is only needed to describe her; tsundere. The end. The side characters are somewhat better, but I'm not going to get into it.

I did not enjoy this anime. The premise initially was enticing albeit cliche but as soon as the characters started getting magic again it just went to shit. Do not watch it.

Hataraku Maou-sama,
got off to a very promising start, I certainly cannot deny that. It started with a very interesting introduction and quickly got to the point and topic of the action. The animations and the detail in it were also presented very well.

As can be seen from the description, the protagonist "Demon King" lands in Japan and is forced to look for a simple job and somehow keep himself afloat due to his lost powers. Here you got to see a lot of Slice_of_Life and Comedy elements, one worked out more and the other less well. There was also a spark in the plot, but ... this was very small.

The beginning was still not promising, it didn't stay that long. From episode to episode, the anime started to lose track pretty quickly and the past started to be forgotten. Against episodes 6-7, one could almost think that it was a normal comedy anime and that the events from episode 1 had no connection. At least he was still partially entertaining, even if the humor had declined somewhat and the gags became very meaningless.



Animation / pictures:


The animations were quite satisfactory. If you like dynamic and fluid fights, you might find something here, but these were not particularly persistent.

Otherwise, the shadows and lighting effects were just as satisfactory.

Characters:


Ahja .. the characters. Where there was still potential at the beginning, there was a desolate desert in the end.

The protagonist (demon king) was a very interesting personality at the beginning due to his design and his style. However, he lost his properties very quickly and began to develop towards "0815" protagonists with some notable features. Like his dialogues, reactions and actions, none of this was more like the beginning. Even towards the end he showed nothing really interesting apart from the fighting.

His partner, who was initially a very likeable character, also remained quite likable. However, he was left in the course of the series Left and hardly really noticed, whereas other characters were given the limelight.

The protagonist was the Tsundere as it is in the book. Hardly any depth of character, development or anything. She was a bit fresher in design, but her personality left something to be desired. Even if her role in the plot made her a little more interesting, since some of her actions weren't too pointless.

The other protagonist was truly a block on the leg. You know it, the typical good girl with the large bust size who is only there to be there.

Music:


The music was more or less a disaster.

The intro was very weak from the footage and song and could not really prove itself.
The outro was also nothing special.
Most of the soundtracks were just average. There were some who emphasized some scenarios well, but these were the minority.

There was only one really amazing Ost "The strength of the Hero and Devil"


My conclusion



The series is certainly enough for in between. Was able to entertain at the beginning, but lost a lot of strength, still not too daunting. Unfortunately that's already it.

this show can be best described as a series of tryhard comedic reliefs played back to back with plot threads spurn in between. 'try hard' because they're repetitive to the point where you're obliged to feel lightened by them. there are so many plot points that just don't add up, & the characters constantly disregard the very motive they exist to achieve the *entire* time!

another thing about the story is it turns in different ways 'just because' (like- the fights end before they can actually begin, and buildups lead up to nothing... and that's another thing- we learn nothing about anything since the first episodes ... where they just introduce us to the basics of the world's workings!) even the plot points the show constantly gets back to the entire time (because they have nothing new worthwhile to offer) get completely overlooked. 95% of it is sexualized tsundere women to make up for its lack of creative writing, that's it.

this isn't even about me saying how the story isn't as serious and funny as it could've been (as most good animes are) but its writing is so lazy that it can't even make the premise seem a bit engaging, or at least make fanservice memorable, if that's what it intended to rely on. hataraku maou sama is just painfully mediocre in every way.